All Updates

The NJ Law Against Discrimination (LAD) protects employees of NJ-based employers, regardless of where they work remotely. All protected characteristics under the LAD are included.

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Contractors buying materials for affordable housing can now claim a Sales Tax exemption. Use Form ST-13 to certify tax-free purchases for qualifying projects. Keep records for potential audits. Incorrectly paid taxes? You can file for a refund within four years. Questions? Email Taxation.RegulatoryServices@treas.nj.gov.

The new Small Business Manual from the New Jersey Business Action Center (NJBAC) is designed to provide support and guidance for small business owners and entrepreneurs. This free resource offers a wealth of information on planning, launching, operating, and growing your business in New Jersey.

The manual covers essential topics such as writing a business plan, financing your business, registering with the state, obtaining licenses and certifications, navigating taxes, hiring employees, and much more.

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Existing investors supporting early-stage, innovation-focused companies in New Jersey can receive guarantees on their loans from the NJ Entrepreneur Support Program. The program provides guarantees at 80% of the loan amount totaling a maximum of $500,000 to a company on investor loans advanced for working capital to businesses.

Completed applications from investors and the company for guarantees will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis, including the ability to consider multiple guarantees per company towards the $400,000 company exposure cap.

Please review the program website at www.njeda.com/njesp for further information and to determine your eligibility for the program.

Upcoming changes to liquor license regulations in New Jersey may require holders of inactive licenses to take action. Beginning August 1^st, 2024, if a liquor license has not been used for two consecutive license terms, the holder may face the risk of the license expiring. However, there are options for transferring the license and preventing its expiration.

Transferring an Inactive Liquor License:

1. Activate at a New Location: License holders may reactivate their license by using it at a new premises within the same municipality, subject to local regulations and zoning requirements.
2. Transfer to a Contiguous Municipality: License holders can opt to transfer their license to a neighboring municipality for use in a designated redevelopment, improvement, or revitalization area. Both the sending and receiving municipalities must approve the transfer, which is subject to a transfer fee.
3. One-Year Extension: Municipalities have the authority to grant a one-year extension to the inactive period, giving license holders additional time to make arrangements for the use or transfer of their license.

Affected license holders should take timely action to either use or transfer their inactive license.

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Starting August 1st, 2024, New Jersey liquor license holders should be aware of new provisions affecting inactive licenses. An inactive license is one that hasn't been used for two consecutive license terms. To prevent expiration, license holders must either use their inactive license or transfer it. Municipalities may offer a one-year extension to this period.

License holders are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the options for activating or transferring their licenses to avoid forfeiture. Detailed information on these processes is available here, providing guidance on how to navigate the new law and maintain your license.

A recorded webinar from New Jersey Clean Communities and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection explains the inspection process the State uses to ensure compliance with the plastic bag and straw ban at New Jersey businesses. For questions please call 1-800-537-7397(1-800-JERSEY-7).

Businesses in New Jersey must comply with rules and regulations, but under a new law that takes effect on June 19th, 2023, state agencies can suspend enforcement of penalties on certain first-time violations at their discretion. Penalties may be suspended only if the first-time violation doesn’t impact public welfare, cause employees to lose income or benefits, or present the risk of environmental harm. The temporary waiver provided under this new law is available to businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees and subject to several important exceptions, including:

1. Violations of a criminal nature
2. Violations that were intentional or knowing acts
3. Violations that are grounds for the suspension or revocation of the owner’s authority to operate the business
4. Violations that are grounds for the business to be disqualified from bidding for State contracts
5. Violations of any State employment or labor-related law
6. Violations that are grounds for the issuance of a stop-work order
7. Violations of federal law that require the State to impose a penalty

If none of these apply to the first-time violation, agencies have the discretion to give the cited business up to 60 days to “cure,” or resolve, the violation. Failure to cure or resolve the violation will result in the business being assessed all fines and penalties available under the law upon the expiration of the cure period.

If your business has been cited for a first-time violation and you believe that it is eligible for a cure, contact the agency that issued the violation. State agencies will report annually on how they are using this discretionary authority.

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A new law is making changes to records keeping and reporting requirements for temporary help service firms and for the client companies that employ their workers. The law covers many people in temporary work assignments, with some exceptions. Two of these requirements are now in effect, as of May 7th, 2023. 

• These firms must now provide workers with a statement that contains certain required information in English as well as the language identified by the worker as their primary language.
• These firms and their clients may not retaliate, through discharge or in any other manner, against any worker who exercises their rights under this law.

The remaining key requirements take effect on August 5th, 2023:

• Temporary help service firms must be certified by the Division of Consumer Affairs within the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety.
• These firms must create certain records relating to their temporary workers and must keep these records for six years from their date of creation.
• These firms and their clients may not charge temporary workers for their transportation to or from a worksite, with certain exceptions.
• These firms may not obstruct their workers’ rights to seek employment elsewhere, including with their clients, and may not inhibit their clients from hiring those workers.
• Employers may not enter into a contract for temporary help services with a company that is not certified by the Division of Consumer Affairs. Employers are responsible for verifying the registration status of a temporary help service firm.

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Employers of all sizes are required by State law to provide full-time, part-time, and temporary employees with up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year to care for themselves or a loved one. Employers can provide all 40 hours of the earned sick leave up front each year, or they can provide one hour of earned leave for every 30 hours worked.

Employees who work more than 40 hours in a week should receive 150% of their regular pay rate (time and a half) for hours worked in excess of 40.

Employers who do not comply may be subject to enforcement action.