New Jersey § 34:1a-1

§ 34:1a-1.

a. The Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development and any agent of the commissioner,

upon receipt of a complaint or through routine investigation for a violation of any

State wage, benefit and tax law, including but not limited to a violation of R.S.34:15-79 , or a failure to meet obligations required by R.S.43:21-7 or R.S.43:21-14 , or for a violation of any provision of P.L.1940, c. 153 ( C.34:2-21.1 et seq. ) or P.L.1989, c. 293 ( C.34:15C-1 et al.), is authorized to enter, during usual business hours, the place of business or employment

of any employer of the individual to determine compliance with those laws, and for

that purpose may examine payroll and other records and interview employees, call hearings,

administer oaths, take testimony under oath and take interrogatories and oral depositions. b. The commissioner may issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and the production

of books and records. Any entity that fails to furnish information required to the commissioner or agent of the commissioner upon request, or who refuses to

admit the commissioner or agent to the place of employment of the employer, or who

hinders or delays the commissioner or agent in the performance of duties in the enforcement

of this section, may be fined not less than $1,000 and shall be guilty of a disorderly

persons offense. Each day of the failure to furnish the records to the commissioner or agent shall

constitute a separate offense, and each day of refusal to admit, of hindering, or

of delaying the commissioner or agent shall constitute a separate offense. In addition to the foregoing fines, and in addition to or as an alternative to any

criminal proceedings, if an entity fails to comply with any subpoena lawfully issued,

or upon the refusal of any witness to testify to any matter regarding which the witness

may be lawfully interrogated, the commissioner may apply to the Superior Court to

compel obedience by proceedings for contempt, in the same manner as in a failure to

comply with the requirements of a subpoena issued from the court or a refusal to testify

in the court. c. (1) If the commissioner determines, after either an initial determination as a

result of an audit of a business or an investigation pursuant to subsection a. of

this section, that an employer is in violation of any State wage, benefit and tax

law, including but not limited to a violation of R.S.34:15-79 , or a failure to meet obligations required by R.S.43:21-7 or R.S.43:21-14 , or for a violation of any provision of P.L.1940, c. 153 ( C.34:2-21.1 et seq. ) or P.L.1989, c. 293 ( C.34:15C-1 et al.), the commissioner may issue a stop-work order against the employer requiring cessation

of all business operations of the employer at one or more worksites or across all of the employer's worksites and places of business . The stop-work order may be issued only against the employer found to be in violation

or non-compliance. The commissioner shall serve a notification of intent to issue a stop-work order

on the employer at the place of business or, for a particular employer worksite, at

that worksite at least seven days prior to the issuance of a stop-work order. The order shall be effective when served upon the employer at the place of business

or, for a particular employer worksite, when served at that worksite. The order shall remain in effect until the commissioner issues an order releasing

the stop-work order upon finding that the employer has come into compliance and has

paid any penalty deemed to be satisfactory to the commissioner, or after the commissioner

determines, in a hearing held pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection, that the

employer did not commit the act on which the order was based. The stop-work order shall be effective against any successor entity engaged in the

same or equivalent trade or activity that has one or more of the same principals or

officers as the corporation, partnership , limited liability company, or sole proprietorship against which the stop-work order was issued. The commissioner may assess a civil penalty of $5,000 per day against an employer

for each day that it conducts business operations that are in violation of the stop-work

order. A request for hearing shall not automatically stay the effect of the order. (2) An employer who is subject to a stop-work order shall, within 72 hours of its

receipt of the notification, have the right to appeal to the commissioner in writing

for an opportunity to be heard and contest the stop-work order. Within seven business days of receipt of the notification from the employer, the commissioner

shall hold a hearing to allow the employer to contest the issuance of a stop-work

order. The department and the employer may present evidence and make any arguments in support

of their respective positions on the imposition of the misclassification penalty. If a hearing is not held within seven business days of receipt of the notification

from the employer, an administrative law judge shall have the authority to release

the stop-work order. The commissioner shall issue a written decision within five business days of the

hearing either upholding or reversing the employer's stop-work order. The decision shall include the grounds for upholding or reversing the employer's

stop-work order. If the employer disagrees with the written decision, the employer may appeal the

decision to the commissioner, in accordance with the “Administrative Procedure Act,”

P.L.1968, c. 410 ( C.52:14B-1 et seq. ). If the employer does not request an appeal to the commissioner in writing, the stop-work

order shall become a final order after the expiration of the 72-hour period. The authority to assess a civil penalty under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall

be in addition to any misclassification penalty assessed under section 1 of P.L.2019, c. 373 ( C.34:1A-1.18 ) and all other enforcement provisions or assessments issued for the employer's violation

of any State wage, benefit and tax law, including but not limited to a violation of R.S.34:15-79 , or a failure to meet obligations required by R.S.43:21-7 or R.S.43:21-14 , or for a violation of any provision of P.L.1940, c. 153 ( C.34:2-21.1 et seq. ) or P.L.1989, c. 293 ( C.34:15C-1 et al.) The commissioner may compromise any civil penalty assessed under this section

in an amount the commissioner determines to be appropriate. Once the stop-work order becomes final, any employee affected by a stop-work order

issued pursuant to this section shall be entitled to pay from the employer for the

first ten days of work lost because of the stop-work. Upon request of any employee not paid wages, the commissioner can take assignment

of the claim and bring any legal action necessary to collect all that is due. (3) As an alternative to issuing a stop-work order in accordance with paragraph (1)

of this subsection, if the commissioner determines, after an investigation pursuant

to subsection a. of this section, that an employer is in violation of R.S.34:15-79 , the commissioner may provide and transfer all details and materials related to the

investigation under this section to the Director of the Division of Workers' Compensation

for any enforcement of penalties or stop-work orders the director determines are appropriate. d. For purposes of this section: “ Employer ” means any individual, partnership, association, joint stock company, trust, corporation,

the administrator or executor of the estate of a deceased individual, or the receiver,

trustee, or successor of any of the same, employing any person in this State. For the purposes of this subsection the officers of a corporation and any agents

having the management of such corporation shall be deemed to be the employers of the

employees of the corporation. In addition, any members of a partnership or limited liability company and any agents

having the management of such partnership or limited liability company shall be deemed

to be employers of the employees of the partnership or limited liability company. “ Employee ” means any person suffered or permitted to work by an employer, except a person performing

services for remuneration whose services satisfy the factors set forth in subparagraphs

(A),(B), and (C) of R.S.43:21-19(i)(6) . “ Employ ” means to suffer or permit to work. “ State wage, benefit and tax laws ” means “State wage, benefit and tax laws” as defined in section 1 of P.L.2009, c. 194 ( C.34:1A-1.11 ). e. Nothing in this section shall preclude an employer from seeking injunctive relief

from a court of competent jurisdiction if the employer can demonstrate that the stop-work

order would be issued or has been issued in error.