Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ROY FREIMAN
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
Assemblyman VINCENT MAZZEO
District 2 (Atlantic)
Assemblywoman LISA SWAIN
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Requires Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development to annually review and make recommendations on minimum wage increases.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning minimum wage increases and supplementing P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, in consultation with the State Treasurer, shall, not later than January 1, 2021, and on January 1 of each year thereafter in which there is a scheduled minimum increase pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a4) as amended by P.L2019, c.32, issue and post on the Department of Labor and Workforce Development website a report which evaluates the impacts of each implemented minimum wage increase.
Not later than June 30, 2021, the commissioner and two public members shall review the report issued by the commissioner and shall consider any other relevant information as may be appropriate regarding the impact of the minimum wage increases on employers of all industries in the State made pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a4) as amended by P.L.2019, c. 32, and the potential impact of the increases which are scheduled but have not yet been implemented in section 5 of P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a4) as amended by P.L.2019 c.32, including comparisons with the wage rates in various industries in other states, and shall recommend: approval or disapproval of the increases set forth in section 5 of P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a4) as amended by P.L.2019, c.32; or an alternative manner of changing the minimum wage in each year there is a scheduled increase.
By June 30, 2020, the Governor shall appoint two public members, one member selected by the Senate and one member selected by the General Assembly, respectively, and who have experience operating or owning a business. Beginning in 2021, the commissioner and two public members shall meet annually to make a one year recommendation to the Legislature for implementation. The increases set forth in section 5 of P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a4) as amended by P.L.2019, c.32 shall take effect unless there is a recommendation pursuant to this section to disapprove the increases or for an alternative manner of changing the minimum wage in each year there is a scheduled increase, and the Legislature, not later than June 30 of each year following the recommendation, passes a concurrent resolution expressing approval for the implementation of that recommendation and enacts a law implementing the recommendation.
2. This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, in consultation with the State Treasurer, in each year in which there is a scheduled minimum increase pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a4) as amended by P.L2019, c.32, to issue and post on the Department of Labor and Workforce Development website a report which evaluates the impacts of each implemented minimum wage increase.
Additionally, under the bill, the commissioner and two public members, who are selected by the Legislature and appointed by the Governor, are required to review the minimum wage report and consider any other relevant information as may be appropriate regarding the impact of the minimum wage increases on employers of all industries in the State made pursuant to the aforementioned bills, and the potential impact of the increases which are scheduled but have not yet been implemented therein, including comparisons with the wage rates in various industries in other states, and recommend: approval of the increases; disapproval of the increases; or an alternative manner of changing the minimum wage in each year there is a scheduled increase.
The commissioner and two public members shall meet annually to make a one year recommendation to the Legislature for implementation. The increases set forth in section 5 of P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a4) as amended by P.L2019, c.32 shall take effect unless there is a recommendation pursuant to this section to disapprove the increases or for an alternative manner of changing the minimum wage in each year there is a scheduled increase, and the Legislature, not later than June 30 of each year following the recommendation, passes a concurrent resolution expressing approval for the implementation of that recommendation and enacts a law implementing the recommendation.