New Jersey Legislation Fines Employers Up To $5,000 For Discriminating Against Unemployed
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- Employers in New Jersey can no longer exclude unemployed people when they advertise job vacancies.
Legislation barring the practice was recently signed into law by Gov. Chris Christie, who had conditionally vetoed an earlier version of the measure. Violators will face fines of up to $1,000 for the first offense and $5,000 for subsequent offenses.
The bill prohibits employers from publishing job advertisements in print or online—that state unemployed individuals can't apply for the position. Proponents say the measure may be the first of its kind in the United States.
The initial version of the bill was passed by the state Senate and Assembly in November. But Christie conditionally vetoed it, saying parts were too vague and the proposed penalties were too high.
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