Requires employer to provide one additional paid sick day per benefit year to paid first responders for healthcare diagnostic testing.

S3690

SENATE, No. 3690

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 24, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� ANTHONY M. BUCCO

District 25 (Morris and Passaic)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires employer to provide one additional paid sick
day per benefit year to paid first responders for healthcare diagnostic
testing.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning first responders and certain benefits
and supplementing Title 34 of the Revised Statutes.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� The Legislature finds
and declares that:

���� a.���� There is growing
concern across the State that emergency services organizations are unable to
recruit an adequate number of first responders to meet the community's needs.

���� b.��� First responders are
crucial for maintaining the safety and well-being of our communities.�

���� c.���� Accordingly, it is
imperative to find solutions for recruiting first responders, which should
include requiring employers to provide additional support to employees who
serve as first responders.

���� d.��� Ensuring that first
responders who may have been exposed to hazardous conditions as a consequence
of their service have adequate time to undergo any recommended healthcare
diagnostic testing will encourage recruitment and retention by allowing first
responders to serve their communities safely and effectively.�

���� e.���� Therefore, the
Legislature finds that it is in the public interest to require an additional
day of sick leave to any employee who is a first responder.

���� 2.��� a.� As used in P.L.��� ,
c.��� (C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):

���� "Employee" means a
first responder holding a position of paid employment with an employer.

���� "Employer" means an
entity that employs paid first responders.

���� "First responder"
means a law enforcement officer; paid firefighter; paid member of a duly
incorporated first aid, emergency, ambulance, or rescue squad association; paid
emergency medical technician; or paid paramedic.

���� "Healthcare diagnostic
testing" means medical tests or procedures recommended by a healthcare
provider to prevent or diagnose a condition that may relate to the employee's
duties as a first responder as determined by the Commissioner of Labor and
Workforce Development pursuant to subsection c. of this section.�

���� "Law enforcement
officer" means a person employed as a permanent full-time member of any
federal, State, county or municipal law enforcement agency, department, or
division of those governments who is statutorily empowered to act for the
detection, investigation, arrest, conviction, detention, or rehabilitation of
persons violating the criminal laws of this State or of the United States and
statutorily required to successfully complete a training course approved by the
Police Training Commission pursuant to P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-66 et seq.), or
certified by the commission as being substantially equivalent to an approved
course.

���� b.��� An employer shall grant
a first responder an additional sick leave credit of one working day annually,
following completion of the person�s first calendar year of service, for
healthcare diagnostic testing.�

���� c.���� The Commissioner of
Labor and Workforce Development, in consultation as necessary with any State
agencies or county or municipal employers, shall adopt rules and regulations
pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act, " P.L.1968, c.410
(C.52:14B-1 et seq.), necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section.

���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires that paid
first responders be provided with one additional paid sick day per benefit year
for healthcare diagnostic testing.� The bill defines "first responder"
to mean any paid law enforcement officer; paid firefighter; paid member of a
duly incorporated first aid, emergency, ambulance, or rescue squad association;
paid emergency medical technician; or paid paramedic.� In addition, the bill
defines "healthcare diagnostic testing" to mean medical tests or
procedures recommended by a healthcare provider to prevent or diagnose a
condition that may relate to the employee's duties as a first responder as
determined by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development
(commissioner).�

���� The bill requires the
commissioner, in consultation as necessary with any State, county, or municipal
employers, to adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the bill.���