reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15C-17 - Findings, declarations relative to adult literacy.

34:15C-17 Findings, declarations relative to adult literacy.
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. Education affects an individual's employability, wages, productivity, ability to function effectively in the family and community, and ultimately, it affects the State's economic well-being;
b. Low literacy skills rob individuals of their future and undermine the economy of the State;
c. Almost one-half of New Jersey's adults function at the lowest levels of literacy as defined by the National Adult Literacy Survey;
d. Low literacy levels are related to crime, unemployment and underemployment, public assistance, and many other social problems on which the State invests hundreds of millions of dollars each year;
e. A literate population is a precondition for solving many of society's ills; and
f. Developing a solid, well-coordinated literacy delivery system will enhance the chances of adults' success in the labor market and in society as a whole.
L.1999,c.107,s.1.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15C-19 - Purpose of council.

34:15C-19 Purpose of council.
3. The purpose of the council shall be to facilitate Statewide and local policy development, planning and oversight in consultation with the stakeholders in the area of adult literacy education. The responsibilities of the council shall include, but not be limited to:
a. developing a broad-based Statewide master plan, which integrates and coordinates all adult literacy programs. At a minimum, the plan shall address service delivery, consolidation and coordination, funding and accountability, staff development and training, technology and advocacy. The plan shall include a proposal to consolidate the State supported literacy programs;
b. facilitating State planning and local planning through Workforce Investment Boards and among service providers to assure concurrence with the State master plan for adult literacy education, developed by the council pursuant to subsection a. of this section;
c. reviewing federal and State legislation, and developing and modifying literacy plans accordingly;
d. developing appropriate performance standards and impact measures and Statewide benchmarks to measure the entire system and programs of adult literacy services;
e. developing a Statewide strategy to facilitate and improve professional development and information sharing for practitioners and policy makers and to promote the availability of services to learners, employers, and service providers;
f. improving communication among federal, State, and local literacy initiatives;
g. recommending strategies to broaden adult literacy efforts so that literacy levels of the entire family are improved; and
h. working with public and private sector organizations to develop strategies to publicize the problem of low-literate populations as well as the services available to address this problem.
L.1999,c.107,s.3.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15C-20 - Annual report to Governor, Legislature.

34:15C-20 Annual report to Governor, Legislature.
4. The council shall report annually to the Governor and the Legislature. The annual report shall include, but not be limited to, the accomplishments and initiatives of the reporting period. The first annual report shall also include the State master plan developed pursuant to subsection a. of section 3 of this act.
L.1999,c.107,s.4.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15C-21 - Council on Gender Parity in Labor and Education.

34:15C-21 Council on Gender Parity in Labor and Education.
1. a. There is created, in the New Jersey State Employment and Training Commission, a council which shall be known as the Council on Gender Parity in Labor and Education.
b. The council shall consist of 16 members who are individuals with experience in the fields of labor, education, training, or gender equity. The 16 members shall include: six members appointed by the Director of the Division on Women; six members appointed by the Executive Director of the State Employment and Training Commission; and four members who shall serve ex officio, one of whom shall be appointed by the Commissioner of Children and Families, one by the Commissioner of Education, one by the Commissioner of Human Services, and one by the Executive Director of the Commission on Higher Education. Not more than half of the members appointed by the Director of the Division on Women and not more than half of the members appointed by the Executive Director of the State Employment and Training Commission shall be of the same political party. The members appointed by the director and executive director shall serve for terms of three years, except that of the eight members first appointed by the director and the executive director, four shall be appointed for three years, two shall be appointed for two years, and two shall be appointed for one year. Each member shall hold office for the term of appointment and until his successor is appointed and qualified. A member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring in the membership of the council for any reason other than the expiration of the term shall have a term of appointment for the unexpired term only. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. A member may be appointed for any number of successive terms. Any member appointed by the director or the executive director may be removed from the council by the director or the executive director, as the case may be, for cause, after a hearing and may be suspended by the director or the executive director pending the completion of the hearing.
c. Members of the council shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as members. Action may be taken and motions and resolutions may be adopted by the council at a council meeting by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members. The council shall elect from its members a chairperson who shall be a nongovernmental member of the council. Advanced notification for, and copies of the minutes of, each meeting of the council shall be filed with the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the General Assembly.
L.1999, c.223, s.1; amended 2005, c.354, s.19; 2012, c.16, s.129.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15C-22 - Duties of council.

34:15C-22 Duties of council.
2. The Council shall:
a. Assess the effectiveness of State programs designed to provide gender equity in labor, education, and training;
b. Make recommendations to the Commissioners of Children and Families, Education, Human Services, and Labor and Workforce Development, and the Secretary of Higher Education regarding the needs, priorities, programs, and policies related to access and equity for labor, education, and workforce training throughout the State;
c. Review current and proposed legislation and regulations pertaining to gender equity in labor, education, and workforce training and make recommendations regarding possible legislation and regulations to the State Employment and Training Commission and the Division on Women;
d. Develop policies to insure that State agencies set benchmarks and integrate their data collection systems to assess progress toward achieving gender equity and take action to insure that appropriate data collection systems exist where needed;
e. Develop policies to promote linkages among individuals, schools, organizations, and public agencies providing gender equity services and programs;
f. Educate and provide information to the public on the issues and current developments in gender equity by issuing reports and holding events such as conferences and symposia;
g. Submit an annual report to the Governor, the Legislature, the State Employment and Training Commission, and the Division on Women of its assessments and recommendations made pursuant to this section;
h. Conduct studies and promote research, as practicable, to develop the means to correct gender inequitable practices, including practices leading to pay disparities between men and women and publish and otherwise make available to employers, labor organizations, professional associations, educational institutions, the media, and the general public the findings resulting from these studies and other materials;
i. Develop and make available information, as practicable, regarding best practices for workplace gender equity to enable employers to evaluate job categories based on objective criteria, such as educational requirements, skill requirements, independence, working conditions, and responsibility; and
j. Establish a Statewide recognition of exceptional practices, as practicable, to promote gender equity in the workplace to be presented to a workplace, as shall be defined by the Council, that, at a minimum, has demonstrated it has made a substantial effort to eliminate pay disparities between men and women, and thus deserves special recognition, in addition to any other requirements and specifications the Council deems appropriate in the determination of the workplace to be recognized.
L.1999, c.223, s.2; amended 2011, c.186, s.1; 2012, c.16, s.130.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15C-23 - Authority of council.

34:15C-23 Authority of council.
3. The council is authorized to:
a. Hold public hearings;
b. Employ staff, responsible to the Executive Director of the State Employment and Training Commission, to assist the council to implement the purposes of this act; and
c. Avail itself of the services of the employees and have access to the records of any instrumentality of the State, as necessary or useful to implement the purposes of this act.
L.1999,c.223,s.3.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-2 - Findings, declarations

34:15D-2. Findings, declarations
2. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. New Jersey, facing an intensely competitive world economy, must choose whether to compete against countries that have low-paid, unskilled workforces or to compete for the high-productivity jobs that can provide a foundation for an economic leadership position for New Jersey and high living standards for all of its citizens;
b. If New Jersey is going to take the high-skill, high-productivity, high-wage path, it will need a genuine partnership between business, labor and government to invest in the first-rate training and education for front-line workers needed to stimulate greater worker involvement in promoting innovation, quality control and responsiveness to rapid technological advances in production;
c. Current private sector efforts to train and educate employees in New Jersey are extensive, involving the expenditure of hundreds of millions of dollars, but the overwhelming majority of those expenditures goes to the minority of employees, usually placed in management, scientific and technical positions, who already have college degrees;
d. The inadequate emphasis on training and ongoing education for the broad majority of front-line workers is further compounded by the fact that 90% of job training expenditures by American businesses is spent by only one half of one percent of American businesses;
e. Although current training programs for the long-term jobless and other disadvantaged individuals have increased skilled labor resources in the State, and although federal funding for those programs is inadequate to cover more than a small minority of those eligible, there is an even greater need for new public resources to upgrade the skills of vastly larger numbers of currently employed, or recently displaced, mainstream front-line workers;
f. Proposals have been made by the administrations of both Governor Kean and Governor Florio to redirect existing payroll taxes to fund a broader and more in-depth program of worker training and access to lifelong education, a method successfully employed by other States and by leading international industrial competitors, such as Germany, Japan and France;
g. The potential contribution of business-labor cooperation to create a highly productive workforce has also been demonstrated, domestically and overseas, by the effectiveness of apprenticeship programs in certain skilled trades;
h. It is therefore an appropriate public purpose to sustain the current level of support of training programs for disadvantaged individuals and to establish, with the active participation of New Jersey's business and labor communities, a broader program of expanded, high-quality training and education, including needed basic skills education, for currently employed and recently displaced front-line workers, funded by the redirection of a portion of existing payroll taxes.
L.1992,c.43,s.2.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-5.1 - Findings, declarations relative to under-represented participants in apprenticeships.

34:15D-5.1 Findings, declarations relative to under-represented participants in apprenticeships.
1. The Legislature finds and declares that women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are under-represented in the skilled trades and apprenticeship programs, despite the fact that these groups represent a large and growing portion of the workforce. As apprenticeship programs often lead to high paying jobs in growing industries, women, minorities, and persons with disabilities should be provided better access and support in benefitting from them.
Although apprenticeships can benefit these groups, sometimes women, minorities, and persons with disabilities begin the programs, but leave before completion. One reason for this may be that the groups are under-represented. When they encounter harassment and discrimination or other difficulties, they may not have a trusted support network on which they can depend.
For example, while all participants in federally-registered apprenticeship programs are required to receive a mentor, it is unlikely that the mentor would come from the same under-represented group as the participant. Participants who are not from under-represented groups would not face this dilemma.
It is therefore an appropriate public purpose to begin, in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, a peer-to-peer mentoring program for women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.
L.2020, c.58, s.1.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-5.2 - Establishment of peer-to-peer Statewide apprenticeship mentoring program for women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

34:15D-5.2 Establishment of peer-to-peer Statewide apprenticeship mentoring program for women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.
2. a. The Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education and the Chief Diversity Officer of New Jersey, shall establish a peer-to-peer Statewide apprenticeship mentoring program for women, minorities, and persons with disabilities. The purpose of the mentoring program is to provide mentoring and support services to women, minorities, and persons with disabilities throughout the State, as well as to establish a network of peers involved in apprenticeship groups among those groups.
b. The Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development shall analyze which groups of people are under-represented in industries throughout the State, and then form employee resource groups for apprentices involved in those industries.
L.2020, c.58, s.2.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-10 - Commissioner's duties

34:15D-10. Commissioner's duties
10. The commissioner shall, in a manner which complies with all provisions of this act:
a. Implement performance measurements for the program consistent with the provisions of section 8 of this act and with the criteria and procedures established by the State Employment and Training Commission pursuant to section 13 of this act;
b. Establish minimum standards for consideration of proposals from applicants for customized training services;
c. Establish review and approval procedures for training grant applications from qualified displaced and disadvantaged workers; and
d. Ensure the provision of adequate fiscal accounting controls for the monitoring and auditing of training grants and customized training services provided pursuant to this act.
L.1992,c.43,s.10.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-11 - Rules, regulations

34:15D-11. Rules, regulations
11. The commissioner shall, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations necessary to govern the proper conduct and operation of the program consistent with the provisions of this act. These rules and regulations may include guidelines in addition to, but not inconsistent with, those provided by this act regarding:
a. Contracts between applicants for customized training services, the program, service providers or any combination of the three;
b. The issuance of training grants to qualified displaced and disadvantaged workers;
c. Eligibility and priority of employment and training services to employers and qualified displaced, disadvantaged and employed workers; and
d. Qualifications of instruction, facilities, financial responsibility, business practices, and any other matter essential to the maintenance of the adequacy of employment and training services.
L.1992,c.43,s.11.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-12 - Definitions

34:15D-12. Definitions
1. For the purposes of sections 1 through 9 of this act:
"Commissioner" is the Commissioner of Labor, or designee of the commissioner.
"Department" means the New Jersey Department of Labor.
"Employer" means any employer subject to R.S.43:21-1 et seq.
"Fund" or "Workforce Development Partnership Fund" means the Workforce Development Partnership Fund created pursuant to section 9 of P.L.1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-9).
L.1992,c.44,s.1.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-13 - Employer and worker contributions

34:15D-13. Employer and worker contributions
2. Beginning on January 1, 1993, each worker shall contribute to the Workforce Development Partnership Fund an amount equal to 0.025% of the worker's wages as determined in accordance with paragraph (3) of subsection (b) of R.S.43:21-7 regarding the worker's employment with an employer.
Also beginning on January 1, 1993, each employer shall contribute to the Workforce Development Partnership Fund an amount equal to the amount that the employer's contribution to the Unemployment Compensation Fund is decreased pursuant to subparagraph (G) of paragraph (5) of subsection (c) of R.S.43:21-7.
L.1992,c.44,s.2; amended 1995,c.422,s.4.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-14 - Transfer of funds to Workforce Development Partnership Fund

34:15D-14. Transfer of funds to Workforce Development Partnership Fund
3. The State Treasurer is hereby authorized and directed to requisition and withdraw on or after July 1, 1992 an amount not to exceed $25,000,000 from revenues received pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection (e) of R.S.43:21-7, at the discretion of the commissioner, from the State disability benefits fund established pursuant to section 22 of P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-46) and to deposit the sum in the Workforce Development Partnership Fund. No transfers may be made from the State disability benefits fund to the Workforce Development Partnership Fund at any time after one year following the effective date of this act. The amount transferred shall be repaid to the State disability benefits fund with interest at the rate earned by the investments made with moneys remaining in the State disability benefits fund. The repayment period shall not exceed three years and shall begin no later than January 1, 1994. For purposes of determining the balance in the State disability benefits fund as prescribed pursuant to subsubparagraph (1) of subparagraph (E) of paragraph (3) of subsection (e) of R.S.43:21-7, the amount of any outstanding advances to the Workforce Development Partnership Fund along with accrued interest shall be included therein.
L.1992,c.44,s.3.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-15 - Employer responsibilities for workers' contributions

34:15D-15. Employer responsibilities for workers' contributions
4. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, each employer shall: withhold in trust the amount of all workers' contributions from their wages at the time wages are paid, show the deduction on the payroll records, furnish the evidence thereof and permit any inspection of the records as prescribed by the commissioner, and transmit all workers' contributions and other contributions due from the employer pursuant to this act to the department in a manner and at the times that the commissioner prescribes. Interest and any expense to the department of recovery may be assessed by the commissioner on payments not made within the prescribed due dates at the same rate as provided for pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of R.S.43:21-14. If any employer fails to deduct the contributions of any workers at the time their wages are paid, or fails to make a deduction therefor at the time wages are paid for the next succeeding payroll period, the employer shall be solely liable for those contributions.
L.1992,c.44,s.4.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-16 - Failure of employer to make report; deficiencies

34:15D-16. Failure of employer to make report; deficiencies
5. If an employer fails to make any report or permit any inspection required by the commissioner to implement the provisions of this act, an estimate shall be made regarding the liability of the employer from information available and the employer shall be assessed for any amount due, including the amount that was withheld or that should have been withheld from its employees for deposit into the fund. Also, if, after an examination of any report filed, a deficiency is discovered with respect to the taxable wages reported, the employer shall be assessed the amount of any determined deficiency. Additional remedies through the court may be established by the commissioner, including the charging of any expenses incurred by the department in recovering the assessment.
L.1992,c.44,s.5.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-17 - Refund to taxpayer

34:15D-17. Refund to taxpayer
6. a. If an employee receives wages from more than one employer during any calendar year, and the sum of the employee's contributions deposited in the Workforce Development Partnership Fund exceeds an amount equal to 0.025% of the wages determined in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (3) of subsection (b) of R.S.43:21-7 during the calendar year beginning January 1, 1993 or any subsequent calendar year, the employee shall be entitled to a refund of the excess if a claim establishing the employee's right to the refund is made within two years after the end of the respective calendar year in which the wages are received and are the subject of the claim. The commissioner shall refund any overpayment from the fund without interest.
b. Any employee who is a taxpayer and entitled, pursuant to the provisions of subsection a. of this section, to a refund of contributions deducted during a tax year from his wages shall, in lieu of the refund, be entitled to a credit in the full amount thereof against the tax otherwise due on his New Jersey gross income for that tax year if he submits his claim for the credit and accompanies that claim with evidence of his right to the credit in the manner provided by regulation by the Director of the Division of Taxation. In any case in which the amount, or any portion thereof, of any credit allowed hereunder results in or increases an excess of income tax payment over income tax liability, the amount of the new or increased excess shall be considered an overpayment and shall be refunded to the taxpayer in the manner provided by subsection (a) of N.J.S.54A:9-7.
L.1992,c.44,s.6; amended 1995,c.422,s.5.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-18 - Cancellation, refusal to honor checks

34:15D-18. Cancellation, refusal to honor checks
7. The State Treasurer, as treasurer and custodian of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund, is hereby authorized and directed to cancel of record and to refuse to honor checks issued against the fund which have not been presented for payment within six years from the date of issuance. Upon that cancellation, revenues held on deposit for payment of the checks shall be credited to the fund.
L.1992,c.44,s.7.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-19 - Schedule of fines

34:15D-19. Schedule of fines
8. A schedule of fines, no fine exceeding $1,000 for a single offense, shall be established by the commissioner for any of the following actions or omissions with respect to the collection of contributions or the use of moneys disbursed from the fund:
a. A false statement or misrepresentation made knowingly;
b. Failure to disclose a material fact;
c. Attempt to defraud;
d. Willful failure or refusal to: withhold or transfer any contribution or other payment; furnish any report or information; or produce or permit the inspection or copying of records as required pursuant to this act; and
e. Willful violation of any provision of this act or any rule or regulation promulgated pursuant to this act.
The fines shall be recoverable in a civil action by the commissioner in the name of the State of New Jersey. In addition to penalties established for any person, employing unit, employer or entity, each shall be liable for each offense upon conviction before any court of competent jurisdiction at the discretion of the court. All fines shall be payable to the commissioner for deposit in the fund.
L.1992,c.44,s.8.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-20 - Rules, regulations

34:15D-20. Rules, regulations
9. The commissioner shall, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act, including any requirements regarding the keeping and reporting of records and any sanctions against false statement, misrepresentation, willful violations or fraud.
L.1992,c.44,s.9.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-21.2 - Findings, declarations relative to the basic skills training program.

34:15D-21.2 Findings, declarations relative to the basic skills training program.
2. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. A skilled workforce is one of the most critical issues to New Jersey businesses and the State's economic competitiveness, and, unfortunately, the basic computer, mathematics, communications and English skills of many New Jersey workers is less than what employers require for success;
b. In 2007, a public-private partnership formed between the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development, and the New Jersey Business and Industry Association to provide basic skills training with more flexibility to businesses throughout the State by means of a grant from the Supplemental Workforce Fund for Basic Skills;
c. During the first two years of this training program, 750 employers sent almost 10,000 enrollees to be trained, significantly more than any other single New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development grant program;
d. This program was successful in reaching so many more workers and businesses because of its flexibility, in not requiring employers to complete any paperwork or financial disclosure, not charging them for the training, other than requiring that they pay their employees while they are trained, and not requiring every class to have a minimum of ten employees from a single employer;
e. Credit for this flexibility and the program's success should be given to Governor Jon S. Corzine, Commissioner David J. Socolow and the grant staff at the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, because they understood that the focus of this grant should be on training as many workers as possible and not on fitting within previous grant structures and traditions, and without them, 750 businesses would not have been helped and 10,000 enrollees would not have been trained;
f. This program has been positive for all those involved: the employees receiving portable training and skills; the employers improving their workforce; the community colleges being optimally utilized to provide the most effective and efficient method of training; and the State positively contributing to workers, businesses and economic development with no new costs; and
g. Legislation is needed to ensure that the success of this program and the flexibilities afforded it by the Governor and commissioner are made permanent in the statutes.
L.2009, c.199, s.2.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-21.3 - Findings, declarations relative to certain county college certificate programs.

34:15D-21.3 Findings, declarations relative to certain county college certificate programs.
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. A skilled workforce is one of the most critical issues facing New Jersey employers and the availability of appropriately trained workers directly impacts the State's ability to compete nationally and internationally;
b. While the State of New Jersey, through the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, has initiated many programs to link business and industry with employees, there remain areas of the State that are the home to particular industries that lack the skilled workforce necessary to fill available employment positions;
c. It has become increasingly apparent that an increased focus is needed on training individuals for the "right" jobs as opposed to training individuals for "a" job;
d. Increased attention needs to be paid and efforts made to connect individual employers and groups of employers to appropriate educational institutions so that curriculum may be developed that is exactly in line with the needs of these employers and directed to individuals who may have the greatest chance of program and employment success; and
e. County colleges already have a long history of partnering with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development and local Workforce Investment Boards to design training programs for dislocated workers, but these efforts can be further refined and more explicitly targeted to develop certificate programs in which regional employers have a vested interest through their role in program development and program candidate review that will allow them to grow their business by immediately hiring appropriately trained individuals.
L.2019, c.228, s.1.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-21.4 - Development of certificate programs to connect regional employers to county colleges.

34:15D-21.4 Development of certificate programs to connect regional employers to county colleges.
2. a. The New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development shall consult with each county college in the State to foster the development of certificate programs that connect regional employers to the county colleges in the collaborative development of programs that meet the unique needs of the employer and are directly connected to the knowledge and skills required by the employer. The certificate programs established by a county college shall be directly targeted to business and industry located in the region that have an identified and immediate need to hire employees with education and skills that are not being addressed through available training and educational opportunities.
b. (1) Under a certificate program, the employer shall develop the curriculum to ensure that it is directly aligned to the needs of the employer. The employer shall consult with appropriate faculty at the county college for assistance in the curriculum development and to receive faculty input and feedback to ensure the alignment of the curriculum.
(2) The employer may prescreen candidates prior to enrollment in the certificate program to ensure that the candidate demonstrates the aptitudes, abilities, and qualities sought by the employer.
(3) The county college shall provide the faculty for the certificate program and shall make college facilities available for the program. Upon agreement with an employer, certificate program classes may be provided on-site at the employer's business location.
(4) An employer may hire an individual enrolled in a certificate program prior to completion of the program with continued employment dependent upon successful completion. The county college shall issue a certificate to each individual who successfully completes the program to indicate that the individual has acquired the requisite knowledge and skills for employment in the identified field or occupation.
(5) An employer who participates in the development of the certificate program shall make a commitment to interview all graduates of the program for employment positions that are available at the time of the participant's completion of the program.
L.2019, c.228, s.2.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-22 - Contributions to fund.

34:15D-22 Contributions to fund.
2. Beginning on January 1, 2002, each worker shall contribute to the Supplemental Workforce Fund for Basic Skills an amount equal to 0.0175% of the worker's wages as determined in accordance with paragraph (3) of subsection (b) of R.S.43:21-7 regarding the worker's employment with an employer.
Beginning on July 1, 2001, each employer shall contribute to the Supplemental Workforce Fund for Basic Skills an amount equal to the amount that the employer's contribution is decreased pursuant to subparagraph (J) of paragraph (5) of subsection (c) of R.S.43:21-7.
L.2001,c.152,s.2.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-23 - Refund of excess employee contributions.

34:15D-23 Refund of excess employee contributions.
3. If an employee receives wages from more than one employer during any calendar year, and the sum of the employee's contributions deposited in the Supplemental Workforce Fund for Basic Skills exceeds an amount equal to 0.0175% of the wages determined in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (3) of subsection (b) of R.S.43:21-7 during the calendar year beginning January 1, 2002 or any subsequent calendar year, the employee shall be entitled to a refund of the excess if a claim establishing the employee's right to the refund is made within two years after the end of the respective calendar year in which the wages are received and are the subject of the claim. The commissioner shall refund any overpayment from the fund without interest.
Any employee who is a taxpayer and entitled, pursuant to the provisions of this section, to a refund of contributions deducted during a tax year from his wages shall, in lieu of the refund, be entitled to a credit in the full amount thereof against the tax otherwise due on his New Jersey gross income for that tax year if he submits his claim for the credit and accompanies that claim with evidence of his right to the credit in the manner provided by regulation by the Director of the Division of Taxation. In any case in which the amount, or any portion thereof, of any credit allowed hereunder results in or increases an excess of income tax payment over income tax liability, the amount of the new or increased excess shall be considered an overpayment and shall be refunded to the taxpayer in the manner provided by subsection (a) of N.J.S.54A:9-7.
L.2001,c.152,s.3.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-25 - Findings, declarations relative to workforce development funds.

34:15D-25 Findings, declarations relative to workforce development funds.
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. New Jersey, the headquarters of many of the leaders in the field of industrial research and development, has a long, successful history of innovation in the technology field.
b. New Jersey is the birthplace of such varied technology and inventions as: the quadruplex telegraph in 1874; the phonograph in 1877; the "band aid" in 1920; air conditioning in 1921; the first long distance television transmission in 1927; condensed soup in 1939; the first commercial mobile telephone service in 1947; tetracycline in 1952; the solar cell battery in 1954; bubble wrap and the laser in 1957; vaccines to prevent the mumps and the measles in 1963; the UNIX operating system in 1969; and the digital signal processor chip in 1980.
c. Some of the most important inventors and technology companies in the world call New Jersey home. These companies, working in concert with universities, business partners and scientists, are part of the innovation ecosystem that consumers in the State, nation and around the world depend on and need to drive the economy.
d. An innovation ecosystem is an environment in which the persons who have the knowledge, ideas and actions are connected by institutional entities, such as universities, business firms, research institutes, state and local governments, and policy makers, to the materials and capital needed to spur development, inventions and economic growth.
e. It is essential that New Jersey acts to fertilize, maintain and grow an innovation ecosystem that allows technological ideas to flourish in New Jersey, and to expand upon the already rich environment for the development of technology in the State.
f. By directing workforce development funds toward the establishment of technological seed growth in New Jersey, the State will assist in the growth of the type of innovation ecosystem that has created such groundbreaking technology in the past.
g. Legislation is needed to dedicate workforce development funds to create a grants-funded fellowship program to support technology research and innovation throughout the State.
L.2015, c.235, s.1.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-26 - New Jersey Innovation and Research Fellowship Program.

34:15D-26 New Jersey Innovation and Research Fellowship Program.
3. a. The Department of Labor and Workforce Development, in consultation with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, shall establish the New Jersey Innovation and Research Fellowship Program.
b. The New Jersey Innovation and Research Fellowship Program shall be funded through the funds reserved for that program from the Workforce Development Partnership Fund pursuant to section 9 of P.L.1992, c. 43 (C.34:15D-9). The funds shall be distributed by the department as follows:
(1) The department shall work in consultation with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to fund, no less than, 20 fellowships, administered by the department, which focus on information technology research and innovation. The fellowships may be provided to entities, of which at least eight shall be large businesses, employing more than 25 people and eight shall be small businesses, employing from two to 24 people. The remainder of the fellowships may be authorized according to the discretion of the department.
(2) The fellowships shall be issued for two to three years each and shall be used primarily for research and innovation; not capital purchases.
c. The department, in consultation with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, shall promulgate rules and regulations providing for the establishment, administration and evaluation of the New Jersey Innovation and Research Fellowship Program.
d. The department, in consultation with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, shall conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of the New Jersey Innovation and Research Fellowship Program to spur growth in the information technology research fields no later than five years after the approval of the first fellowship.
L.2015, c.235, s.3.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-28 - Findings, declarations relative to the Talent Network Program.

34:15D-28 Findings, declarations relative to the Talent Network Program.
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. To maintain a competitive edge in the 21st century, New Jersey must develop a highly productive workforce that has the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed by employers in the State's key industries;
b. Workforce development and education programs that are directly aligned with the needs of employers will ensure that more New Jersey residents have pathways to economic opportunity and successful careers, and that employers receive the talent required to drive the growth of their businesses;
c. To cultivate such employer-driven partnerships, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development has supported the development of talent networks since 2011;
d. The department currently funds nine talent networks of employers, educational institutions, and workforce development organizations in industries including advanced manufacturing; construction & utilities; financial services; food industry; health care; life sciences; technology; transportation, logistics, and distribution; and retail, hospitality, and tourism; and
e. The establishment of a Talent Network Program will create a permanent plan within the department to strengthen and enhance these and future partnerships in meeting the workforce needs of the State.
L.2019, c.125, s.1.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-29 - Talent Network Program.

34:15D-29 Talent Network Program.
2. a. There is established in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development the Talent Network Program. The purpose of this program is to develop centralized sources of intelligence about the workforce needs of the State's key industries by building employer-driven partnerships between employers, educational institutions, and other organizations concerned with workforce development.
b. To fulfill the goal of the Talent Network Program, the department shall annually award grant funds to nonprofit organizations, industry associations and post-secondary educational institutions, who demonstrate knowledge and expertise in one of the State's key industries. The department may continue grant agreements with talent networks which were awarded prior to the enactment of P.L.2019, c.125 (C.34:15D-28 et al.).
c. Each nonprofit organization, industry association and post-secondary educational institution awarded grant funds through the Talent Network Program pursuant to subsection b. of this section shall:
(1) engage and convene employers located throughout the State to identify common skill gaps and workforce needs within the targeted industry;
(2) engage and convene key education and workforce providers located throughout the State to identify the capacity of local partners to meet industry workforce needs;
(3) form partnerships that are employer-driven and that include at least three key education and workforce providers;
(4) create a strategy for building and sustaining such partnerships through commitments from employers, workforce organizations, educational institutions, training providers, community and faith-based organizations, and other key stakeholders;
(5) facilitate the development of a workforce plan to respond to identified workforce needs and opportunities;
(6) host an annual industry summit to gather intelligence and inform key workforce stakeholders of essential employer needs;
(7) contribute to the department's development of an industry-valued credential and degree list and career awareness materials;
(8) maintain a website and a presence on social media to disseminate industry intelligence and labor market information to job seekers, students, employers, and education and workforce stakeholders;
(9) report annually to the department and the Legislature the status of the industry's workforce needs; and
(10) perform any other duties as required by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development.
d. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the Talent Network Program shall be funded through federal job training funds, as defined in section 4 of P.L.1989, c.293 (C.34:15C-1). The department is authorized to use any additional funds necessary to fulfill the provisions of this section, as determined by the commissioner, from the Workforce Development Partnership Fund moneys reserved for the Talent Network Program pursuant to section 9 of P.L.1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-9).
L.2019, c.125, s.2.
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 34 - Labor and Workmen's Compensation › Section 34:15D-30 - Definitions relative to an industry-valued credentials pilot program.

34:15D-30 Definitions relative to an industry-valued credentials pilot program.
1. As used in this act:
"Eligible adult" means an individual who is a "qualified displaced worker" or a "qualified disadvantaged worker" as defined in section 3 of P.L.1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-3).
"Information or math literacy" means an individual's ability to use appropriate mathematical, literacy, or technical skills for career success.
"Secretary" means the Secretary of Higher Education.
"Soft skills" means social skills, transferrable skills, and interpersonal skills, which relate to an individual's ability to communicate and collaborate with others.
L.2019, c.252, s.1.