Garden State Times

Eileen Kean, State Director of the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB), testified before the Assembly Labor Committee expressing opposition to Assembly Bill A-4621. The NFIB, representing over 6,000 small businesses across New Jersey, voiced concerns about the proposed legislation's impact on small businesses.

The bill, A-4621, mandates that employers must include information about leave eligibility in hiring packages. However, Kean argues this requirement imposes an unnecessary burden on small businesses that are already facing challenges post-COVID, compounded by inflation and exhaustion. "Upon hiring, an employee does not need a document outlining eligibility for time off before work hours have even accrued," Kean stated.

Kean raised questions about the scope of the bill, specifically asking: "Does this bill only pertain to full-time employment? Are part-time employees also to be so informed?"

According to Kean, determining eligibility for leaves outlined in various acts, such as the "Family Leave Act" and the federal "Family and Medical Leave Act," among others, should be the responsibility of employees with personal issues, not employers.

The NFIB also criticized the potential monetary penalties on small businesses for non-compliance, with Kean stating, "it is wrong that monetary penalties on tax-paying small businesses could be issued."

The NFIB's position is clear: they respectfully request a "No" vote on A-4621, highlighting concern for the working intricacies and financial implications the bill might have on New Jersey's small business sector.