labor lawAdivision of labor law center

Employers in the Garden State need to be aware that on July 24, 2009 the New Jersey minimum wage will increase by 10 cents, from $7.15 to $7.25 per hour.

Many employers question the timing of this change in the midst of the worst recession in 60 years. However, under state statute, the New Jersey minimum wage cannot be lower than the federal minimum wage.

The New Jersey minimum wage law covers smaller employers in the state. Under state law, the New Jersey minimum wage matches the federal minimum wage, which increases from $6.55 to $7.25 on July 24, 2009, a raise of 70 cents per hour.

On that same date, the New Jersey state minimum wage will increase to $7.25 per hour, too. Employers across the state must update their state and federal minimum wage posters before that date.

At present, there is no federal minimum wage increase scheduled for 2010. The Division of Wage and Hour Compliance of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development enforces the state minimum wage laws.

New Jersey employers not covered by the state minimum wage (more…)

Employers have already been warned that the state minimum wage will increase with the new year in Oregon, Washington, Florida, New Mexico, Vermont, Colorado, Arizona, Missouri, Montana, Ohio and Connecticut.

However, employers in other states also have to contend with minimum wage increases this year.

Even if an employer has no minimum wage employees, each increase means the employer must update his or her minimum wage posters. By law, employers are required to display a variety of labor law posters prominently in the workplace. Failure to do so can result in fines, penalties and citations.

On July 1, 2009 the Illinois minimum wage will increase by 50 cents, from $7.50 to $8.00 per hour. This is the final step in a 3-tiered increase introduced by the now-infamous (more…)

On January 1, 2009, New Jersey becomes the third state in the nation to implement a family leave insurance program. The New Jersey Paid Family Leave Act will permit employees to take paid time off to care for a sick family member. The act also provides benefits to workers who take time off to bond with newborn or newly-adopted children.

The New Jersey Family Leave Insurance program is funded by employee tax deductions. The program provides benefits to employees to partially replace income lost when they must take time from work. The law does not entitle employees to additional leave, over and above existing family leave laws such as FMLA, the federal Family and Medical Leave Act and the New Jersey Family Leave Act or NJFLA.

The New Jersey Paid Family Leave program does not guarantee that an employee will be returned to his or her job after leave; it simply provides cash benefits during the leave.

Under the new law, a New Jersey employer can require any employee to use up to two weeks of paid vacation or sick leave, or other paid leave, before going on leave. During these two weeks, (more…)