New Jersey Employment and Labor Law Updates 2021


December

There were no employment and/or labor bills that were enacted that were identified.


November

Labor Contractors

Bill

Senate Bill 1259

Summary

Requires any labor contractor, including a consulting firm, that provides workers in the construction industry to a client employer to certify that the contractor has not charged recruitment fees to the workers, is in compliance with all applicable state and federal labor laws and regulations, and the owners and all employees of the labor contractor engaged in providing workers to client employers have had criminal background checks.

Enacted

11/08/2021

Effective Date

11/08/2021

Topics

Background_checks; Certification; Compliance; Criminal_history; Recordkeeping; Recruitment; Construction_service; Contractor; Unemployment; Wage_payment; Wage_and_hour; Workers_comp; Health; Safety


October

Age Discrimination

Bill

Assembly Bill 681

Summary

Extends protections against age discrimination; deletes a provision permitting a government employer to require retirement when an employee attains a certain age in certain circumstances; deletes a provision that permits employers to refuse to hire persons for the sole reason of being more than 70 years old; provides remedies for claims of being required to retire because of age; repeals a section which permits institutions of higher education to require tenured employees to retire at the age of 70 years.

Enacted

10/05/2021

Effective Date

10/05/2021

Topics

Employee_70_and_over; Retirement; Government; Age; Discrimination


September

There were no employment and/or labor bills that were enacted that were identified.


August

There were no employment and/or labor bills that were enacted that were identified.


July

Employee Misclassification and Stop Work Order

Bill

Assembly Bill 5890

Summary

Concerns enforcement of employee misclassification and stop-work order Laws.

Enacted

07/08/2021

Effective Date

07/08/2021

Topics

Administrative; Attorney_fees; Attorney_general; Civil_action; Fines; Injunctive_relief; Misclassification; Wage_claims; Wage_theft; Employee; Independent_contract


June

Workers Compensation Judge Retirement

Bill

Senate Bill 758

Summary

Reopens Workers Compensation Judges Part of Public Employees’ Retirement System and requires Workers’ Compensation Judges to be enrolled in Public Employees’ Retirement System; provides that membership of the retirement system shall include Workers’ Compensation Judges of the Division of Workers’ Compensation in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Enacted

06/30/2021

Effective Date

06/30/2021

Topics

Workers_Comp


May

There were no employment and/or labor bills that were enacted that were identified.


April

Employees Of Contractors and Subcontractors Wage Level

Bill

Senate Bill 989

Summary

Concerns prevailing wages and benefits of certain airport and train station workers and amending and supplementing.

Enacted

04/29/2021

Effective Date

04/29/2021

Topics

Prevailing_wage


March

Unemployment Compensation Fund

Bill

Senate Bill 3003

Summary

Concerns contributions to the unemployment compensation fund by employee leasing companies.

Enacted

03/26/2021

Effective Date

01/01/2021

Topics

Unemployment


February

Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement, and Modernization

Bill

Assembly Bill 21

Summary

Relates to the Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act; legalizes personal use cannabis for certain adults, subject to State regulation; decriminalizes small amount marijuana and hashish possession; removes marijuana as Schedule I drug.

Enacted

02/22/2021

Effective Date

02/22/2021

Topics

Marijuana; Policy_permitted; Current_employees; Prospective_employee; Cannabis; Marijuana; Cannabis; Drug-free_workplace; Drug_testing; Impairment; Marijuana; Reasonable_suspicion; Work-relate_accident


Marijuana and Hashish Possession

Bill

Assembly Bill 1897

Summary

Provides for certain criminal and civil justice reforms; addresses legal consequences associated with certain marijuana and hashish offenses; raises awareness of available expungement relief.

Enacted

02/22/2021

Effective Date

02/22/2021, 07/01/2022

Topics

Cannabis; Criminal_history; Marijuana


January

Employer Unemployment Taxes

Bill

Assembly Bill 4853

Summary

Reduces or delays increases in employer unemployment taxes related to benefits paid during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic state of emergency.

Enacted

01/04/2021

Effective Date

01/04/2021

Topics

Unemployment

Employment Law Updates
Laws change in a moment. Sign up to stay informed.
Employment Law Updates
Laws change in a moment. Sign up to stay informed.

Have employees in more than one state? CLICK HERE!

Have employees in more than one state? CLICK HERE!