Government and Regulatory Affairs Archives - Page 2 of 2

Cannabis in New Jersey – Still Half-baked Two Years Later

By Scott Miccio Two years ago, voters went to the polls in New Jersey and overwhelmingly supported the legalization of recreational cannabis sales and use. Over two-thirds of those who voted, supported the measure. Two-thirds! These days, two out of three people can’t agree on much, like whether a hot dog is a sandwich (it is, by the way), but on this, New Jerseyans were in lockstep. Since then, much has happened, but the industry has yet to hit its…

My Employer owes me money. What can I do? An article discussing wage theft in 2022.

By Christopher Keating State and federal laws require that workers be paid on time and in full, and there are several avenues that employees can pursue to recover money they are owed. This includes late or “light” paychecks, unpaid commissions, or unpaid or underpaid overtime wages, which may be due to willful or negligent acts of the employer or due to employees being misclassified as independent contractors. Common violations I see in practice include: Employer incorrectly tells employees they do…

Check Your Vendor Contracts – Are You a Joint Employer?

On September 6, 2022, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) proposed a rule on joint-employment that entities would be joint employers if they “share or co-determine” essential job terms, i.e., wages, benefits, and other compensation, even if one party wields only “reserved” or “indirect” control. This proposed rule would replace the April 27, 2020 rule, which required proof of “direct and immediate” control over workers for an entity to be considered an employer. The NLRB’s proposed rule reportedly has the…

Daniel’s Law – Be Prepared

In response to the tragic shooting of Judge Esther Salas’ son, Daniel, New Jersey adopted Daniel’s Law in order to protect the personal information of qualifying public servants. Daniel’s Law permits judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement members to request that certain personal information, like property addresses, not be shared with the public. The most recent amendment to Daniel’s Law created the Office of Information Privacy (OIP) to carry out the mandates of Daniel’s Law. Under the leadership of Director Christine Campbell, the…

New Developments in PFAS Regulation

Responsibilities of local governments for drinking water supplies and wastewater treatment Drinking Water The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) formally adopted drinking water standards that establish limits for the presence of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perflourooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), the so-called ‘forever chemicals,’ in public water supplies. As a result, drinking water now has a tougher regulatory limit of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) requiring municipalities to implement more effective water treatment practices. The requirement for monitoring public water…

NAVIGATING THE NEW NEW – A Primer for Municipal Administrators and CFOs

Author: Thomas J. Hastie, Esq., Public Finance Chair, Malamut & Associates, LLC After years of attractive interest rates, the great interest rate reckoning may have finally arrived. Or not. The truth is we really do not know. Since the end of 2021, many financial and economic experts have documented a rise in the municipal market data index, with a resulting rise in actual interest rates for municipal bonds and short-term notes. And while the expectation is that rates will continue…