Executive Summary: The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development has issued the final form for required gender equity posters and notices. Effective January 2014, New Jersey employers with 50 or more employees must conspicuously post a notice informing employees of their right to be free of gender inequity or bias in pay, compensation, benefits or other terms or conditions of employment.
Employers Must Conspicuously Post Notice
Employers with 50 or more employees must conspicuously post the gender equity notice where it is accessible to all employees in each of the employer's workplaces. Making the poster available on an internet or intranet site is acceptable where the employer maintains a site for its employees' exclusive use and all employees have access to the site.
Employers must also provide copies of the notice as follows:
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To all employees hired on or before January 6, 2014, no later than February 5, 2014;
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To all employees hired after January 6, 2014, at the time of hire;
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To all employees annually; and
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At any time at the employee's first request.
Employers may provide the written notice through e-mail, printed material, or through an internet or intranet website, if the site is for the exclusive use of all employees, can be accessed by all employees, and the employer provides notice to employees of its posting.
Employees Must Acknowledge Receipt
Employees of covered employers must acknowledge receipt of the notice by providing a written or electronic signature to the employer within 30 days of receipt. A sample acknowledgment form is provided with the posting.
What Does this Mean for Employers?
Postings in English and Spanish are available on the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development's website, http://lwd.state.nj.us/labor/forms_pdfs/EmployerPosterPacket/genderequityposter.pdf. The new posting requirement applies to all employers with 50 or more employees, if any employee is located in New Jersey. All employers with New Jersey employees should carefully review their employment posters and notices to ensure compliance with the new requirement.
