STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CLEOPATRA G. TUCKER
District 28 (Essex and Union)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Murphy
SYNOPSIS
Concerns training of employees about access to public facilities for individuals with service or guide dogs.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning training of employees about access to public facilities for individuals with service or guide dogs and supplementing P.L.1945, c.169 (C.10:5-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Any employer who has one or more employees who serve customers or other individuals in a place of public accommodation or other public facility, or who otherwise have the ability to provide or deny access to the place or facility, shall provide training to those employees in accordance with the training requirements set forth in the pamphlet produced by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development pursuant to subsection b. of this section regarding the right of an individual with a disability to have a guide or service dog in a place of public accommodation or other public facility pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1971, c.130 (C.10:5-29 et seq.), P.L.1977, c.456 (C.10:5-29.1 et seq.), and the "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990," Pub.L.101-336 (42 U.S.C. s.12101 et seq.). An employer may satisfy the training requirements of this section by utilizing training that may be provided at no cost by the Division on Civil Rights in the Department of Law and Public Safety, the New Jersey State Bar Association, or any other entity, or may, at its discretion, implement a training program at its own cost. The provisions of this section shall be administered and enforced by the division pursuant to the authority vested in it by the "Law Against Discrimination," P.L.1945, c.169 (C.10:5-1 et seq.). The division shall set minimum standards for the training and make those standards available upon request.
b. The commissioner shall prepare a pamphlet that provides information concerning the rights of an individual with a disability to have a guide or service dog in a place of public accommodation or other public facility pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1971, c.130 (C.10:5-29 et seq.), P.L.1977, c.456 (C.10:5-29.1 et seq.), and the "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990," Pub.L.101-336 (42 U.S.C. s.12101 et seq.). The pamphlet shall contain a concise list of topics that are to be included in the employee training required pursuant to subsection a. of this section. The pamphlet shall be made available electronically on the Internet website of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
c. An employer who is required to provide training pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall distribute to each employee a paper copy of the pamphlet.
d. The employee shall sign and return to the employer a form acknowledging that the employee received and reviewed the pamphlet. The form shall be made available for inspection by the commissioner upon request. The employer shall retain the form during the period of employment and for a period of three years following any termination of employment.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires any employer who has one or more employees serving customers or other individuals in a place of public accommodation or other public facility, or otherwise has the ability to provide or deny access to the place or facility, to provide training to their employees regarding the right of an individual with a disability to have a guide or service dog in places of public accommodation or other public facilities under the relevant provisions of State and federal law. The training is to incorporate the list of topics set forth in the pamphlet to be produced by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development under the bill. An employer may satisfy the training requirement of the bill by utilizing training that may be provided at no cost by the Division on Civil Rights in the Department of Law and Public Safety, the New Jersey State Bar Association, or any other entity, or may, at its discretion, implement a training program at its own cost.
The provisions of the bill require the commissioner to prepare a pamphlet that provides information concerning the rights of an individual with a disability to have a guide or service dog in a place of public accommodation or other public facility. The pamphlet is required to contain a concise list of topics that are to be included in the training required under the bill. The pamphlet is to be made available electronically on the Department of Labor and Workforce Development's website.
Under the bill, an employer who is required to provide training pursuant to this section is required to distribute to each employee a paper copy of the pamphlet. The employee is required to sign and return to the employer a form acknowledging the employee's receipt of the pamphlet and the form is to be made available for inspection by the commissioner upon request.