Sponsored by:
Assemblyman BRIAN BERGEN
District 25 (Morris and Somerset)
Assemblywoman ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen Thomson, DePhillips, DiMaio and Scharfenberger
SYNOPSIS
Establishes “Bring Veterans to New Jersey Program.”
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing the “Bring Veterans to New Jersey Program” and supplementing N.J.S.38A:3-6.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is established in the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs the “Bring Veterans to New Jersey Program.” The purpose of this program shall be to help New Jersey employers recruit qualified veterans to fill positions in New Jersey by providing relocation assistance to those veterans through eligible employers. The department shall contract with a nonprofit organization in New Jersey to administer the program.
b. The department shall enter into an agreement with participating employers. A participating employer shall agree to provide relocation assistance to an eligible veteran for eligible expenses, which shall be reimbursed to the employer by the department in an amount not to exceed $5,000. The department shall not provide relocation assistance directly to veterans, or provide reimbursements to employers who have not entered into an agreement with the department, or provide reimbursement to employers for veterans who are not eligible.
c. The department shall develop criteria for the provision of relocation assistance. To qualify for relocation assistance, a veteran shall agree to relocate from another state to New Jersey to accept employment with a participating employer and maintain that employment for no less than 12 months.
d. A veteran who is employed with the participating employer for less than 12 months shall reimburse the employer for the relocation assistance, and the employer shall reimburse the department. However, if the veteran’s termination is not at fault of the employee, including because of a family emergency, layoff, or other situations of hardship, the department shall create a mechanism and criteria to provide for partial or total forgiveness of the reimbursement of relocation assistance.
e. In order to be eligible for receiving relocation assistance, a veteran shall:
(1) create a profile with the nonprofit contracted to administer the program. A participating employer shall select and contact candidates regarding available positions using the profiles; and
(2) after accepting a position, document the eligible expenses necessary for reimbursement. Upon receipt of the documentation, the participating employer shall reimburse the veteran for relocation expenses that are eligible in accordance with its relocation policy or procedure in an amount not to exceed $5,000 per household.
f. The Adjutant General shall adopt, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.
2. This act shall take effect 180 days after enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the “Bring Veterans to New Jersey Program” in the Department of Military and Veterans’ Affairs. This program shall help New Jersey employers recruit qualified veterans to fill positions in New Jersey by providing relocation assistance to those qualified military veterans through eligible employers. The department shall contract with a nonprofit organization in New Jersey to administer the program.
The department shall enter into an agreement with participating employers, who agree to provide relocation assistance to eligible veterans for eligible expenses. The department shall reimburse these expenses to participating employers in an amount not to exceed $5,000. The department shall develop criteria for the granting of relocation assistance.
The process for receiving relocation assistance shall be as follows:
(1) A veteran must create a profile with the nonprofit contracted to administer the program. A participating employer shall use these profiles to select and contact candidates regarding available positions.
(2) After accepting a position, document the eligible expenses necessary for reimbursement. Upon receipt of the documentation, the participating employer shall reimburse the veteran for relocation expenses that are eligible in accordance with its relocation policy or procedure in an amount not to exceed $5,000 per household.
The Adjutant General may adopt rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the program.