Sponsored by:
Senator NIA H. GILL
District 34 (Essex and Passaic)
Senator LORETTA WEINBERG
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits severance pay agreements from barring certain employee claims against employer.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning certain severance pay agreements and supplementing Title 34 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. No employer or employer’s agent, representative, or designee shall require or request that any employee enter into an agreement with respect to severance pay which results in the employee releasing any claims, or barring any potential claims in the future, that the employee may have against the employer regarding gender discrimination or harassment. Any provision of a severance pay agreement entered into that relates to an employee releasing any claims, or barring any potential claims in the future, that the employee may have against the employer regarding gender discrimination or harassment shall be void and unenforceable.
2. This act shall take effect immediately but shall not apply to any agreement in effect on or before the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits an employer from requiring or requesting that any employee enter into an agreement with respect to severance pay which results in the employee releasing any claims, or barring any potential claims in the future, that the employee may have against the employer regarding gender discrimination or harassment. The bill provides that any provision of a severance agreement entered into in violation of the bill is void and unenforceable. The provisions of the bill take effect immediately, but will not apply to any agreement in effect on or before the date of enactment.