NJ Employers Must Post and Distribute Gender Equity Notice Beginning January 6, 2014

By Scott J. Wenner

In late 2012 we reported in two Schnader Alerts, here, about New Jersey legislation signed by Governor Chris Christie that would require many employers to both post and distribute a prescribed form of notice concerning the right to gender equality.  The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development has finally created and made available the form of notice that must be posted and provided by all employers with more than 50 employees, regardless of where employed. The mandatory form of notice is available in English and Spanish here .

As a reminder, commencing January 6, covered employers must

• post the notice prominently, either physically or on the employer’s Intranet site (but only if all employees have access to it);
• provide a copy of the notice to each newly hired employee in New Jersey;
• begin distributing copies of the notice annually to all employees  by December 31 of each year;
• begin providing a copy of the notice at the request of any employee;
• obtain within 30 days of distribution a physically or electronically signed acknowledgment from each employee provided a copy of the notice affirming that he/she has read and understands it.

Distribution copies may be provided electronically or by hard copy.

Posted copies of the notice must be in both English and Spanish, as well as in any other language spoken by at least 10 percent of the employees.