A 2145 New Jersey General Assembly · 2024-2025 Regular Session

Provides employment protections for paid first responders diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder under certain conditions.

This bill, the "New Jersey First Responders Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Protection Act," protects paid first responders (including police, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, and 9-1-1 dispatchers) diagnosed with work-related PTSD. It prohibits employers from firing, harassing, or discriminating against these employees for taking leave related to a qualifying PTSD diagnosis, which must be linked to a traumatic event experienced during their duties or vicarious trauma from their job. Employers must reinstate employees to their prior position after leave, and violations allow employees to sue for remedies including $5,000 fines for first violations, reinstatement, back pay, and attorney fees. The civil action must be filed within one year of the alleged violation.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2024
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 9, 2024 Last action Jan 12, 2026
Floor votes

How they voted

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
5
Key actions
1
Committee
3
Jan 8, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported out of Assembly Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading
lower
Feb 20, 2025
Committee
Reported and Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee
lower
Jan 27, 2025
Committee
Reported and Referred to Assembly Labor Committee
lower
Jan 9, 2024
Introduced
Introduced in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee
lower
3 primary · 30 co-sponsors

Sponsors