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S4340
SENATE, No. 4340
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED MAY 28, 2026
Sponsored by:
Senator� MICHAEL L. TESTA, JR.
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
Senator� TROY SINGLETON
District 7 (Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
���� Directs DOLWD to identify, and post on website,
employment opportunities with minimal barriers to entry for persons returning
to workforce after imprisonment.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning employment opportunities for
individuals returning to workforce after imprisonment 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.���� Employment is crucial
for individuals returning from incarceration to their communities.� Employed
individuals are significantly less likely to return to incarceration
post-release because employment enables successful reintegration to society;
���� b.��� Recently-incarcerated
individuals face barriers to entry for quality employment, that often limit the
person�s ability to obtain employment and may discourage the individual from
even seeking quality of life improvements;
���� c.���� One barrier that
recently-incarcerated individuals face is the stigma associated with formerly
incarcerated persons.� Employers may not even consider a candidate with a
conviction; and
���� d.��� The lack of education is
another barrier to employment for recently incarcerated individuals.� Many
recently-incarcerated individuals do not have the educational opportunities
required for an effective return to society.
���� e.���� Assisting individuals
who were recently-incarcerated in obtaining employment benefits all residents
of the State because it increases State-wide productivity and economic
prosperity.
���� 2.��� a. The Department of
Labor and Workforce Development shall identify employment opportunities for
persons returning to the workforce after incarceration, which have minimal
barriers of entry and which have a demand for workers.� The department shall
conspicuously post, on an ongoing basis, notification of these employment
opportunities on its website.
���� b.��� Each prisoner reentry
program, organization, or other reentry entity operated by the State, a county
or municipality, other local unit, or which otherwise receives State funds
shall report to the department on a quarterly basis employment partnerships, opportunities,
and any other employment-related data necessary to effectuate the purposes of
this act as determined by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development.
���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect on the 90th day next following enactment.
STATEMENT
���� This bill charges the
Department of Labor and Workforce Development with identifying those employment
opportunities for persons returning to the workforce after imprisonment, which
have minimal barriers. The department is required to post, on an ongoing
basis, this employment information on its website.
���� Under the bill, each prisoner
reentry program, organization, or other entity operated by the State, a county
or municipality, other local unit, or which otherwise receives State funds
would be required to report to the department on a quarterly basis employment
partnerships, opportunities, and any other employment-related data as
determined by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development to be
necessary to effectuate the bill�s purposes.