FISCAL NOTE TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1656

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: DECEMBER 20, 1996

      Assembly Bill No. 1656 of 1996 requires each private employer of five or more employees, the State, and each local public employer to evaluate, in cooperation with its employees and any labor organization representing its employees, all factors which put its employees at risk of workplace assault or homicide, and to develop and implement a program to minimize workplace violence. This bill requires that the program be described in a written violence prevention plan, made available to affected employees and any labor organization representing them. The plan shall include a list of factors endangering the employees, a description of the approach that the employer will use to address each factor, and a description of a system designed to monitor violence in the workplace.

      The Department of Labor, Division of Workplace Standards, estimates that the administrative costs of implementing the bill will be approximately $280,635, $294,667, and $309,400, respectively, in the first three years following enactment. This estimate provides for salaries and benefits for five positions, including three occupational safety consultants, one administrative analyst and one senior data entry operator, in addition to non-salary costs for travel, training and materials and supplies. The Office of Management and Budget has suggested that the department seek funding for administration of the bill from the Workforce Development Partnership Fund which, pursuant to the "1992 New Jersey Employment and Workforce Development Act," P.L. 1992, c. 43 (C.34:15D- 1 et seq.) dedicates not less than three percent of revenues (approximately $1.8 million in FY 1997) to occupational safety and health training.

      In addition to these administrative costs, the Department of Labor notes that the development and implementation of workplace violence programs as a result of this bill will create on-going costs for affected employers, including State and local governments, which cannot be estimated.

      The Office of Legislative Services concurs with the Department of Labor's estimate, but notes that the occupational safety and health training funds available under the Workforce Development Partnership Program may not be utilized to offset departmental costs pursuant to statutory restrictions; however, these funds may be utilized to provide customized training grants to employers in relation to the development of workplace violence programs.

      This fiscal note has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67.