Welcome to 2020! Along with the New Year come some important changes to employment laws in New Jersey. Here is a highlight of recent changes employers need to be aware of:

· Effective January 1, 2020, the new minimum wage in New Jersey is now $11.00 per hour for most employees.

·         The Create a Respectful and Open Workspace for Natural Hair (“CROWN”) Act was recently passed, amending the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination by defining “race” to include the traits historically associated with race, including hairstyles. The CROWN Act effectively prohibits race-based hair discrimination.

·         New Jersey recently enacted legislation that makes it an unlawful employment practice for any employer to require an applicant’s salary history or screen job applicants based upon prior wages. The new law is intended to level the playing field and prohibit discrimination in the hiring process.

·         The New Jersey Family Leave Act now applies to employers with 30 or more employees (previously 50) and allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of job-protected unpaid family leave in a 24-month period.

·         The New Jersey Family Leave Insurance Program will increase the number of paid leave weeks from six to 12, among other revisions effective on July 1, 2020.

New Jersey has now become one of the most employee friendly states in the nation. We recommend that employers review their policies and procedures to be sure they are compliant with the new employment laws in New Jersey.

If you have any questions about employment law, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Employment and Labor Practice Group at Laddey, Clark & Ryan, LLP: Thomas N. Ryan Esq. (tryan@lcrlaw.com), Ursula H. Leo, Esq. (uleo@lcrlaw.com), or Nicole C. Tracy, Esq. (ntracy@lcrlaw.com). Our attorneys can also be reached by phone at (973) 729-1880.