What’s Important to Know About NJ This Week -12/30/2023

Dec 30, 2023

NJ Legislators Poised to Get a Pay Raise, Minimum Wage Increase, Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Advances, Breweries Face Restrictions…

Legislators To Vote on Salary Increases
From northjersey.com

Yet there are defensible arguments for pay hikes. It’s been 24 years since New Jersey legislators have had their pay increased. And there are career government officials who argue that boosting pay of Cabinet officials from the current $175,000 to a proposed $205,000 — a 17% increase — is a necessary step in competing with the private sector for top-shelf talent to run vast, complex government agencies.

But here’s the problem. Lawmakers could very well jam through this sensitive pay package in the final stretch of the Legislature. If cobbled together in time, the measure could be heard in committee on Jan. 4 and be voted on Jan. 8, the final day of the current session. Read More

Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights’ Moves Forward
From NJ Spotlight News

“New Jersey is moving closer to a domestic workers’ “bill of rights” that would provide labor protections for more than 50,000 domestic workers across New Jersey who have historically been excluded.

“I would say for the majority of domestic workers, when we perform this work, we do it with passion. We do it with love,” said Evelyn Saz, organizer with the National Domestic Workers Alliance.” Read More

Minimum Wage Increases Start in January – But Not Everyone is Included
From northjersey.com

But not everyone in New Jersey will qualify for the increase, as there are several carve-outs under the minimum-wage law. Many workers will be guided by separate timetables, hitting $15.13 an hour at later dates. Read More

Breweries Face Renewed Restrictions on Events
From the New Jersey Monitor

A temporary waiver that allowed breweries to skirt strict rules limiting their ability to serve food and hold events is set to expire at the end of the year amid a standoff between legislators and Gov. Phil Murphy over broader changes to the state’s liquor license laws.

Since 2019, state regulations have restricted the number and type of events breweries, vintners, and other craft alcohol manufacturers may hold each year. Those rules, which also bar breweries from serving all food save token snacks like pretzels, have been suspended since July but are due to resume on Jan. 1.Read More