COVID-19 has had a significant and deadly impact on some of New Jersey’s most vulnerable citizens who reside and work at long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes. On September 16, 2020, Governor Phil Murphy signed a package of laws to address issues at long-term care facilities that came to light during the pandemic. This includes a minimum wage increase for employees who provide direct care to residents of these facilities.

In 2019, New Jersey enacted a law to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour effective January 1, 2024.  Effective November 1, 2020, however, New Jersey’s minimum wage law requires that long-term facility direct care staff members be paid $3 more than the prevailing minimum wage rate:

A “long-term care facility direct care staff member” is defined as “any health care professional licensed or certified pursuant to Title 26 or Title 45 of the Revised Statutes who is employed by a long-term care facility and who provides personal care, assistance, or treatment services directly to residents of the facility in the course of the professional’s regular duties.” Therefore, employees of long-term care facilities who do not provide direct care are not entitled to the enhanced minimum wage.