The New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development issued a press release celebrating its advancements in the last 8 years including efforts to strengthening enforcement and fighting worker misclassification.
TRENTON – As the Murphy Administration celebrates eight years of progress, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) is highlighting the major advancements made since 2018 to strengthen worker protections, expand benefits, modernize critical systems, and prepare New Jersey’s workforce for the jobs of the future. Backed by landmark bipartisan legislation, rigorous enforcement, and significant investments in training and career services, New Jersey has emerged as a national leader in worker support and customer-centered innovation.
During this period, a record 120 new laws were added to NJDOL’s purview, expanding its abilities to protect New Jersey’s workforce, strengthen businesses, and promote the dignity of work.
“Over the past eight years, we have worked closely with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development to deliver historic advancements for New Jersey workers,” said Governor Murphy. “Through landmark legislation and major investments, we have strengthened worker protections, expanded benefits including paid sick and family leave, and enhanced workforce development opportunities. These efforts have been essential to building a stronger economy while ensuring fair treatment and equal pay for New Jersey workers. In the face of unprecedented challenges during the pandemic, the labor systems we have modernized reflect our commitment to supporting the working families and labor unions who make our state strong.”
“Even as we triaged historic levels of unemployment claims during a once-in-a-century pandemic, our department never stopped pushing forward. We modernized our systems, expanded worker protections, improved customer service, and built lasting capacity that will benefit New Jersey for decades,” said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo. “Delivering record benefits was a milestone, but so was everything we achieved alongside it. And the teams at this labor department are not done yet. This mission isn’t about the work of one administration but rather maintaining progress so our workers and employers have the strong, reliable support they deserve.”
Expanding Worker Protections and Benefits
New Jersey has enacted some of the strongest, bipartisan worker protection laws in the country. This includes statewide earned sick leave, an expanded suite of Temporary Disability and Family Leave benefits, and significant increases in the minimum wage. Workers now have greater access to enhanced wage-replacement rates; and more flexible paid leave options to care for themselves or their families without sacrificing their livelihood. Additionally, New Jersey’s minimum wage rate will increase to $15.92 in January 2026, which not only raises workers’ income, but typically reduces poverty and stimulates the economy through increased spending.
Strengthening Enforcement and Combating Worker Misclassification
The Administration has prioritized fair treatment for workers and accountability for employers. NJDOL has implemented a gold-standard enforcement strategy to eliminate wage theft, protect legally earned benefits, and prevent the misclassification of employees as independent contractors. NJDOL created new oversight units, issued over 200 stop-work orders across multiple industries, and secured major settlements that returned tens of millions of dollars to workers. These actions hold violators accountable while ensuring a level playing field for responsible employers.
As a result, NJDOL’s Divisions of Wage and Hour Compliance and Employer Accounts have helped put $100 million back into the pockets of workers.
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Read the full press release at Department of Labor & Workforce Development | NJDOL Celebrates Landmark Era of Wage Growth, Worker Benefits, and Customer Improvements Under Murphy Administration
