Labor & Employment (Employment Discrimination)

This bill amends New Jersey's unemployment benefits law to clarify disqualification rules, primarily affecting agricultural workers. It specifies that workers who voluntarily leave agricultural jobs without "good cause" lose benefits until they work 8 weeks and earn 10 times their weekly benefit rate. The bill also adds protections: workers switching employers within 7 days (with equal pay/hours) won't lose benefits, and disqualifications for "misconduct" now require employers to provide written proof. It further clarifies that refusing work due to strikes, poor pay, or union requirements won't disqualify individuals. The bill is currently pending in the Assembly Labor Committee (introduced January 13, 2026).

This bill (S 784) would allow New Jersey employers to prohibit cannabis use by employees during work hours and take disciplinary action based on drug tests showing impairment. It permits employers to conduct drug tests for reasonable suspicion of on-duty use, observable intoxication, or after work-related accidents, using scientifically reliable methods to assess impairment. The bill also creates new certification standards for "Workplace Impairment Recognition Experts" to help employers evaluate impairment during investigations. It maintains existing protections against workplace discrimination for off-duty cannabis use but explicitly allows employers to enforce drug-free workplace policies during work hours. This change directly affects employees who may face discipline for on-duty cannabis use and gives employers clearer legal authority to enforce safety policies.