34:19-10 Required participation by employee in meetings, communications prohibited; exception.

441 words·~2 min read·/nj/title-34/chapter-19/34-19-10

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

2. a. No employer or employer's agent, representative, or designee may, except as provided in subsection b. of this section or section 3 of P.L.2006, c.53 (C.34:19-11), require its employees to attend an employer-sponsored meeting or participate in any communications with the employer or its agents or representatives, the purpose of which is to communicate the employer's opinion about religious or political matters.

b. Nothing in P.L.2006, c.53 (C.34:19-9 et seq.):

(1)prohibits an employer from permitting its employees to voluntarily attend employer-sponsored meetings or providing other communications to the employees, if the employer notifies the employees that they may refuse to attend the meetings or accept the communications without penalty;

(2)prohibits communications of information that the employer is required by law to communicate;

(3)limits the rights of an employer or its agent, representative, or designee from communicating to its employees any information that is necessary for the employees to perform their required job duties, including by requiring employees to attend a meeting or participate in communications;

(4)prohibits an employer or its agent or representative, or designee from requiring its employees to attend any training to reduce or prevent unlawful workplace harassment or discrimination;

(5)prohibits an institution of higher education, or any agent, representative, or designee of the institution, from conducting mandatory meetings or participating in any communications with its employees concerning any coursework, symposia, research, publication, or an academic program at the institution;

(6)prohibits, where lawful, a candidate, candidate committee, joint candidates committee, political committee, continuing political committee, independent expenditure committee, political party committee or legislative leadership committee, lobbyist as defined in section 3 of P.L.1971, c.183 (C.52:13C-20), or a not-for-profit organization that is exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), 501(c)(5), or 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) to 501(c)(6)), from requiring its staff or employees to attend an employer-sponsored meeting or participate in any communication with the employer or the employer's agent, representative, or designee for the purpose of communicating electioneering matters;

(7)prohibits the State and any political subdivision or other instrumentality of the State from requiring their employees to attend an employer-sponsored meeting or participate in any communication with the employer or the employer's agent, representative, or designee for the purpose of communicating the employer's proposals to change legislation, proposals to change regulations, or proposals to change public policy; or

(8)prohibits a religious organization from requiring its employees to attend an employer-sponsored meeting or participate in any communication with the employer or the employer's agent, representative, or designee for the purpose of communicating the employer's religious beliefs, practices, or tenets.

L.2006, c.53, s.2; amended 2025, c.138, s.3.