New Jersey Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights Gaining Approval in NJ House

​On Monday, the Assembly State & Local Government Committee amended the New Jersey Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights to include caregivers who do Medicaid work. The Assembly Appropriations Committee will review it next. Last Friday, the Home Care Association of America alerted New Jersey home care providers to the troublesome bill and urged them to contact their legislators. Thanks to the quick support of HCAOA members, 355 letters of opposition to the bill were sent.

However, despite this effort, as well as testimony from HCAOA New Jersey Chapter Chair Andrea Sussman of Home Instead Succasunna and Larry Aronson of Homewatch Caregivers South Orange, the bill was approved along party lines—3 Democrats voting in favor and 1 Republican voting against.
  
Letters of opposition may be requested again if the bill continues to gain support. Thank you, members, for your quick response and for trusting HCAOA as we advocate for your organizations.
 
Background: The New Jersey Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights would enact onerous new restrictions on home care agencies already grappling with a severe workforce shortage and a stagnating economy burdened with incredibly high inflation. It would make live-in home care virtually impossible to provide, prohibit contracts with a domestic worker from containing non-disclosure agreements, restrictive covenants, and non-disparagement agreements; and mandate break times, termination notifications, and days off--which are currently not in effect for other types of workers in state or federal law.