This bill excludes the first $5,000 earned annually as a community outreach worker in health promotion or disease prevention programs from income calculations for New Jersey's Medicaid (NJ FamilyCare), Work First New Jersey (WFNJ), and SNAP programs. It directly affects low-income individuals working temporary, hourly or stipend-based roles with non-profits, health systems, or local health departments - where they connect communities to health services. The key provision ensures this modest income isn’t counted toward eligibility thresholds, preventing beneficiaries from losing assistance due to small earnings. The bill defines "health promotion" as programs empowering healthy behaviors and "disease prevention" as reducing health risks, applying to all three state assistance programs. It requires state agencies to update eligibility rules to implement this change.
This bill requires local governments in New Jersey to create employment plans when sharing services (like waste management or IT) to protect workers' rights. It mandates that any job transfers or terminations due to shared service agreements must follow civil service rules, including terminal leave payments for affected employees and placement on special reemployment lists. The Civil Service Commission reviews these plans to ensure compliance, directly impacting local government employees in civil service positions and the municipalities entering shared service agreements. The bill also includes funding for these operational changes.
This bill (A1735) establishes rules for "earned income access services," which allow workers to access their earned but unpaid wages early through providers partnered with employers. It requires providers to verify income through employer contracts, disclose fees in writing, and avoid withholding wages without consent. Providers must obtain a license from New Jersey’s Department of Banking and Insurance, and non-compliant services will be treated as loans subject to usury laws. The bill directly affects workers using these services, employers partnering with providers, and the providers themselves. It aims to prevent disguised loans by clarifying that fees - not interest - apply to these services.
This bill requires New Jersey state agencies, municipalities hosting World Cup venues, and the New York New Jersey 2026 World Cup Host Committee to submit reports on implementing human rights commitments made in the 2021 NY/NJ Human Rights Report. State agencies must submit an initial report within 30 days of the bill's enactment and a final report by July 19, 2026, detailing actions taken to protect workers' rights, prevent discrimination, ensure safety, and uphold anti-trafficking measures. Municipalities must create and submit local human rights plans by the same initial deadline, guided by FIFA's 2024 Human Rights Framework, and provide a final implementation evaluation by the 2026 World Cup's conclusion. The bill focuses on documenting progress on existing commitments - rather than creating new policies - to safeguard residents, workers, and visitors during the event.
This bill strengthens New Jersey's child labor law by increasing penalties for violations and requiring employer registration. It creates tiered fines: $500-$2,000 for basic violations (up to $4,000 for repeat offenses), $1,000-$2,000 for employing unregistered minors or violating school-hour rules, and $4,000 minimum for cases involving minor injuries or death. Employers must register with the Department of Labor, acknowledge written rules about penalties, and face registration suspension (1-2 years) or 3-year hiring bans for violations. The law directly affects employers hiring minors, particularly those in unsafe occupations, during school hours, or without proper authorization.
This bill exempts overtime pay from New Jersey's gross income tax for specific workers who already earn 150% of their regular wage for hours worked beyond 40 per week. It directly affects most hourly workers covered by New Jersey's overtime law (N.J.S. 34:11-56a4), excluding executives, administrative staff, farm laborers, auto salespeople, hotel employees, limo drivers, and bus carriers. The key mechanism amends tax withholding rules to require employers not to deduct state income tax from this exempt overtime pay. The exemption applies only to overtime legally mandated under state law, not all overtime earnings.
New Jersey's A2625 requires non-state employers participating in the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) or School Employees' Health Benefits Program (SEHBP) to stay enrolled for a minimum of five consecutive years after initial enrollment. If an employer voluntarily leaves and later rejoins, each re-entry adds another five-year requirement, cumulatively extending the total enrollment period (e.g., 10 years after first re-entry). The bill also mandates annual public reporting of employer terminations, transparency about premium changes, and annual program performance reviews to maintain cost stability. These provisions directly affect private-sector employers participating in either health benefits program.
This bill creates a program requiring New Jersey state agencies to reserve at least 22% of eligible contracts (for goods, construction, or services) for "union business enterprises." These are businesses based in New Jersey with union workforces, that hire apprentices, and document efforts to maintain diverse hiring. State agencies must verify businesses meet these criteria before awarding set-aside contracts, and they must develop annual plans to achieve the 22% goal through direct awards or subcontracting requirements. The program operates alongside existing set-aside programs and mandates consultation between agencies and the Department of the Treasury.
This New Jersey bill creates an "uninsured employer's fund" to pay workers' compensation claims when employers fail to provide coverage. It requires insurance companies and self-insured employers to pay annual surcharges to maintain the fund, and imposes personal penalties on employers (including $1,000 plus 15% of the award per claim, capped at $5,000) for nonpayment. Owners, executives, or directors of uninsured employers face personal liability for these penalties, extending joint responsibility beyond the business itself. The fund ensures employees receive compensation from the state when employers default, while shifting the financial burden to noncompliant businesses and their leadership.
This bill increases the maximum weekly reimbursement limit for personal care assistant services under New Jersey's WorkAbility Program from 40 hours to 112 hours per calendar week. It directly affects employed, permanently disabled New Jersey residents who qualify for the program by meeting income thresholds (under 250% of federal poverty level for earned income) and having a disability certified by Social Security or the state. The key change allows these individuals to receive significantly more hours of covered personal care support through existing Medicaid contracts managed by the state. This adjustment aligns with federal Medicaid program requirements and aims to provide greater flexibility for participants in the WorkAbility Program.
