NJBIA recently held a Joint Education & Workforce Development & Employment & Labor Policy Committee Meeting with the following guest speakers:
- Scott Altieri, NJ Director of Labor
- Stefani Thachik, Senior Advisor at the NJ Office of the Secretary of Higher Education
- Thomas Hilliard, Senior Policy Advisor at the NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Office
- Inge Pratt, Business Registry Specialist at the NJ Department of Treasury’s Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES)
- NJBIA Vice President of Government Affairs Althea Ford
- NJBIA Policy Analyst Jack Kelly
Here are some excerpts from the meeting:
Altieri on the Sherill administration’s Priorities:
"There's been a couple big initiatives by the governor and the team on fighting for workers. [One example] is the gateway tunnel project. [Governor Mikie Sherill] has taken the federal administration to court. I bring this up because it's not just 1000s of union jobs, but it's also a huge, huge economic impact for the region, from businesses to residents, just logistically, with New Jersey's position, this is a vital, vital project."
"Another way we're trying to make sure we're supporting workers, as you saw in the budget, was pensions. The governor is committed to fully making a pension payment. And I know she's highlighted it... It's important for the state. Fiscally, we are paying a lot more than we should have been if past administrations have made those pension payments. So that is a major priority as we talk about the promise to our public sector workforce."
Thachik on Workforce Pell Program:
"Workforce Pell is a tremendous opportunity that nationally we've been talking about for over 10 years, with the program finally coming to fruition under the One Big Beautiful Act. This is the first time Federal Pell dollars have supported short term career-oriented training programs, which provides another on ramp for our residents in the state. For employers, it can help current employees to upskill, increase the pool of skilled individuals for hiring and accelerate growth in our in demand industries."
"Workforce Pell provides our state with the opportunity to eliminate silos and more seamlessly align our education and workforce programs and systems, particularly with alignment between statewide programs like WIOA and Perkins as well. This alignment is critical to help build a more efficient, high-quality system and to help us in supporting the different pathways for students into lifelong careers. While the state has a quick on ramp to the anticipated July 1, 2026, program start, the state will continue to improve and refine our approach to workforce Pell, to our systems, our data collection, as well as continuing to expand access to new training programs and students."
Hilliard on Workforce Pell:
“The workforce Pell was created through the one big, beautiful Bill act, and it differs from the original Pell Grant program in that there is an intense focus on connecting employers to the labor market and ensuring that students are entering programs that provide them with high quality jobs after completion.”
“The primary driver here is that (the training) must be in demand, in an in-demand occupation or sector. And I would note that if a particular program is not on the State Department of Labor in demand list, it could also qualify through a regional in demand list. And our regional workforce boards are in a position to work with employers and with providers to ensure that if they if the occupation or sector is regionally demanded, they will qualify for workforce Pell.”
Pratt on Statewide Registry Program for Businesses:
“If you want to have a business like an entity, like a corporation or an LLC, there are two steps you will have to create the business and that will get you a New Jersey Business Entity ID. And then you have to file the business registration application, which is also known as the NJ reg. This is how we link your New Jersey number to the Federal EIN that you receive from the IRS and create your tax account. After this is done, you will receive a business registration certificate. If you are going to have a sole proprietorship or a general partnership, then you only need to do the business registration application to set up the tax account, and then you'll get your business registration certificate.”
“It is important to have that business registration certificate, because most governmental agencies need that in order to do business with you after you obtain your BRC, you can apply for different types of business certifications, like small business enterprise veteran owned these things are going to help you to secure government contracts, loans, grants and licensing. And right now, all of these certifications are at no cost, so it's just a really good idea to try to get as many certifications as you can.
“Once you have the certification, you will be listed on our NJSAVI site. It's the New Jersey Selective Assistance Vendor Information, so anyone can search for your business based on what type of business you are, what you do, and what certificates you have. We only list active businesses here, so you want to make sure to file the annual report. If you're an entity, stay up to date with your certifications that there are annual verifications and be compliant with their tax and employer obligations.”
Kelly provided updates on legislative updates related to the ABC independent contractor rule and the expansion of NJFLI. The state is considering the future of the ABC rule, with ongoing discussions about potential revision or expiration.
The expansion of NJFLI to include more employees will increase operational challenges and financial pressures on the fund. The NJ UI employee separation reporting requirement is another area of focus, with ongoing discussions about potential legislative fixes.
Ford discussed legislation related to accounting as a STEM subject and the potential benefits for businesses.
She emphasized the importance of addressing workforce shortages in the accounting industry and the need for a strong pipeline of qualified professionals.
The state is also considering legislation to review the number of school districts and explore revitalization or consolidation to improve efficiencies.
Another bill would require school report cards to include information about the placement of graduates in post-secondary programs, including apprenticeships and workforce development programs. BIA is advocating for the inclusion of these programs to improve student success and workforce development outcomes.
To join an NJBIA Policy Committee, click NJBIA’s advocacy page here and scroll down to the middle of the page.
