New Jersey Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Would Limit Debt Collectors’ Ability to Contact Debtors at Work

On June 16, 2009, legislation to control debt collection practices (A2493) was introduced. The bill places limits on the rights of debt collectors to communicate with debtors at their places of employment. Specifically, the bill provides that a debt collector may send a single letter to the debtor at the debtor’s place of employment if the debt collector has been unable to locate the debtor at his or her residence. In addition, a debt collector may telephone the debtor at the debtor’s place of employment if the debt collector has been unable to contact the debtor at his or her residence. The debt collector, however, may not make more than one telephone call per month to the debtor at his or her place of employment. 

Note: This article was published in the July 2009 issue of the New Jersey eAuthority.