New Jersey
Make employment in New Jersey easy. Let us handle payroll, benefits, taxes, compliance, and even stock options for your team in New Jersey, all in one easy-to-use platform.
- Capital City
Trenton
- Currency
United States Dollar ($, USD)
- Population size
93,000,000
Facts & Stats
- Capital City
Trenton
- Currency
United States Dollar ($, USD)
- Population size
93,000,000
- VAT - standard rate
7%
Home to some of the US’s most iconic locales — such as Princeton and Atlantic City — New Jersey is the ultimate work-hard, play-hard state.
It boasts a diverse economic landscape (particularly in the pharmaceutical and finance sectors) and access to world-class educational institutions, while its proximity to New York City makes it an attractive destination for many skilled workers.
Grow your team in New Jersey with Remote
If you want to hire in New Jersey, you’ll need to own a legal entity there — or partner with a global employment solutions provider, like Remote.
We can employ top talent in New Jersey on your behalf and manage complex HR tasks such as onboarding, payroll, benefits, and taxes. You can also manage and pay your contractors in New Jersey through Remote.
Risks of misclassification
New Jersey, like many other countries, treats self-employed individuals or contractors and full-time employees differently. Misclassification of contractors in New Jersey may lead to fines and penalties for the offending company.
Employing in New Jersey
In New Jersey, workers’ rights are protected by numerous employment and labour laws, at both the state and federal level. As a result, employees enjoy protection from discrimination based on age, religion, sexual orientation, gender, and race.
Here are the key things you need to know about hiring in New Jersey.
Hours of work in New Jersey
Work and overtime laws in New Jersey are governed by the state’s Department of Labour and Workforce Development.
What is considered full-time employment in New Jersey?
Full-time employment is generally considered to be between 30 and 40 hours per week, although this is not defined by law. In some industries, 25 hours is considered a full-time week.
Do pay employees get overtime in New Jersey?
Under the federal Fair Labour Standards Act, non-exempt employees are entitled to overtime pay of 1.5x their regular pay rate if they work more than 40 hours in a week.
Employees are generally (but not always) exempt from overtime if they:
Earn more than the specified state or federal exemption threshold
Perform a role with duties that are considered executive or managerial
Work in a certified or licensed profession, such as law, accounting, architecture, or engineering
In New Jersey, the pay threshold for exemption is currently $684 per week, which is the federal minimum.
Note that the federal pay threshold for exemption is currently being reviewed in the US.
Minimum wage in New Jersey
The minimum wage for private sector employees in New Jersey is $15.13 per hour, or $13.93 for companies with fewer than six employees.
Onboarding timeline in New Jersey
We can help you get your new employee started in New Jersey fast, with a minimum onboarding time (MOT) of just 2 working days. Note that the MOT is dependent upon registration with the local authorities, and begins after the employee has submitted all the required information on the Remote platform.
For non-citizens of the US, a work eligibility assessment may be required, and can add three extra days to the onboarding time. If a follow-up is needed, there may be additional delays.
Please note that payroll cut-off dates can impact the actual first day of employment. Remote’s payroll cut-off date is the 10th of the month, unless otherwise specified.
Payroll cycle in New Jersey
Under state law, employees must be paid at least twice per month, although some executive and supervisory roles can be paid monthly.
For Remote customers, employee payments are made twice per month in equal instalments, payable in arrears. The first payment is made on the 15th of the month and the second payment is made on the final day of the month. If relevant, bonus payments, commissions, and expense reimbursements are included in the second payment of the cycle.
Competitive benefits package in New Jersey
Remote can help you craft a competitive benefits package to attract and retain the best global talent. Our benefits experts understand the trends, requirements, and expectations of the New Jersey labour market, allowing your employees to feel appreciated and thrive.
Our benefits packages in New Jersey usually include some or all of the following:
Pension or 401(K)
Medical insurance
Vision insurance
Health Saving Plan (HSA)
Long term disability insurance (LTD)
Dental insurance
Life insurance
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Under the federal Affordable Care Act, organisations with a headcount of 50 or more must offer statutory health insurance to their full-time employees.
Many employers also offer some level of supplemental health insurance. While this can lead to a relative rise in employment costs, it’s an essential benefit that ensures your people have access to routine care and are covered in the event of an emergency.
Because Remote is the employer of record (EOR), it’s important for us to offer the same core benefits to all employees to ensure fair and non-discriminatory hiring practices. This protects both your business and ours.
Note that we do not add a markup on any benefits premiums or administration costs.
Are employers required to offer 401k in New Jersey?
The state is currently in the process of mandating qualified savings plans for private sector employees.
Under this legislation, you will need to enrol your employees into the New Jersey Secure Choice Savings Program (or another recognised retirement plan).
Note that this will only apply to your business if it:
Has at least 25 employees
Has been a registered business for at least two years
The pilot program is due to start in 2024, with a phased rollout later in the year.
Taxes in New Jersey
Employment taxes and statutory fees affect both your payroll and your employees’ paychecks in New Jersey.
Note that your employees may be liable for additional local taxes in certain areas.
Employer taxes
Employment Tax | |
|---|---|
6% | Federal unemployment insurance tax (FUTA) (charged on the first $7,000 an employee earns per year) |
0.6% to 6.4% | State unemployment insurance tax (SUTA) |
6.2% | FICA (Social security) |
1.45% | FICA (Medicare) |
Employee taxes
Payroll Tax | |
|---|---|
10% to 37% | Federal income tax |
1.4% to 10.75% | State income tax |
6.2% | FICA (Social security) |
1.45% | FICA (Medicare) |
Types of leave
Holiday | In New Jersey, there is no state or federal law that requires employers to provide paid or unpaid holiday leave to their employees, although many organisations do. |
Sick leave | Under state law, employees are entitled to one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Can an employer deny sick time in New Jersey? Under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), eligible employees are entitled to up to 12 weeks of unpaid sick leave per year, provided they: Have worked for the same employer for at least 12 months Work in a location where at least 50 people are employed by the company within a 75-mile radius |
Parental and maternity leave | Under state law, employees are entitled to up to 12 weeks’ unpaid leave, provided their employer has at least 30 employees. Some employees may be eligible to receive partial wages during this period. Employees are also entitled to up to 12 weeks of unpaid maternity or paternity leave under the FMLA. |
Bereavement leave | Employers are not legally required to provide bereavement leave to their employees, although most organisations offer unpaid leave. |
Jury duty | Employees must report for jury duty if summoned (unless exempt). Jurors are typically on call for two weeks. Do employers have to pay for jury duty in New Jersey? No. Private sector employers are not required to pay employees on jury service, but they must provide unpaid leave, and cannot penalise or terminate an employee on jury duty. Some employers provide paid leave. |
Military leave | Under state and federal law, employers must grant unpaid leave to employees who are members of the military or the National Guard for military duty or training. These employees have the right to take time off for their military obligations, and employers are prohibited from discriminating against them based on their military service. |
Employment termination
Termination process
Like nearly all US states, New Jersey is an at-will state. This means both employers and employees can end the employment relationship without reason, provided it is legal.
Remote’s legal experts can help you navigate terminations to ensure employees are only let go fairly, negating any potential legal complications.
Notice period
Employers and employees are not required to provide notice of termination, unless otherwise stated in the employment contract.
Despite this, it's usually customary for employees to provide two weeks' notice when leaving an organisation.
Severance pay
Employers are not legally required to provide severance pay (unless it is stipulated in the employee's contract or in the company policy).
Employers are also not required to pay any accrued but unused holiday time or sick leave, unless stipulated in the employment agreement.
Probation periods
There is no requirement to provide a probation period for employees, although many companies implement internal probation policies. These policies typically involve a formal performance evaluation after a specified period, such as three or six months.