Labor & Employment in New Jersey

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

A 1637: Provides temporary disability benefits for special law enforcement officers.

This bill (A 1637) expands New Jersey's temporary disability benefits program to cover special law enforcement officers employed by local governments. It directly affects officers appointed under P.L.1985, c.439 (C.40A:14-146.8 et seq.), who previously might not have qualified. The key provision automatically includes their employers as "covered employers" without requiring separate election, and defines these officers as "covered individuals" eligible for benefits. Unlike other state employees, they won’t need to exhaust accumulated sick leave before accessing temporary disability benefits.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

passed · New Jersey · General Assembly May 18, 2026

A 936: Waives certain professional and occupational licensing fees for veterans and spouses of veterans.

This bill waives initial application and issuance fees for professional and occupational licenses in New Jersey for veterans and their spouses, domestic partners, or civil union partners who already hold a current, equivalent license in another state. It applies when the applicant resides in New Jersey and the out-of-state license meets the board's equivalent or substantially equivalent requirements. The exemption covers all licenses issued by professional boards under the Division of Consumer Affairs. The bill does not affect renewal fees or licenses obtained through other pathways.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Professional Licensing Memorials & Recognition Veteran Education Veteran Employment Tags Licensing

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

A 1050: Reaffirms continuation of Rutgers Institute of Management and Labor Relations; appropriates $750,000.

This bill reaffirms the continuation of the Rutgers Institute of Management and Labor Relations for its 77th anniversary and appropriates $750,000 annually from the General Fund to support its operations. It requires the Institute to offer affordable educational programs (free for New Jersey residents when possible) on labor-management relations, including classes, webinars, and forums, while conducting applied research on workplace issues. The bill mandates an advisory council with six members - representing labor, management, and the public - to guide program development and budgeting. These funds are intended to supplement, not replace, existing state funding for the Institute.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics State Budget

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

A 1974: Establishes "Patient Protection and Safe Staffing Act."

This bill establishes minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios for hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and state developmental/psychiatric hospitals in New Jersey. It requires specific ratios, such as 1 nurse per 4 patients on medical/surgical units and 1 nurse per 2 patients in critical care, along with unlicensed staff ratios (1 per 7 patients during day shifts). Hospitals must implement an acuity-based staffing system approved by the health department to adjust staffing based on patient needs and unit conditions. The law aims to ensure safe staffing levels without reducing existing standards, directly affecting healthcare facilities and patient safety.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Mental Health

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

A 1065: Establishes workforce development training program for advanced transmission technology.

This bill creates the Advanced Transmission Technologies Workforce Development Program (ATT Program) within New Jersey's Department of Labor to train electrical engineers and utility workers in installing and managing advanced transmission technology systems. The program focuses on creating jobs, embedding training directly into infrastructure projects, using community benefit agreements, updating student career education, and retraining existing workers. It authorizes the department to use state, federal, and non-governmental funding sources for these efforts and requires annual evaluation reports to the Governor and Legislature starting July 1, 2027. The goal is to build a skilled workforce that supports faster deployment of transmission technology and reduces delays caused by technical capacity gaps.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Workforce Development

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

A 3472: Requires employers to adopt domestic violence policies and protocols established by DOLWD.

New Jersey bill A 3472 requires all employers in the state to adopt written domestic violence policies and safety protocols developed by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD). The DOLWD must create culturally competent policies covering employee training, response procedures for affected workers, bystander intervention education, and victim resources. Employers must implement these policies within one year of the bill's enactment and share them with all employees at least annually. This applies to every business and organization operating in New Jersey, mandating concrete policy changes to address domestic violence in the workplace.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Workforce Development

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

A 2875: Permits surviving spouse of retired member of PFRS to be enrolled in SHBP and to continue to receive pension benefit after remarriage in certain circumstances.

New Jersey's bill A 2875 allows surviving spouses of retired police and fire department members (PFRS) to keep state-paid health coverage through the State Health Benefits Program and continue receiving pension benefits after remarriage, if the retiree's death was linked to a work-related disability. The law requires surviving spouses to provide documentation proving the disability, its complications, or a worsened preexisting condition directly contributed to the retiree's death. Surviving spouses who lost pension benefits due to remarriage before this law can apply for reinstatement. This applies only to those who were receiving disability retirement benefits at the time of the retiree's death.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Retirement Benefits

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

A 1278: Allows gross income tax deduction for income earned in form of tips.

This bill allows New Jersey taxpayers who earn tips to deduct those tips from their gross income for state tax purposes. It directly affects service industry workers (like servers, bartenders, or hairdressers) who receive tips reported to their employers. To claim the deduction, workers must report tip income through the same documentation required by federal tax law (e.g., employer tip statements). The Division of Taxation will create rules to implement this change, and it applies to tax years starting after the next January following enactment.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Income Tax Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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

A 3913: Provides tax credits for hiring certain military spouses.

New Jersey's bill A 3913 creates a tax credit program to incentivize employers to hire military spouses affected by frequent relocations. Employers who hire nonresident military spouses (spouses of active-duty service members transferred to New Jersey, legally domiciled here, or on permanent change-of-station) can claim a tax credit equal to 15% of wages for 120-400 hours worked or 25% for over 400 hours annually, capped at $2,400 per employee. The credit reduces the employer's corporation business tax or gross income tax liability. This policy directly supports military spouses whose careers are disrupted by service-related moves, aiming to improve their employment stability.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Income Tax Tax Credits

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

A 2241: Establishes Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Program in DHS.

This bill establishes New Jersey's Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Program within the Department of Human Services. It provides grants to childcare facilities (not public schools) to increase minimum wages for early childhood educators - primarily women of color and immigrants - based on their education, experience, and job title, aiming to match public school educator pay. The program uses a funding formula that prioritizes facilities serving economically disadvantaged communities and requires participating facilities to pay at least the mandated minimum salaries. Facilities must meet specific reporting and compliance standards to receive grants, with adjustments made if funding falls short. The program targets improving wages and retention in New Jersey's childcare sector, directly affecting educators and the small businesses that employ them.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Early Childhood School Funding Teachers Employment Discrimination

All labor & employment bills