Labor & Employment in New Jersey

died · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2542: Allows State, municipality, and county to implement automatic enrollment of their employees in deferred compensation plans.

This bill allows New Jersey state, municipal, and county employers to automatically enroll employees in retirement savings plans (deferred compensation plans) unless they opt out. It establishes a default contribution rate, permits periodic increases in contributions, and requires employers to provide employees with clear notice and the option to adjust or stop contributions. Employers must also negotiate automatic enrollment terms with union representatives for covered employees, and designate a default investment option if employees don’t choose one. The bill was withdrawn after being enacted as part of P.L.2025, c.358, making these provisions effective law.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Retirement Benefits

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 9, 2026

S 3446: "Assistance to Firefighters' Families Act"; doubles pension amounts for beneficiaries of certain deceased volunteer emergency service providers; provides for burial expenses and adjusts life insurance coverage for volunteer firefighters; permits fire code inspection surcharge.

This bill, S 3446 ("Assistance to Firefighters' Families Act"), increases financial support for families of volunteer firefighters and emergency workers who die while serving. It doubles annual survivor pensions (from $15,000 to $30,000 for widows, $10,000 to $20,000 for children, and $5,000 to $10,000 for parents), raises life insurance coverage from $25,000 to $250,000, and requires municipalities to cover reasonable funeral and burial costs not covered by existing associations. The bill also allows municipalities to collect fire code inspection fees to offset enforcement costs under the Uniform Fire Safety Act. These changes directly affect the families of deceased volunteer emergency service providers in New Jersey.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1443: Creates grant program for NJ YouthBuild programs through DOLWD; makes appropriation.

This bill (A1443, "The New Jersey YouthBuild Act") creates a state grant program administered by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) to fund YouthBuild programs for economically disadvantaged youth, particularly those who have not completed high school. It directly affects eligible youth (ages 16-24) and community organizations that can apply for grants to run these programs. Key provisions require funded programs to provide balanced services: 50% classroom education (including high school diploma preparation) and 50% construction/vocational training in housing rehabilitation for low-income communities, plus counseling, leadership development, and a stipend for participants. The program aims to promote economic self-sufficiency through job skills, education, and community-focused housing projects.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Appropriations Career & Technical Education K-12 Education Workforce Development

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 5, 2026

S 3376: Requires biennial inspection of nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

This bill (S 3376) requires New Jersey nursing homes and assisted living facilities to undergo inspections every two years. Within 180 days of the law taking effect, the Department of Health must establish uniform care and safety standards for these facilities. The Department will conduct these biennial inspections and post all inspection reports online for public access, ensuring facilities operate according to the new standards.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 9, 2026

S 3458: Establishes Commission on Career and Technical Education and creates initiatives that promote career and technical education programs in State.

This bill establishes a 11-member Commission on Career and Technical Education to study and evaluate the availability, equity, and expansion of career training programs across New Jersey school districts. The commission will assess program access in counties, review costs and benefits of expansion, and issue a report with recommendations within one year. It also requires public school principals (grades 6-12) to annually promote career programs through student assemblies, parent events, and website notices. The bill directly affects school districts, county vocational schools, and students seeking career-focused education pathways. It creates no new funding but mandates specific reporting and awareness efforts to improve program visibility.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3568: Requires food delivery network company to maintain certain automobile insurance.

This New Jersey bill (A 3568) requires food delivery companies (like Uber Eats or DoorDash) to ensure drivers using personal vehicles have specific insurance coverage. Drivers must maintain: $50,000 bodily injury coverage when logged into the app but not delivering, and $1.5 million coverage during actual food deliveries. If a driver’s insurance lapses, the company must provide the required coverage starting from the first dollar of a claim. The law directly affects food delivery drivers and companies operating in New Jersey, ensuring consistent insurance levels for safety and liability during delivery services.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 9, 2026

S 3423: Authorizes use of certain fish pumps to remove menhaden from purse seines.

This bill (S 3423) allows commercial bait fishing vessels in New Jersey state waters to use specific "wet" fish pumps (capsule or centrifugal design) to remove menhaden from purse seines, instead of requiring brailing or dip nets. It directly affects commercial menhaden fishing vessels operating under New Jersey's bait catch quotas. The bill specifies that pumps must have discharge hoses placed at or below the waterline to minimize aeration of surface waters. This change aims to improve crew safety, reduce net damage during removal, and allow vessels to exit fishing areas more quickly, potentially decreasing conflicts with recreational fishing.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2614: Requires NJTA, SJTA, EDA, CRDA, PANYNJ, and DRPA to consider minorities and women when hiring or awarding contracts.

This bill requires New Jersey's major transportation and economic authorities - including the NJTA, SJTA, EDA, CRDA, PANYNJ, and DRPA - to actively consider and prioritize hiring minority and women employees, as well as awarding contracts to minority-owned and women-owned businesses. Authorities must publish quarterly reports online detailing employee demographics (by gender, race, and ethnicity) and contractor diversity, including average salaries and contract values. The law defines "minority" broadly to include Black, Hispanic, Asian American, and American Indian/Alaska Native individuals, and specifies that businesses owned by these groups must meet a 51% ownership threshold to qualify. If passed, these measures would directly affect hiring and contracting decisions across these agencies' operations.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2099: Establishes EMS part of PERS; provides enhanced benefits for emergency medical services employees.

This bill creates a new retirement plan within New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) specifically for emergency medical services (EMS) workers, including paramedics, EMTs, emergency medical supervisors, and other certified personnel who provide life support services. It requires these employees to join the "EMS Part" of PERS, pay a 10% salary contribution, and receive enhanced retirement benefits: 50% of their final salary for 20+ years of service, or a special option of 65% of final salary plus additional payments for 25+ years of service. Existing retirement credits will transfer to the new plan without extra cost to employees, and the bill also provides death benefits to beneficiaries equal to half the employee's final salary. The bill directly affects all eligible EMS employees in New Jersey state, county, and municipal roles.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Retirement Benefits Tags Public Safety

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2154: Appoints members to State Health Benefits Commission and School Employees' Health Benefits Commission.

This bill increases membership on two New Jersey health benefits commissions. It expands the State Health Benefits Commission from 5 to 9 members and the School Employees' Health Benefits Commission from 9 to 13 members. The bill specifies new appointment procedures, including adding three local employee representatives for the State Commission and increasing union and association representation for the School Commission. It also creates a new State Health Benefits Plan Design Committee with 12 members to manage health plan details like medical and dental benefits. The changes are procedural, affecting only the composition and structure of these commissions, not the health benefits programs themselves.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining

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