NJBIA is opposing a bill that would require employers to retain a wide range of service employees for a period of 90 days following a change of ownership in their service contracts.
Bill S-2389 (Singleton, D-7) was introduced on March 24.
“This bill is particularly troubling as it so broadly defines services companies and covered locations and burdens a massive number of employers with an unfair mandate that will often prove to be economically harmful,” said NJBIA Director of Government Affairs Alexis Bailey.
“The onerous conditions in this legislation will have serious impacts on an employer that wants to take appropriate actions to ensure profitability. It basically takes that basic right as an employer from their hands.”
Under the legislation, service employees include any non-managerial or professional employee who works 16 hours or more per week in connection with the care or maintenance of a building or property.
This includes, but is not limited to security, front desk, maintenance, grounds maintenance, stationary fireman, elevator operators, window cleaners and janitorial service staff. At airports, it includes passenger-related security services, cargo related and ramp services, in-terminal and passenger handling and cleaning services. In schools, it includes food service workers.
Employers and facilities captured under this legislation include multi-family residential buildings with more than 50 units, commercial centers or office buildings that are more than 100,000 square feet, as well as primary, secondary schools or tertiary schools.
It includes cultural centers such as museums, convention centers, arenas, performance halls; industrial sites; pharmaceutical labs; airports; train stations; hospitals; nursing care facilities; senior care centers and other healthcare provider locations; state courts; and warehouse and distribution centers.
“Our lawmakers should not be in the business of determining worker retention for employers,” Bailey said. “It is legislation like this that gives New Jersey its well-worn reputation of being difficult to do business in.”
Anyone who shares NJBIA’s concerns with this legislation and would like to be a part of a coalition opposing it, please contact Alexis Bailey or Chrissy Buteas at abailey@njbia.org or cbuteas@njbia.org.
