This bill prohibits franchisors from including "no-poaching agreements" in franchise contracts, which prevent franchisees from hiring employees who previously worked for the franchisor or other franchisees in the same chain. It directly affects franchise workers - especially in industries like restaurants and fast food - by allowing them to seek employment at other locations within the franchise network. The law enables employees to sue franchisors or franchisees for violations and recover damages, including attorney fees, if they’re blocked from job opportunities. By banning these agreements, the bill aims to increase worker mobility and competition in labor markets, potentially helping low-wage employees negotiate better wages and benefits.
This bill increases penalties for employers who violate New Jersey's wage and hour law. For first-time violations, fines rise from $100-$1,000 to $500-$1,000; second violations increase to $1,000-$2,000; and third or subsequent violations become a fourth-degree crime punishable by up to $10,000 in fines or 18 months in jail. Each week an employee is paid below the legal rate counts as a separate offense. The bill also allows the Labor Commissioner to impose administrative penalties up to $500 per violation after providing due process, including a 15-day hearing window. These changes directly affect employers who fail to pay proper wages or comply with record-keeping requirements.
This bill amends New Jersey's labor laws to increase age restrictions for minors working in agriculture. It prohibits minors under 12 from agricultural work until December 31, 2024, after which the minimum age rises to 14. It also limits agricultural work hours for minors: 10 hours per day before 2025, then aligning with general minor labor rules (c.34:2-21.3) after that date. The bill directly affects minors under 18 working on farms in New Jersey, requiring employer authorization and restricting work hours to protect their health and education.
This bill strengthens enforcement of payroll and registration rules for public works contractors in New Jersey. It establishes higher administrative penalties - up to $25,000 per violation - for failing to submit required payroll records, underpaying workers, or falsifying documents. Each underpaid worker and each week of noncompliance counts as a separate violation, with penalties calculated based on factors like prior violations and business size. Contractors must be notified of alleged violations and given a 15-day hearing opportunity before fines are imposed.
This bill requires businesses bidding on New Jersey state contracts exceeding $50,000 to disclose all labor or employment law violations (including wage, safety, or workers' compensation breaches) from the past two years. State agencies evaluating bids must assess the seriousness of disclosed violations and may disqualify bidders whose violations pose a significant health/safety risk or show disregard for the law. It directly affects contractors seeking state work by adding a transparency requirement tied to their labor compliance record. The policy change focuses on ensuring contractors have a clean labor record before securing public contracts.
This bill (S 3510) amends New Jersey’s Earned Sick Leave Law to require employers to provide earned sick leave for employees covered by collective bargaining agreements that are "amendable" (not just expiring) contracts. It directly affects workers in unionized workplaces where contracts become amendable but do not have a set expiration date. The key change clarifies that the sick leave requirement applies when such contracts become amendable, ensuring these employees receive the same benefits as those covered by expiring contracts. The law maintains existing protections for more generous employer policies or collective bargaining agreements.
This bill requires temporary help service firms in New Jersey to maintain detailed records about their temporary workers and client businesses. Specifically, firms must track worker names, work locations, hours, pay rates, deductions, and client information for six years, making certain records accessible to workers upon request. It directly affects temporary help firms and businesses (third-party clients) that hire temporary laborers in designated occupations like construction, food service, and maintenance. The law amends existing regulations to standardize and expand record-keeping requirements for transparency and accountability. The bill is currently pending before the Assembly Labor Committee.
This bill requires construction employers in New Jersey to clearly display and provide written notice to all employees about their workplace rights, including unemployment benefits, minimum wage, overtime pay, and protections against retaliation under the existing Construction Industry Independent Contractor Act (P.L.2007, c.114). Employers must post the notice in accessible locations and provide written copies at hiring or upon request, in English, Spanish, and other languages needed based on the workforce. Employers who fail to comply face civil penalties of up to $1,500 for a first violation and $5,000 for repeat violations within five years. The notice must also include contact details for filing complaints with the Labor Department about rights violations.
This bill strengthens New Jersey's child labor law by increasing penalties for violations and requiring employer registration. It creates tiered fines: $500-$2,000 for basic violations (up to $4,000 for repeat offenses), $1,000-$2,000 for employing unregistered minors or violating school-hour rules, and $4,000 minimum for cases involving minor injuries or death. Employers must register with the Department of Labor, acknowledge written rules about penalties, and face registration suspension (1-2 years) or 3-year hiring bans for violations. The law directly affects employers hiring minors, particularly those in unsafe occupations, during school hours, or without proper authorization.
This bill exempts overtime pay from New Jersey's gross income tax for specific workers who already earn 150% of their regular wage for hours worked beyond 40 per week. It directly affects most hourly workers covered by New Jersey's overtime law (N.J.S. 34:11-56a4), excluding executives, administrative staff, farm laborers, auto salespeople, hotel employees, limo drivers, and bus carriers. The key mechanism amends tax withholding rules to require employers not to deduct state income tax from this exempt overtime pay. The exemption applies only to overtime legally mandated under state law, not all overtime earnings.
