After years of Make the Road NJ’s organizing, the New Jersey State legislature passed landmark anti-wage theft legislation (A-2903/S-1790) on June 27. Once signed into law, New Jersey’s wage and hour protections will be among the strongest in the country and will protect thousands of workers against theft of their minimum and overtime wages. This victory comes on the heels of New Jersey’s phased-in $15 minimum wage hike that kicked in on July 1. Anti-wage theft legislation will help ensure that all workers are paid for their work. 

Highlights of the legislation include:

• Increased damages and six-year statute of limitations: Workers who experience wage theft will now be able to collect up to 200% in liquidated damages. Workers can now collect unpaid wages for up to six years (up from two years). Employers that fail to pay up on wage violations will be at risk of losing their business licenses in the state.

• Joint liability: Employers who subcontract out to firms that steal from their workers will be held jointly liable, making it harder for companies to evade liability. 

• Strong anti-retaliation provisions: The legislation significantly strengthens anti-retaliation provisions, protecting workers from being fired for speaking out about unpaid wages. Click here to learn about MRNJ member Felix L., who complained about being paid below the minimum wage  and was left at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center by his employer in retaliation. This legislation will put a stop to such practices.

New Jersey has long lagged behind in wage and hour protections for workers. A report released just days prior by the National Employment Law Project placed New Jersey in the lowest or “third tier” in terms of enforcement protections against wage theft. This legislation will now place the state at the top of the list.

This victory was the result of years of hard work of low wage workers from across New Jersey, including the members of CPD affiliate Make the Road NJ (MRNJ). We thank THEIR partners New Labor, SEIU 32BJ, NJ Working Families Alliance, National Employment Law Project, Wind of the Spirit and many more for joining in this fight. We thank sponsors Assemblywoman Annette Quijano and State Senator Loretta Weinberg for their tireless leadership. This marks a historic victory for low-wage workers in New Jersey. Congratulations MRNJ!