New Jersey Governor Proposes Bill to Strengthen Discrimination and Harassment Law

Following New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s announcement to overhaul New Jersey’s workplace culture at his State of the State address, the Governor proposed amendments to the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD) that would increase protections from harassment and discrimination in the workplace.

Mirroring trends in other states, the proposed legislation would:

• Extend the NJLAD’s statute of limitations from two years to three years;
• Codify the definition of “hostile environment harassment”;
• Require employers to maintain and distribute a written non-discrimination and anti-harassment policy;
• Mandate employers provide non-discrimination and anti-harassment training upon an employee’s hire and every two years thereafter;
• Compel certain employers to collect and report to the state internal complaints of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation; and
• Include domestic employees and interns within the definition of a covered “employee” under the NJLAD.

The bill is expected to be introduced soon before the New Jersey Senate by Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, who has pledged to sponsor the legislation.

Jackson Lewis will continue to monitor the proposed legislation and provide updates on any developments.