Labor & Employment (Labor Standards) in New Jersey

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 1435: Concerns work break periods and warehouse conditions of employment.

This bill establishes minimum wage standards and regulates working conditions for warehouse employees in New Jersey. It directly affects large warehouse employers (those with 100+ employees at a single facility or 1,000+ across multiple facilities) by defining "fair wage" as one sufficient for basic needs and prohibiting "oppressive wages" tied to unrealistic productivity quotas. Key provisions include requiring employers to pay fair wages, restricting the use of quotas that violate wage standards, and defining "employee work speed data" to prevent misuse of productivity tracking. The law aims to ensure wages reflect the value of work and meet basic living costs, targeting large distribution centers where such practices are common.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2767: Establishes additional manner of employer compliance to provide earned sick leave for certain employees subject to collective bargaining agreements.

This bill (S 2767) modifies New Jersey's earned sick leave law to create a new compliance option for employers in the ready-mix concrete industry covered by collective bargaining agreements. It allows these employers to satisfy the sick leave requirement by providing existing fully paid time off (including personal/vacation/sick days) totaling at least 40 hours per benefit year, instead of tracking separate sick leave accruals. The paid time off must be usable for the same purposes as sick leave under the law and must be fully paid. This provision specifically applies to employees under collective bargaining agreements in the ready-mix concrete industry and does not affect employees already excluded from the law.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Labor Standards Paid Leave

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2664: "New Jersey Fair Workweek Act."

This bill requires large employers (250+ global employees) in covered sectors like restaurants, hotels, and retail chains to provide employees with advance notice of work schedules. It mandates 14 days' notice for schedule changes and prohibits last-minute shifts without a valid business reason (such as staffing shortages or legal requirements). Employees can request schedule adjustments through a good-faith discussion with their employer, and employers must provide written notice of schedule changes. The law applies to establishments including chains with 30+ restaurants worldwide or 250+ total employees.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 5, 2026

S 1790: Provides certain resources to county prosecutors for enforcement of law regarding failure to pay wages; makes appropriation.

This bill (S 1790) provides funding and training to New Jersey county prosecutors to investigate and prosecute wage theft cases. It requires each county prosecutor to assign a dedicated assistant prosecutor to handle violations of state wage laws and a specific statute (P.L.1999, c.90, C.2C:40A-2), directly affecting workers owed wages and county prosecutors' offices. The key mechanism involves appropriating up to $2 million from the General Fund to the Department of Labor for this purpose, including funding for staff training and case investigations. The bill aims to strengthen enforcement of wage laws by providing concrete resources to local prosecutors.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Labor Standards

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

SR 52: Urges generative artificial intelligence companies to make voluntary commitments regarding employee whistleblower protections.

This Senate resolution (SR 52) urges major generative AI companies (like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google) to voluntarily adopt specific protections for employees who report safety risks. It requests companies commit to: not retaliating against employees for raising concerns, creating anonymous channels for reporting to boards/regulators, and providing legal/technical safe harbor to protect researchers testing AI systems for flaws without fear of account bans or lawsuits. The resolution does not create new laws but asks companies to adopt these practices to improve accountability, as current whistleblower protections are inadequate for AI safety concerns. It directly affects AI companies and their employees who might disclose risk-related information.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Artificial Intelligence

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 417: Requires employers to provide paid leave to employees to vote in certain circumstances.

New Jersey's S 417 requires most private employers to provide employees with two hours of paid leave annually to vote in general elections. Employees must give employers two business days' notice, and employers must display voting leave rights 10 days before elections. The paid leave must be at the employee's regular pay rate (not below minimum wage), and employers must offer it at the start or end of a work shift on election day. The law excludes construction workers under collective bargaining agreements, per diem healthcare workers, and public employees already covered by existing paid voting leave policies.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage Paid Leave

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2110: Increases certain penalties for violations of wage and hour law.

This bill (S 2110) increases penalties for New Jersey employers who violate the state's wage and hour law, which governs minimum pay, recordkeeping, and overtime. It raises fines for first violations to $500-$1,000 (from $100-$1,000), second violations to $1,000-$2,000 (from $500-$1,000), and makes third violations a fourth-degree crime punishable by fines up to $10,000 or 18 months in jail. Employers who fail to pay required wages, falsify records, or obstruct enforcement face these enhanced penalties. The bill also authorizes the Labor Commissioner to impose administrative fines of up to $500 per violation after a hearing, with amounts based on factors like prior violations and business size.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 1877: Provides tax credits to restaurant owners to offset increase in State minimum wage rate.

S 1877 provides New Jersey restaurant owners with tax credits to offset increased labor costs from the state's minimum wage hike. The bill calculates credits based on the difference between the new minimum wage (after P.L.2019, c.32) and the previous rate, multiplied by employee hours worked - $3 per hour for tipped staff, excluding delivery employees. Credits max out at $12,500 per employee and apply only to restaurants with five or fewer locations, covering up to 10 tax periods. This directly affects small restaurant businesses by reducing their tax burden tied to mandated wage increases.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 1753: Establishes system for portable benefits for workers who provide services to consumers through contracting agents.

This bill creates a system requiring companies that connect workers to consumers (like gig economy platforms) to contribute 15% of each worker's monthly earnings into portable benefits accounts. It directly affects workers who provide services 40+ hours monthly as independent contractors (paid via 1099), excluding unionized workers, real estate agents, and healthcare professionals. These contributions fund worker-selected benefits including workers' compensation, health insurance, paid time off, and retirement options, managed by nonprofit benefit providers. Workers choose which benefits to receive from the available options, and companies must pay contributions monthly within 15 days of service.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Gig Economy Labor Standards Workers' Compensation

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 228: Establishes procedures and standards regarding public service privatization contracts.

This bill requires New Jersey state and local agencies to follow strict procedures before outsourcing public services to private contractors. It mandates competitive bidding with public documentation, ensures contractor services meet or exceed current quality and quantity standards, and requires comparable wages/benefits for contractor workers. The law applies to contracts worth $500,000+ for local agencies or $1 million+ for state agencies, excluding certain service types like legal work or disability rehabilitation contracts. Agencies must also publish quarterly reports on service quality, fees, and contractor compliance to maintain public transparency.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

All labor & employment bills