Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday signed legislation that ensures temporary workers are treated fairly.
Under the new law, which takes effect in 90 days, temp workers must be paid at least the same average rate of pay as permanent employees performing similar work. They must also receive equivalent benefits.
“Our temporary workers, regardless of their race or status, are key contributors to the workforce in our state,” Murphy said. “Signing the Temporary Workers’ Bill of Rights establishes necessary guidelines for temporary help service firms and third-party clients to ensure that these workers are afforded basic protections and treated with the dignity they deserve. I am especially grateful to Sen. Joe Cryan, Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez and the many workers’ rights advocates for their leadership and tireless efforts on this issue.”
Other provisions of the bill include that temporary workers to have additional tools available to secure the fair wages and protections they are entitled to.
The bill also prohibits pay deductions for meals and equipment that would reduce temporary workers’ pay below minimum wage.
There will also be greater oversight of temporary staffing firms. And calls for temporary help services to provide temporary workers with common-sense information detailing key terms of employment in the workers’ primary languages, such as hours worked and rate of pay.
Temporary service firms are prohibited from restricting an employee from accepting another position with a permanent employer or a third-party client.
Further, the bill forbids temporary help service firms or third-party clients from retaliating against any temporary worker by firing them or treating them unfairly in any other way for exercising their legal rights.
“Temporary workers will now have equal rights in the workplace. This is an invisible workforce that will now be protected against the abuses of unpaid wages, unsafe working conditions, unlawful deductions and other forms of mistreatment,” Cryan (D-Union) said.
