Daniel J. Munoz reports for NJBIZ:
Gov. Phil Murphy inked a law Friday that extends jobless benefits to striking works.
The measure, Assembly Bill 3861, was among 19 bills signed by the governor. It had passed out of the Assembly by a 48-25 vote and a 23-14 vote in the Senate.
Under the new law, workers will be allowed to access unemployment compensation during a strike if the labor dispute was caused by the employer’s noncompliance with an agreement or existing labor laws, according to the legislation.
The workers would be subject to a 30-day waiting period unless the employer hires a permanent replacement worker. If not permitted to return to work, the former employer would have to provide back pay lost during the 30-day waiting period.
Friday’s law takes effect immediately and applies to any unemployment claims made after July 1.
Former Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a similar measure in 2016.
