A2400

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman ERIK K. SIMONSEN

District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)

Assemblyman ANTWAN L. MCCLELLAN

District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman DePhillips

SYNOPSIS

Requires DOLWD to take measures to ensure State unemployment offices reopen immediately and remain open during and after public health emergency.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

An Act concerning operations at State unemployment offices.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. For the time thereafter the Public Health Emergency declared in Executive Order No. 103 (2020) pursuant to the “Emergency Health Powers Act,” P.L.2005, c.222, s.1 (C.26:13-1, et seq.), is terminated and while the State of Emergency declared in Executive Order No. 103 (2020) pursuant to P.L.1942, c.251 (C.App.A:9-33 et seq.) continues to exist in the State of New Jersey, where applicable, by subsequent executive orders, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development shall take all measures necessary to ensure that all State unemployment offices reopen, by March 1, 2022, and remain open and ensure that the department and its agencies continue to provide services to individuals, including, but not limited to, assistance with unemployment insurance and the resolution of unemployment claims.

b. On or before the 90th day following the effective date of this act, the commissioner shall submit a written report to the Governor and the Legislature on the measures taken in the prior 90 days to comply with the provisions of this act and to prevent the temporary closure of State unemployment offices.

c. The commissioner shall reopen any State unemployment office that is closed on the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) as soon thereafter as is practicable, but no later than March 1, 2022.

d. Notwithstanding sections 1 and 2 of P.L.1974, c.55 (C.52:14-15.107 et seq., or C.52:14-15.108), or any other law to the contrary, in the event that State unemployment offices are not open and fully operational by the deadline provided under subsection c. of this section, the total compensation of the commissioner, deputy commissioner, assistant commissioners, and the department’s chief of staff shall be reduced by five percent every two weeks for the first month thereafter until all closed State unemployment office are reopened.

e. Notwithstanding sections 1 and 2 of P.L.1974, c.55 (C.52:14-15.107 et seq., or C.52:14-15.108), or any other law to the contrary, in the event that State unemployment offices are not open and fully operational by the end of the first month of compensation reductions pursuant to subsection d. of this section, the total compensation of the commissioner, deputy commissioner, assistant commissioners, and the department’s chief of staff shall be reduced by 10 percent every month thereafter and until all closed State unemployment office are reopened.

2. There is established a special fund in the Department of the Treasury to be known as the “Unemployed Workers Compensation Fund,” into which shall be deposited the sums collected from the compensation reductions under section 1 of this act.

3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire at the time when all State unemployment offices are reopened.

STATEMENT

This bill requires the Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development to take all measures necessary to ensure that all State unemployment office which offers unemployment insurance services reopen immediately and remain open and ensure that the department and its agencies continue to provide services to individuals, including assistance with unemployment insurance. The commissioner is also required to re-open as soon as is practicable, by March 1, 2022, any State unemployment office closed on the effective date of this bill.

The bill imposes salary reductions to the commissioner and other employees if the reopening deadline is not met. Under the bill, the total compensation of the commissioner, deputy commissioner, assistant commissioners, and the department’s chief of staff are to be reduced by five percent every two weeks, for the first month, thereafter until all closed State unemployment office are reopened. Furthermore, after the first month of compensation reduction, the total compensation of the commissioner, deputy commissioner, assistant commissioners, and the department’s chief of staff are to be reduced by 10 percent every subsequent month thereafter and until all closed State unemployment offices are reopened.

There is established a special fund in the Department of the Treasury to be known as the “Unemployed Workers Compensation Fund,” into which shall be deposited the sums collected from the compensation reductions under the bill.