New Employer Responsibilities for New Jersey Unemployment Notice

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New employer responsibilities for new jersey unemployment notice

You know what they say: Change is the only constant in life.  Effective July 31, 2023, New Jersey employers will need to embrace a change to their off-boarding processes in the form of new reporting mandates for all employees who separate from their organization.  

Form BC-10 Reporting Mandates: Immediate and Simultaneous Submission

NJ employers have long been directed to provide separating employees with the Form BC-10, which provides instructions for claiming unemployment benefits.  Effective July 31, 2023, employers will now “immediately and simultaneously” submit the Form BC-10 they provide to employees to the Division of Unemployment Insurance (the Division). Along with the Form BC-10, employers will also submit details of the separation to the Division, which will be used to make a benefit determination in the event an unemployment claim is filed.  These reports will be required for employees who separate for any reason, including resignation.

Creating an Employer Access Account: A Step Towards Compliance

Employer talking to an hr expert about new compliance

The Division has yet to publish instructions on the submission process; however, as a first step towards compliance, they require all employers to create an Employer Access account on their website.  Employers will register an email address for communications with the Division, which will be used to share new electronic reporting instructions once available.

Updated Notification and Appeal Timelines

In addition to changes in reporting requirements, there are updates to notification and appeal timelines that impact NJ employers:

  • The Division must now notify the employer of missing information within seven (7) days of the filed claim or the employer’s submission of the newly required reports (whichever is first).
  • NJ employers must respond to the Division’s request for information within seven (7) days (previously ten days).
  • Initial benefits determinations will be made within three (3) weeks (previously two (2) weeks).
  • NJ employers must appeal initial benefits determinations or subsequent appeals within seven (7) days of confirmed receipt.
  • NJ employers must comply with the timelines to have the ability to contest benefit determinations retroactively.  They will only be able to challenge determinations for weeks that occur after all required information is provided to the Division.

Penalties for Noncompliance

With the increase in reporting requirements also comes an increase in penalties for noncompliance. NJ employers who willfully refuse to furnish the required reports, knowingly make false statements, or withhold information that could impact benefits determinations will be subject to increased penalties: $500, or 25% of the amount fraudulently withheld, whichever is greater.  Each day of noncompliance constitutes a separate offense.  Additionally, any benefit overpayments will not be corrected if the error is made because the employer failed to provide the required employee separation information.

Penalty for non compliance

Ensuring Compliance with New Regulations for NJ Employers 

To ensure compliance with these new regulations, NJ employers will need to take the following next steps:

  • Create an account with Employer Access to register an email address that will be used to receive communications from the Division.
  • Review and amend off-boarding processes to include the upcoming reporting requirements.

Conclusion

Staying informed and remaining compliant with these new directives will safeguard your business against increased penalties and other potentially significant consequences.  If you have questions about these new regulations, contact EnformHR for further discussion and guidance. 


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Cristina Amyot

Cristina Amyot serves as the President and CEO of EnformHR, an HR consulting firm founded in 2008. Cristina brings over 25 years of expertise to the field of Human Resources and has served as a dedicated player in the HR space. After completing her Bachelor’s Degree, Cristina began her career in Human Resources at a consumer market research start-up, building their HR infrastructure from the bottom up. She then went to Paychex, providing HR support to budding small to mid-sized businesses. During this time, she completed her SHRM Senior Certified Professional certification from the Society of Human Resource Management and pursued a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management from Rutgers. As her graduation neared, she decided to open EnformHR to serve the underutilized space of growing businesses who do not have in-house HR.

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