New Jersey Annual Notice Reminders With Deadlines Fast Approaching

New Jersey employers should be aware of two impending annual notice requirements. First, employers must distribute to each employee working in New Jersey a written copy of the Gender Equity Notice on or before December 31 each year and must obtain a signed acknowledgement from each employee in writing or by means of electronic verification. The required notices (in both English and Spanish), accompanied by sample acknowledgements, can be found on the Department of Labor and Workforce Development website.

Second, New Jersey employers with 10 or more employees must annually distribute to their New Jersey employees the required notice under the Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA). The Department of Labor and Workforce Development website, has English and Spanish versions of this notice as well. Employers must insert the appropriate contact information prior to distributing the notice to employees and posting it in the workplace. The notice may be distributed in hard copy or electronic format.

Simply having a poster or a policy in a handbook does not satisfy an employer’s notice obligation under CEPA. But unlike the Gender Equity Notice, employers are not required to obtain an acknowledgement of receipt of the CEPA notice from employees. Employers may still wish to obtain acknowledgements for the CEPA notice too, in order to rebut any future claim that an employee did not receive the notice.