Peter C. Harvey, Attorney
General
Division of Consumer Affairs
Reni Erdos, Director
For Immediate Release:
November 20, 2003
For Further Information Contact:
Genene Morris, Jeffrey Lamm 973-504-6327
Hudson County Funeral Home Shut Down
Barred From Conducting Funerals for At Least 90 Days
NEWARK — The New Jersey State Board of Mortuary Science has suspended the registration of a Union City funeral home after finding, among other things, that the funeral home was operated without a properly licensed manager, Attorney General Peter C. Harvey and Consumer Affairs Director Reni Erdos announced today. The one-year suspension, 90 days of which will be active, takes effect today. During the 90–day active suspension, the funeral home will be barred from conducting funerals.
The Board's decision comes after an inspection of the Rivero Funeral Home of Union City revealed that it was operating without a currently licensed manager. Its manager–of–record, Frank C. Reiman, Sr., allowed his license to lapse in February 2003 and failed to renew it during the course of the year. New Jersey's laws governing mortuary science require corporate-owned funeral homes to be under the direct supervision of a full-time licensed manager.
In rendering its decision, the BMS also found that the Rivero Funeral Home, its owner Eduardo Rivero, and Rieman engaged in a number of other violations of rules governing the practice of mortuary science in New Jersey. More specifically, in addition to failing to operate with a properly licensed manager, the BMS found that the funeral home's stationery failed to contain the manager's license number and its "Statement of Funeral Goods and Services Selected," a document that must be presented to customers when they are making funeral arrangements, did not comport with applicable regulations.
Prior to the completion of the 90–day active suspension, the funeral home must notify the BMS of the name of the new manager of the funeral home and must ensure the appropriate documents are filed with the BMS to effectuate the change. If Rieman remains manager, he must satisfy all requirements necessary for reinstating his license. In addition, Rivero and Rieman must provide copies of all funeral home files for all funerals conducted between March 1, 2003, and the date of active suspension of the funeral home's registration.
Deputy Attorney General Jodi Krugman of the Division of Law handled this matter for the State.
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