New Jersey Considers Anti-Harassment Training

New Jersey Considers Anti-Harassment Training Requirements for Employers

By Jill Albrecht Weimer, Esq.

On February 18, 2020, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy set forth his plan for a sweeping compliance law that would bolster the state’s current anti-harassment law.  His plan derives from a two-year study conducted by the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights. The study focused on workplace employment discrimination and harassment.  If enacted, Governor Murphy’s proposed law would require all New Jersey employers to provide anti-discrimination and anti-harassment training.

The Proposed Law

New Jersey employers will face new mandates related to training, policies, compliance and reporting.

Specifically, the law would require:

• All employers with New Jersey employees will need to provide interactive training on anti-harassment and anti-discrimination.
• Supervisors will be required to complete additional training.
• The training must be conducted within 90 days of hire or promotion to supervisor and every two years.
• The training must be reviewed for compliance annually.
• Employers must adopt a written policy with specific content requirements.
• Employers would be required to distribute the policy annually.
• Companies with 50 or more employees would be required to collect and annually report various data on complaints of harassment or discrimination.

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Additional Notes

• The New Jersey Division on Civil Rights will be required to develop a training module for small employers to use “at no cost.”
• The new law would also expand the statute of limitations for filing complaints and lawsuits regarding harassment or discrimination.
• Paid and unpaid interns will be covered under the proposed law.

Impactly will continue to monitor developments in New Jersey as they arise.  Currently, the bill is expected to be introduced to the Senate for approval, shortly.