The bill signed Thursday by acting Gov. Tahesha Way prohibits employers from using an employee’s immigration status to prevent the employee from complaining about unfair or illegal labor practices. (Courtesy of the State of New Jersey)
Employers who attempt to cover up labor violations by threatening their employees based on their immigration status will face new fines under a law signed by Acting Governor Tahesha Way on Thursday.
The new lawwhich takes effect immediately, is intended to protect workers regardless of their immigration status and strengthen existing state labor laws. Bill sponsor Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex) said the new penalties would hold companies accountable for weaponizing workers’ immigration status.
“No employee should be forced to turn a blind eye to the unlawful conduct of their employer out of fear of prosecution because of their immigration status,” Ruiz said in a statement.
Employees who violate the law for the first time face a fine of up to $1,000, a maximum fine of $5,000 for the second violation, and fines of up to $10,000 for each subsequent violation.
The fines would be in addition to any fines for the underlying violation. For example, if a boss threatens to tell authorities that a worker has come to the country illegally in order to pressure that worker not to report the employer for paying less than minimum wage, the employer would face fines for violating state wage laws and for violating the new law.
The law protects all workers regardless of their immigration status, including those with work permits, work visas, and other workers.
“Immigrant workers participate in New Jersey’s labor force at a rate of 5.2 percent higher than native-born workers. They deserve equal protection,” Erik Cruz Morales, policy and advocacy manager at the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, said in a statement. “This new law will provide safeguards against coercion and intimidation based on immigration status.”
The bill passed both houses of Parliament earlier this year with overwhelming bipartisan support.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES IN YOUR INBOX
