Labor & Employment in New Jersey

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

A 1073: Establishes Emergency Services part of PERS; provides enhanced benefits for emergency services employees.

This bill creates a new "Emergency Services Part" within New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) to provide enhanced retirement and death benefits for specific emergency workers. It directly affects emergency medical technicians, paramedics, 911 dispatchers, fire inspectors, and other certified emergency services employees who are currently in PERS or will be hired after the bill's effective date. Key provisions require current PERS members in these roles to be enrolled in the new part within 120 days (unless they waive it), and new hires must be enrolled as a condition of employment. The bill ensures service credit earned in standard PERS for these roles will count toward benefits in the new part, aligning with existing retirement structure while offering improved benefits.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Tags Public Safety

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

A 2623: Requires executive county superintendent to distribute funds to each public school located in county for purchase of tourniquets and requires training on tourniquet use; appropriates up to $500,000.

This bill (A 2623) requires New Jersey executive county superintendents to distribute up to $500,000 in state funds to public school districts for purchasing tourniquets. It mandates that tourniquets be placed in unlocked, clearly marked locations accessible during school hours and school-sponsored events. The bill also requires annual training for school employees (including nurses, safety officers, and teachers) on tourniquet use and bleeding control, which schools may provide through partnerships with local emergency services. Schools must submit annual compliance statements to county superintendents.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics School Safety

died · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1972: Revises law concerning family leave to extend protection by reducing, over time, employee threshold from 30 employees to five employees in definition of employer.

This New Jersey bill (A 1972) would gradually expand family leave protections by lowering the employee threshold for businesses to be covered under the law. Currently, businesses with 30+ employees must comply; the bill phases this down to 20 employees (after 365 days), then 10 employees (after 730 days), and finally to 5 or more employees (after 1,095 days). It directly affects small businesses (5-30 employees) by requiring them to provide job-protected family leave for eligible employees. The bill was introduced in 2026 but withdrawn because it was superseded by another law (P.L.2025, c.279) that already implemented similar changes.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Paid Leave

died · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2356: Provides employment protections for paid first responders diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder under certain conditions.

This bill, now law as P.L.2025, c.272, provides employment protections for New Jersey paid first responders (including police, firefighters, EMTs, and 9-1-1 dispatchers) diagnosed with work-related PTSD. It prohibits employers from firing, harassing, or discriminating against employees who take leave for qualifying PTSD treatment, requiring reinstatement to their previous position after documented recovery. Employers violating these protections face civil fines ($5,000 for first violation, $10,000 for subsequent), court-ordered reinstatement, lost wages, and attorney fees. The law applies only when PTSD arises from on-the-job trauma or vicarious trauma experienced during official duties.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse

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

A 460: Allows person on police officer or firefighter eligible list who is unable to complete requirements for employment due to certain military service to have name placed on subsequent eligible list.

This bill helps National Guard and Reserve members who passed police or firefighter civil service exams but couldn't start jobs due to military service. If they served 30+ consecutive days after September 11, 2001, during specified military operations (including Operation Enduring Freedom and Freedom’s Sentinel), their name moves to the next eligible hiring list for the same job type. It also extends age eligibility - those who met age requirements when the exam closed are considered eligible when their name is added to the new list. The bill applies only to those whose military service prevented completing employment requirements.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Policing Public Employees National Guard & Reserve Veteran Employment

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

A 2563: Requires school districts to alert school employees of threats to school community.

This bill requires New Jersey school districts, receiving schools, and nonpublic schools to train all employees - including substitutes - on school safety protocols, including how to report threats. It mandates that school employees immediately notify principals about threats involving potential death or serious injury, prompting principals to alert law enforcement. If law enforcement confirms a credible threat, principals must notify students, parents, staff, and place the individual on a restricted access list shared with all schools in the district and neighboring districts. The training must address accessibility needs for students with disabilities and align with state safety guidelines.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

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

A 3905: Concerns development of safe indoor storage standards for certain energy storage system batteries.

This bill requires New Jersey's Commissioner of Community Affairs (with input from the Board of Public Utilities) to create safety standards for indoor storage of specific energy storage batteries used in buildings or facilities. The standards must cover lithium-ion, nickel-cadmium, nickel metal hydride, flow/redox flow, and lead-acid batteries, including specific storage requirements, mandatory communication with local fire/code officials before installation, and disposal procedures developed with the Department of Environmental Protection. Once adopted, these standards will be added to New Jersey's State Uniform Construction Code. The bill directly affects building owners and facility operators installing these battery systems, ensuring safety protocols are integrated into construction regulations.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

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

A 2775: Requires health insurers, SHBP, and SEHBP to cover mammograms for women over 35 and women under 35 under certain circumstances.

This bill requires health insurers, the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP), and the State Employees Health Benefits Program (SEHBP) to cover specific mammogram screenings. It mandates one baseline mammogram for women aged 35 and annual screenings for women 35 and older, while also requiring coverage for women under 35 with breast cancer risk factors (like family history) as determined by their provider. Additional tests like ultrasounds or MRIs are covered if needed due to dense breast tissue, abnormal results, or other risk factors. The law applies to all health insurance plans in New Jersey, ensuring these screenings are covered without additional out-of-pocket costs for eligible individuals.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Insurance

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

A 641: "Assistance to Firefighters' Families Act"; doubles pension amounts for beneficiaries of certain deceased volunteer emergency service providers; provides for burial expenses and adjusts life insurance coverage for volunteer firefighters; permits fire code inspection surcharge.

This bill, the "Assistance to Firefighters' Families Act," doubles survivor pension amounts for families of volunteer firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and rescue squad workers who die while on duty. It increases the maximum group life insurance coverage a municipality can provide from $25,000 to $250,000 per member and requires municipalities to cover reasonable funeral and burial costs not covered by firemen's associations. Municipalities can fund these benefits by adding a surcharge to fire code inspection fees. The changes directly affect the spouses, children, or parents of deceased volunteer emergency service providers in New Jersey.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

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

A 2981: Permits layoff plans as substitute for employment reconciliation plans for joint meetings or shared service agreements under certain circumstances.

This bill allows local governments in New Jersey to use a "layoff plan" instead of a full "employment reconciliation plan" when transitioning employees between municipalities under shared service agreements or joint meetings. It requires layoff plans to include minimum protections: terminal leave payments (one month per five years of service for terminated employees) and placement on a special reemployment list for future civil service jobs. The bill directly affects civil service employees in local governments entering shared service arrangements and the Civil Service Commission, which must review plans within 45 days. These changes streamline transitions while ensuring basic worker protections during service-sharing agreements.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Public Employees Unemployment Workforce Development

All labor & employment bills