Labor & Employment in New Jersey

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

A 2369: Requires State agencies to enroll State employees into federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

This bill requires New Jersey state agencies to automatically enroll full-time employees with qualifying federal student loans into the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. It mandates agencies to identify eligible employees using a state-federal database match (via the Department of Education) and update enrollment when employees transfer between agencies. Qualified employees must meet federal PSLF criteria, including working full-time for a qualifying employer (like state agencies) while making qualifying loan payments. The law takes effect immediately, ensuring state employees can access federal loan forgiveness without additional application steps.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

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

A 3900: Permits paid leave by public officers and employees for inactive duty military training.

This bill expands paid leave for New Jersey public employees who serve in military reserves or National Guard. Currently, state/local government workers in federal reserve units get up to 30 paid work days per year for active duty training, while National Guard members get up to 90 days for active duty. The bill adds required inactive duty training (like routine drills) to these qualifying activities under the same annual limits. Public employers, including school districts, will be reimbursed by the state for any increased costs from this change.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Paid Leave

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

A 1577: Permits application for PERS accidental disability benefit for injury sustained after January 2003 while employed at State psychiatric institution or correctional facility immediately prior to PERS membership.

This bill amends New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) rules to allow temporary state employees at psychiatric hospitals or correctional facilities to qualify for accidental disability benefits. It specifically covers injuries sustained after January 2003 while working temporarily at these facilities (before becoming a PERS member), making such injuries eligible for PERS benefits once the employee gains membership. The key change deems these pre-membership injuries as occurring "during membership" if the employee joins PERS without interruption in the same job. This expands eligibility beyond current rules, which only provided workers' compensation for such injuries before PERS membership.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

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

A 2881: Establishes Stabilization Aid for certain school districts experiencing reductions in State school aid or other budgetary imbalances; establishes Education Rescue Grants for certain school districts experiencing reductions in teaching staff.

This bill creates two new types of state funding for New Jersey school districts: "Stabilization Aid" for districts facing reduced state aid or budget shortfalls, and "Education Rescue Grants" for districts that lost teaching staff. To qualify, districts must apply to the Commissioner of Education, with Stabilization Aid requiring a future funding plan and Rescue Grants covering only teacher salaries (not benefits) for rehiring or retraining. The aid supplements existing school funding under the 2008 School Funding Reform Act but does not change the overall funding formula. It directly affects school districts experiencing specific financial or staffing challenges, providing temporary relief until broader funding reforms are implemented.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics School Funding Teachers

died · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3309: Concerns administration of employer payroll tax.

This bill amends New Jersey's local payroll tax law to require employers in municipalities with a local tax to submit quarterly payroll reports by specific deadlines (April, July, October, January) and provide additional information requested by the municipality. It prohibits employers from deducting the tax from employee pay, mandates confidentiality for reported data, and sets interest rates for late payments (8% on the first $1,500 overdue, 18% above that). The bill also prevents double taxation by exempting employees from New Jersey local tax if their out-of-state employer already pays a similar tax, requiring employers to submit documentation to resolve such cases.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

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

A 3122: Requires health benefits coverage for family planning and reproductive health care services, including early infancy care, without cost sharing.

This New Jersey bill requires health insurance plans sold in the state and the Medicaid program to cover specific family planning and reproductive health services without any out-of-pocket costs for enrollees. It mandates no deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance for services including abortion (both aspiration and medication types), emergency care for mothers/newborns, contraception counseling, genetic testing, inpatient care for mothers and infants, well-baby visits, and ultrasounds. The coverage applies to all in-network providers under insurance contracts and Medicaid, but excludes childbirth services. Religious employers may still qualify for exemptions under existing law.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Hospitals Insurance Women's Health

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

A 1044: Increases certain penalties for violations of wage and hour law.

This bill increases penalties for employers who violate New Jersey's wage and hour law. For first-time violations, fines rise from $100-$1,000 to $500-$1,000; second violations increase to $1,000-$2,000; and third or subsequent violations become a fourth-degree crime punishable by up to $10,000 in fines or 18 months in jail. Each week an employee is paid below the legal rate counts as a separate offense. The bill also allows the Labor Commissioner to impose administrative penalties up to $500 per violation after providing due process, including a 15-day hearing window. These changes directly affect employers who fail to pay proper wages or comply with record-keeping requirements.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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

A 137: Permits teacher who retired from TPAF to return to employment for two years without reenrollment in TPAF; provides gross income tax relief for certain rehired teachers.

This bill allows retired teachers who left the Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) to return to public school teaching for up to two years without rejoining the pension fund. School boards must prove they searched for other candidates and that the retired teacher is the only qualified person, and the teacher’s salary must be 40-70% of the median teacher pay in that district. Retired teachers rehired under this bill receive a 50% tax deduction on their rehired salary, with the remaining income taxed at a flat 1.4% rate (instead of standard rates), provided the retirement was genuine and not prearranged. The bill explicitly prohibits tenure or seniority rights during this reemployment period.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Income Tax Pensions Teachers Workforce Development

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

A 3977: Concerns electrical linemen and associated building trades during weather-related states of emergency.

This bill designates electrical linemen and utility workers as "first responder" personnel during weather-related emergencies declared by the Governor or President. It creates special decals for their vehicles to identify them while restoring power or water service, requiring decals to be displayed only during emergencies and removed afterward. The bill also provides civil liability protection for these workers acting in good faith during emergencies, excluding cases of willful or gross negligence. These provisions apply directly to utility workers and require public safety centers to dispatch them during declared weather emergencies.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Tags Emergency Management Public Safety

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

A 3888: Increases days of paid leave of absence for public employees who serve in United States Reserves.

This bill (NJ A3888) increases paid leave for New Jersey public employees who serve in the U.S. military Reserves. It directly affects state, county, school district, and municipal employees who are members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps Reserves, or affiliated National Guard units. The key change amends state law to provide **90 paid work days per year** for federal active duty (up from 30 days), with any leave beyond 90 days provided without pay but without loss of time. The policy change applies to permanent, full-time temporary, and certain other public employees serving in reserve components.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Paid Leave National Guard & Reserve

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