Sponsored by:
Senator NILSA CRUZ-PEREZ
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
Senator JAMES BEACH
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
Requires businesses receiving financial assistance from EDA be prohibited from any gender gap payment practice to their employees.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning certain financial assistance given by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and supplementing P.L.1974, c.80 (C.34:1B-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations requiring that a business that receives financial assistance from the authority shall not engage in the employment practice of gender discrimination against workers employed at the business. A business that receives financial assistance from the authority shall submit to the authority written documentation, as determined by the authority, verifying that the business is not engaging in gender discrimination.
b. For the purposes of this section:
"Business" means: a corporation that is subject to the tax imposed pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-5); a corporation that is subject to the tax imposed pursuant to sections 2 and 3 of P.L.1945, c.132 (C.54:18A-2 and C.54:18A-3); a corporation that is subject to the tax imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1950, c.231 (C.17:32-15) or N.J.S.17B:23-5; a partnership; an S corporation; a limited liability company; or a non-profit corporation.
"Financial assistance" means any loan, loan guarantee, grant, incentive, tax exemption, tax credit, or other financial assistance that is approved, funded, authorized, administered, or provided by the authority to any business.
“Gender discrimination” means an employment practice in which a business discriminates between its employees on the basis of sex by paying a rate of compensation, including benefits, to employees of one sex less than the rate paid to employees of the other sex for substantially similar work, when viewed as a composite of skill, effort, and responsibility.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (authority) to adopt rules and regulations requiring that a business that receives financial assistance from the authority is not to engage in gender discrimination against workers employed at the business. A business that receives financial assistance from the authority is to submit written documentation, as determined by the authority, verifying that the business is not engaging in gender discrimination. The bill defines “gender discrimination” as an employment practice in which a business discriminates between its employees on the basis of sex by paying a rate of compensation, including benefits, to employees of one sex less than the rate paid to employees of the other sex for substantially similar work, when viewed as a composite of skill, effort, and responsibility.