This bill establishes the New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative, operated by the New Jersey Community College Consortium. It creates "Centers of Workforce Innovation" focused on high-demand fields like healthcare, cybersecurity, renewable energy, and manufacturing. These centers will develop publicly available job training curricula, provide skills for employment, promote financial aid access, and expand apprenticeships. The initiative directly affects students, workers, county colleges, employers, and educational institutions by connecting workforce development with regional economic needs. (Note: The bill was introduced in January 2026 but withdrawn the same day as it was already approved as P.L.2025, c.374.)
This bill expands eligibility for accidental disability benefits under New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) to cover certain state employees. It directly affects workers employed at State psychiatric institutions or correctional facilities after January 2003 but before becoming PERS members, who sustained injuries or illnesses during those jobs. The key provision deems such injuries as occurring "during membership" if the employee later joins PERS without interruption in the same employment. This allows them to apply for benefits based on those pre-membership work-related injuries, rather than requiring membership at the time of injury. The change specifically applies to traumatic injuries sustained while performing duties related to patient care or security at these facilities.
This bill, S 1656, provides New Jersey employers with a tax credit for hiring individuals with disabilities. Employers can claim a 15% credit on wages paid to qualifying employees (meeting ADA standards, working ≥35 hours/week at ≥$15/hour), capped at $2,000 per employee annually for both corporation business tax and gross income tax. To qualify, employers must apply for certification through the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, which must approve applications within 90 days or the application is deemed approved. The credit directly affects New Jersey businesses that hire eligible workers with disabilities, reducing their state tax liability while promoting inclusive employment.
This bill creates the "Manufacturing Workforce Development Grant Program" to connect New Jersey county college students with paid manufacturing internships. County colleges partner with approved local manufacturers to offer these internships, which provide students with real workplace experience, academic credit toward their associate's degree, and a stipend for their work. The program allocates 85% of funds to student stipends and 15% to administrative costs and career counseling, with priority given to colleges offering internships in high-demand manufacturing jobs. Colleges must submit detailed partnership agreements and annual reports tracking student participation, skills gained, and job placement outcomes.
This bill provides New Jersey employers with a temporary tax credit of 50% (up to $50,000 per year) against corporation business and gross income taxes for costs spent building, renovating, or improving real property used to operate on-site child care centers. The credit directly affects businesses that construct or maintain facilities primarily serving the children of their own employees. To qualify, employers must commit to operating the child care center for 60 consecutive months and enter a binding agreement with the state director to verify expenses and maintain compliance. The credit is available for three calendar years following the bill's effective date and requires documentation to prevent misuse.
This New Jersey bill (S 1853) provides tax credits to small business employers (fewer than 25 employees, under $1 million annual revenue) and farm employers for increased mandatory insurance costs. It allows a credit equal to the difference between current-year costs for workers' compensation, disability, and unemployment insurance versus the prior year’s costs for the same employees/wages, capped at $12,000 annually. The credit applies to corporation business tax and gross income tax filings for tax periods starting January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2029. Businesses cannot use the same costs for other tax credits or incentives during overlapping periods.
This bill requires employers with state contracts to pay employees their usual wages for each day of jury service, minus any daily jury fee they receive. It applies specifically to employers who have a state contract (any agreement paid with state funds) and employ an average of at least 50 people for 20+ weeks. Employees must have worked for the employer at least 12 months and 1,000 base hours in the prior year. Violations are punishable as disorderly persons offenses, and employees can sue for lost wages or reinstatement within 90 days.
This bill establishes a two-year pilot program to address staffing shortages at New Jersey's veterans memorial homes (Menlo Park, Paramus, and Vineland). It directly affects nurses and healthcare staff by offering education reimbursement for current employees pursuing licenses (e.g., LPN, RN) and providing recruitment bonuses of up to $6,000 for new hires. Key mechanisms include reimbursing tuition costs (capped at $7,500/semester) with a two-year work commitment after graduation, and allocating $120,000 for recruitment bonuses. The program appropriates $370,000 total from the Workforce Development Partnership Fund, requiring annual reports on participation and outcomes.
This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) to create a program connecting people with disabilities to job training and employment opportunities. It mandates DOLWD to collaborate with qualified nonprofits (with at least five years' experience serving disabled individuals) to develop job training materials and establish an online resource hub. The hub will list training organizations, allow employers to post jobs, and provide information on labor laws and fair employment practices. The program directly affects people with disabilities seeking work, training providers, and employers in New Jersey, with annual reports required to the Governor and Legislature.
This bill allows business owners in New Jersey to exclude capital gains tax from selling company shares to employee ownership structures, specifically benefiting small businesses (under 500 employees, not publicly traded, with NJ headquarters). To qualify, the sale must transfer ownership to an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), a NJ S-corp owned by an ESOP, or a worker-owned cooperative, with employees gaining at least 30% ownership after the transaction. The tax exclusion requires pre-approval from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), which verifies the deal will retain full-time NJ jobs and yield a net economic benefit to the state (measured by retained tax revenue and reduced unemployment claims). It aims to incentivize small business owners to sell to employees instead of outside buyers, preserving local jobs and state tax revenue.
