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Singleton Introduces Legislation to Increase Worker Protections

Trenton – In an effort to further protect workers’ rights, Senator Troy Singleton today introduced legislation that would establish employment protections for certain affected service employees during changes to service contracts.

 

The bill would require certain employers to provide written notice to affected service employees at least 15 days before terminating any service contract or selling or transferring any property where service employees are employed.

 

“When ownership of service contracts changes, employees and their needs can often be forgotten. It is important to ensure that employees have job stability, even in transitions of management,” said Senator Singleton (D- Burlington). “We are coming off of the heels of a pandemic that catalyzed mass layoffs across the board. This bill will protect employees and their jobs, easing any anxiety that may arise when ownership changes, and will lay out the provisions that will be afforded to service employees.”

 

The bill would also require successor employers to retain affected service employees for 90 days or until its service contract is terminated. Affected service employees would be offered employment in order of seniority within each job classification until sufficient employees are hired to perform the work or all affected service employees have been offered employment.

 

“A Building Service Worker Retention Law would be an important building block of the state’s recovery. It is the recognition of the essential role contracted building service workers play in our economy. We are so proud to have the support of Senator Singleton and applaud his efforts to protect all janitors, security officers, porters, concierges, and handypersons, who are mostly people of color, from unfairly losing their jobs,” said Kevin Brown, Executive Vice President and NJ State Director of 32BJ SEIU. “The Senator has seen the devastation of worker displacement in his own district and he is leading the fight to ensure that workers are protected moving forward. This law will not only mitigate worker displacement, but also contribute to the emotional and financial stability of New Jersey’s working families. We look forward to this law passing swiftly in the Senate and Assembly. Essential building service workers should not have to wait much longer.”