This bill establishes a regional farm wage in New Jersey by averaging agricultural wage data from Pennsylvania, New York, and Delaware. Farm employers who pay workers at least this regional wage qualify for tax credits against their business and gross income taxes, calculated based on the amount paid above the current state farm wage but not below the regional rate. The credits can be carried forward for up to four years if not fully used in the current tax period. This policy directly affects New Jersey farm employers who hire workers on a piece-rate or hourly basis for farm labor.
This New Jersey bill (A113) expands bereavement leave eligibility to include miscarriage and stillbirth, explicitly adding these experiences to the existing family leave protections under the state's Family Leave Act. It directly affects employees working for employers with 30 or more staff (down from 50 under previous rules), allowing them to take up to 12 weeks of leave for these losses. The key mechanism clarifies that "family leave" now covers the death of a child or the miscarriage/stillbirth of a child, aligning with existing definitions of "child" and "family member." This change ensures employees can take time off for these personal losses without losing job protection, as defined by the amended statute.
This bill requires employers in New Jersey (with over 10 employees) and third-party job platforms to clearly state in job postings whether the position is for an existing vacancy and provide an estimated timeframe for filling it. Employers must remove filled position postings within two weeks and respond to applicants within the timeframe stated in the ad about whether the role is filled or still under consideration. The Department of Labor will audit compliance and can issue warnings followed by civil penalties of $1,000-$5,000 for ongoing violations. The bill applies to all publicly advertised jobs and aims to improve transparency for job seekers.
This New Jersey bill (A 2142) allows married couples, domestic partners, or civil union partners to share up to 12 weeks of family leave benefits when welcoming a newborn or adopted child. Eligible employees can divide the leave weeks between them as they choose, rather than taking it all consecutively. The total benefit amount is calculated as six times the weekly benefit of the higher-earning partner for the first six weeks, plus six times the weekly benefit of the lower-earning partner for the next six weeks. This applies to benefits paid under the state's temporary disability insurance program for family leave related to a single birth or adoption. The bill is pending before the Assembly Labor Committee.
This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) to create a program identifying and recruiting unemployed residents for jobs in healthcare facilities, home care, and hospice services. It mandates that the recruitment process evaluate training feasibility for specific roles, consider job proximity to applicants' homes and transportation options, and address immediate barriers to employment. The bill appropriates $250,000 from the state General Fund to fund training programs and resources, using existing DOLWD infrastructure. It directly affects unemployed individuals seeking healthcare sector employment and healthcare stakeholders collaborating with DOLWD.
This bill would upgrade assaults against certain public safety and emergency personnel to a second-degree crime, increasing penalties. It directly affects anyone who assaults law enforcement officers, firefighters, school staff, healthcare workers (including at psychiatric facilities), utility workers, or emergency medical personnel while they are clearly performing their duties. Key provisions include elevating simple assault to a more serious charge when targeting these groups, and adding specific scenarios like assaulting utility workers during service repairs. The legislation aims to strengthen legal consequences for attacks on these critical workers. (Note: Bill is currently in committee review as of January 2026.)
This bill establishes new requirements for work breaks and wage standards in warehouse employment. It directly affects large warehouse employers (those with 100+ workers at a single facility or 1,000+ across multiple facilities) and their employees. Key provisions include defining "fair wage" as compensation meeting minimum living costs and prohibiting "oppressive and unreasonable wage" practices, such as setting pay through quotas that violate the law. The bill also clarifies that wages must include pay for meal and rest periods, and it introduces definitions for "employee work speed data" collected by warehouse employers.
This bill requires the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) to implement specific safety policies for employees performing roadside maintenance. It mandates that NJTA employees must not use power tools in rain during non-emergency work, must take all available precautions (like warning signs and message boards) during emergency work in bad weather, must use gas-powered equipment only in daylight (except emergencies), and must use portable light towers for nighttime maintenance. These policies directly affect NJTA maintenance workers and take effect immediately upon enactment. The bill focuses solely on operational safety standards without altering broader transportation policies.
This bill reduces the minimum cost threshold for public works projects that may include project labor agreements from $5 million to $3 million. It affects state and local government entities (such as counties, municipalities, and school districts) managing construction, renovation, or demolition projects over $3 million. The key change expands the scope of projects where project labor agreements - pre-hire contracts between employers and unions - can be required. This adjustment lowers the financial barrier for applying such agreements to smaller public construction projects.
This bill proposes establishing the New Jersey Life Sciences Training and Development Program within the existing Workforce Development Partnership Fund. It allocates 2% of the fund's resources (from designated workforce development revenues) to this program, which would be managed by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development in collaboration with the Economic Development Authority and Higher Education. The program aims to provide training and development opportunities for workers in the life sciences sector, directly supporting job readiness and career advancement in this industry. The bill is currently pending in the Assembly Health Infrastructure Committee after its introduction on January 13, 2026.
