A new push to repeal NJ residency requirement for state workers

⚫Should NJ government workers be required to live in NJ?

⚫ A proposed measure would scrap the law that’s been ruled unconstitutional by a judge

⚫ It comes as the state is facing a hiring crisis in many areas

With the labor shortage continuing, many New Jersey departments, divisions and agencies are struggling to fill a wide variety of open and available employment positions.

One of the reasons they’re having such a tough time is that New Jersey has a law that requires all government employees to live in the Garden State.

The law was found to be unconstitutional in 2021 by a Superior Court judge but it remains on the books.

Lawmaker argues it makes no sense

New Jersey Assemblyman Hal Wirths, R-Sussex, believes this is ridiculous and he’s sponsoring measure A148 that would eliminate the residency requirement for all government workers except members of the Legislature, the head of each principal department of the executive branch, every Jjstice of the Supreme Court and other judges in lower courts.

“New Jersey is one of the most expensive states in the nation to live in and some people just can’t afford to live here that are working at the lower levels of government jobs that we need every day.”

He said when the law was enacted in 2011 the intentions may have been good but now, with New Jersey facing a shortage of teachers and other state employees, it just doesn’t make sense.

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You should be able to live where you want

He pointed out that even if you’re living in New York or Pennsylvania, if you’re working in New Jersey, you’re spending time and money here and you should be able to live where you want.

Wirths, who served as the labor commissioner under former Gov. Christie, pointed out there are exemptions given for the residency requirement all the time for different people who have to take care of a sick relative or some other crisis, so why not just scrap it altogether?

“It’s a bad law that doesn’t make any sense, and the time has come to reverse it,” he said.

David Matthau is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at david.matthau@townsquaremedia.com

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NJ teachers and educators caught in sex crime busts

Over the past few years, state lawmakers have taken on the challenge of dealing with accused child predators among the ranks of teachers and educators.

In 2018, the so-called “pass the trash” law went into effect, requiring stricter New Jersey school background checks related to child abuse and sexual misconduct.

The follow individuals were arrested over the past several years. Some have been convicted and sentenced to prison, while others have accepted plea deals for probation.

Others cases are still pending, including some court delays amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Categories: New Jersey News