The NJ DOL has published the new mandatory notice that, by December 7, 2011, must be posted in a conspicuous location and distributed to all existing employees who work in New Jersey. In addition, ALL new employees hired in New Jersey on November 7, 2011 or after must be immediately provided with a copy of this notice. Accordingly, it is recommended to include this notice immediately in all new hire packets, and to post it immediately on all bulletin boards or other locations where you, as an employer, post similar notices. If you have an internet or intranet site for exclusive use by employees and to which all employees have access, electronic posting of the notice on the site will satisfy the conspicuous posting requirement. Similarly, you may provide the notice to employees by email to satisfy the requirement to provide each employee with a copy of the notice. You may access a copy of the notice by clicking here.

The notice summarizes the record-keeping requirements under the following New Jersey statutes: the Wage Payment Law, the Wage and Hour Law, the Unemployment Compensation Law, the Temporary Disability Benefits and Family Leave Insurance Law, the Workers’ Compensation law, the Prevailing Wage Act, and the Gross Income Tax Act. It also includes contact information for New Jersey State representatives who are available to provide employees with information or to facilitate their filing of complaints regarding an employer’s alleged failure to meet the requirements of these statutes.

Employers risk fines up to $1,000 for failing to comply with the notice and posting requirements, in addition to potential criminal penalties.

This notice follows on the heels of last year’s new legislation imposing stricter penalties – including the loss of operating licenses – for New Jersey employers who repeatedly fail to comply with the State’s wage, benefit and tax laws. This new law was summarized in an Alert published in June 2010 and can be accessed by clicking here.

If you have any questions concerning the attached posting, the corresponding law, how it will impact your business, or the risks of non-compliance, please contact the authors of this Alert or the Reed Smith attorney with whom you regularly work.