New Jersey § 40a:14-214

§ 40a:14-214.

a. As used in this act, “ volunteer emergency responder ” means an active member in good standing of a volunteer fire company, a volunteer

member of a duly incorporated first aid, rescue or ambulance squad, or a member of

any county or municipal volunteer Office of Emergency Management, provided the member's

official duties include responding to a fire or emergency call. b. No employer shall terminate, dismiss or suspend an employee who fails to report

for work at his place of employment because he is serving as a volunteer emergency

responder during a state of emergency declared by the President of the United States

or the Governor of this State or is actively engaged in responding to an emergency

alarm; provided the volunteer emergency responder provides his employer with (1)

notice, at least one hour before he is scheduled to report to his place of employment,

that he is rendering emergency services in response to a declared state of emergency

or emergency alarm; and (2) upon returning to his place of employment, a copy of

the incident report and a certification by the incident commander, or other official

or officer in charge, affirming that the volunteer emergency responder was actively

engaged in, and necessary for, rendering emergency services and setting forth the

date and time the volunteer emergency responder was relieved from emergency duty by

that officer or official, as the case may be. If the volunteer emergency responder is actively engaged in rendering emergency

services for more than one consecutive work day, the incident commander, or other

official or officer in charge, shall direct that appropriate notice be given the volunteer

emergency responder's employer each day the volunteer is required to be absent from

his employment. c. No employer shall be required to pay any employee for any work time that the employee

misses while serving as a volunteer emergency responder pursuant to this subsection;

provided, however, a volunteer emergency responder may charge his absence as a vacation

day or a sick day, if the volunteer has such days available. d. The provisions of this act 1 shall not apply to any employee who, by statute or contract, is deemed an essential

employee. 1

L.2009, c. 202 (N.J.S.A. §§ 40A:14-213, 40A:14-214).