Requires employer of volunteer first responder to provide employee with one additional paid sick day per benefit year for healthcare diagnostic testing.

S3700

SENATE, No. 3700

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 24, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� ANTHONY M. BUCCO

District 25 (Morris and Passaic)

Senator� M. TERESA RUIZ

District 29 (Essex and Hudson)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senator Corrado

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires employer of volunteer first responder to
provide employee with one additional paid sick day per benefit year for
healthcare diagnostic testing.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning volunteer first responders and supplementing
Title 52 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 volunteer emergency services organizations are
unable to recruit an adequate number of volunteer first responders to meet the
community's needs.

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

���� c.���� Volunteer service is
rewarding to the individual volunteer and strengthens bonds within the
community.

���� d.��� When fewer people
volunteer, municipalities are forced to hire paid personnel at the taxpayers�
expense.�

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

���� f.���� Ensuring that volunteer
first responders who may have been exposed to hazardous conditions as a
consequence of their volunteer service have adequate time to undergo any
recommended healthcare diagnostic testing will encourage volunteer recruitment
and retention by allowing volunteers to serve their communities effectively
while meeting the responsibilities of the volunteer�s paid employment.�

���� g.��� Therefore, it is in the
public interest to require employers of volunteer first responders to provide
an additional day of sick leave to any employee who is a volunteer first
responder.

���� 2.��� a.� As used in this
section:

���� �Employee� means any
individual who is 18 years of age or older who is employed by an employer in
this State.�

���� �Employer� means a person or
entity engaged in a business, industry, profession, trade, or other enterprise
in New Jersey, whether for profit or not for profit, that has been in business
at least two years and at no time during the previous calendar year employed
fewer than 25 employees.�

���� �Volunteer first responder�
means a State or local firefighter, volunteer member of a duly incorporated
first aid, emergency, ambulance, or rescue squad association, or any other
individual who, in the course of volunteer services, is dispatched to the scene
of a motor vehicle accident or other emergency situation for the purpose of
providing medical care or other assistance.�

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

���� b.��� An employer shall
provide any employee who is a volunteer first responder one additional paid
sick day per benefit year, 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 other State
agencies, shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the �Administrative
Procedure Act,� P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as necessary to effectuate
the purposes of this section.�

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

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires employers
to provide any employee who serves as a State or local volunteer first
responder in this State with one additional paid sick day per benefit year to
use for healthcare diagnostic testing to prevent or diagnose any condition that
may relate to the employee's duties as a volunteer first responder.� Under the
bill, the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, in consultation as
necessary with other State agencies, is required to adopt rules and regulations
to implement the bill�s provisions.�

���� The sponsor notes that there
is growing concern across the State that volunteer emergency services
organizations are unable to recruit an adequate number of volunteer first
responders to meet the community's needs.� Volunteer first responders are
crucial for maintaining the safety and well-being of the community.� When fewer
people volunteer, municipalities are forced to hire paid personnel at the
taxpayers' expense.� The sponsor believes that ensuring that volunteer first
responders, who may have been exposed to hazardous conditions as a consequence
of their volunteer service, have adequate time to undergo any recommended
healthcare diagnostic testing will encourage volunteer recruitment and
retention by allowing the volunteers to serve the community while meeting the
responsibilities of the volunteer�s paid employment.