Labor & Employment in New Jersey

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

A 1348: Concerns enforcement of public work project requirements; establishes penalties for failure to submit payroll records.

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.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 19, 2026

S 3599: Allocates $200 million to Department of Labor and Workforce Development to improve unemployment insurance infrastructure technology.

This bill allocates $200 million from available federal pandemic assistance (or state funds if federal money is unavailable) to New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The funds specifically target technology upgrades for the Division of Unemployment Insurance to improve the state's unemployment benefits system, which faced significant strain during the pandemic. The department must submit an implementation plan to the Legislature within 60 days of the bill's effective date. This directly affects unemployed residents by aiming to make unemployment benefit claims and payments more efficient and reliable.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Unemployment Workforce Development

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

A 1268: Requires eligibility checklist and audit for enrollment in PERS of certain public employees who provide professional services; imposes fine on certifying officer or supervisor for ineligible enrollments.

This bill requires certifying officers to verify that certain public employees (such as attorneys, engineers, accountants, physicians, and architects) are properly classified as state employees - not independent contractors - before enrolling them in New Jersey’s Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS). Officers must complete a form based on IRS employee classification guidelines and submit supporting documents like position resolutions and oaths of office. The state will conduct audits to ensure compliance, and supervisors who fail to verify eligibility may face fines up to $5,000 per violation. The law applies to both new enrollments and existing members of the retirement system.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Audits & Accountability Pensions

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

A 2062: Prohibits disclosure of personal information pertaining to certain health care workers who are victims of assault; establishes civil penalty for each violation.

This bill prohibits disclosing the name and address of health care workers who are assaulted by patients or residents at health care facilities. It directly affects licensed health care workers, direct care staff at psychiatric hospitals, developmental centers, or veterans' homes, when the assault occurs during their duties. The law requires that these details be redacted from court documents, complaints, or reports, and makes unauthorized public disclosure a civil violation punishable by a $100 penalty per document. It aims to protect workers from further retaliation while maintaining public access to other case details.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Mental Health

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 19, 2026

S 3547: Requires DOLWD and DHS to conduct assessment of community rehabilitation programs and community businesses.

S 3547 requires New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) and Department of Human Services (DHS) to conduct case-by-case assessments of employment opportunities provided by community rehabilitation programs and businesses. These assessments determine if jobs - such as those in work crews, call centers, or AbilityOne contracts - meet federal standards for integrated and competitive work, which is important for individuals with disabilities seeking meaningful employment. The bill explicitly prohibits DOLWD and DHS from disqualifying such programs solely because they operate under AbilityOne contracts or the Rehabilitation Facilities Set-Aside Act. This applies to all employment options where individuals with disabilities have applied for positions.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Workforce Development

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

A 1643: Requires employers to report certain allegations of sexual assault.

This bill requires employers in New Jersey to report alleged sexual assaults involving consumers or employees to local law enforcement or county prosecutors within 24 hours. Employers who fail to report face a $10,000 civil penalty. The law also mandates that county prosecutors appoint a Sexual Assault Response Team advocate to inform victims about available services - including medical care, counseling, and legal options - during the employer’s investigation. It directly affects all employers (including corporations, partnerships, and supervisors) and ensures victims receive support while clarifying that employers may still conduct internal investigations.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Violent Crime

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

A 984: Makes $3 million supplemental appropriation for bonus awards for certain COVID-19 emergency essential frontline State workers of Local 195 of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers.

This bill allocates $3 million from the General Fund to provide one-time bonus awards to members of Local 195 of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers who worked as frontline state employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds will be distributed by state agencies to eligible union members who provided essential emergency workplace service. The bonus amount is determined per agency through consultation between the Division of Budget and Accounting and the union president. This supplemental appropriation directly affects approximately 3,000 Local 195 members across state departments, as specified in the bill text. It does not create new policy but provides targeted financial recognition for pandemic-era service.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Collective Bargaining

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

A 2478: Establishes Artificial Intelligence Ethics Board in DOLWD.

New Jersey's Bill A2478 establishes the Artificial Intelligence Ethics Board within the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The board will oversee the sale and use of AI technology in the state, requiring vendors to conduct mandatory "AI Impact Assessments" before selling AI products. These assessments must evaluate privacy risks and potential job displacement, with the board setting minimum standards for them. The bill also directs the board to recommend worker protections, including advance notice, retraining, and severance for employees displaced by AI adoption by employers.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Workforce Development Artificial Intelligence

died · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2748: Enhances protections under Law Against Discrimination for persons serving in military and military veterans.

This bill (A2748) expands New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination to explicitly protect individuals based on "service in the Armed Forces of the United States" and "liability for service" (meaning being subject to military service requirements). It directly affects current military members, veterans, and those subject to military service obligations in employment, housing, and public accommodations. The key change adds these categories to the list of protected characteristics under the law, ensuring discrimination claims related to military service can be addressed under existing anti-discrimination statutes. The bill was withdrawn after being enacted as P.L.2025, c.307, meaning it is now law.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

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

A 1727: Provides TPAF members and certain retirees same benefits provided to members enrolled in retirement system before July 1, 2007.

This bill standardizes pension benefits for New Jersey teachers by moving all current non-retired members of the Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) into a single benefit tier (previously called "Tier 1"), granting them the same retirement benefits as members who joined before July 1, 2007. It requires public employers to enroll teachers earning above minimum salary but not meeting work-hour requirements into TAPF within 60 days of enactment. Teachers in the separate Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP) can automatically transfer their service credit to TAPF for retirement eligibility (but not pension amount calculations), with contributions staying in DCRP; they may opt out within six months of notification. The bill also allows TAPF members with long-term disability insurance to apply for disability retirement within two years of enactment.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Retirement Benefits

All labor & employment bills