NJ's Temp Workers Would Get New Protections Under Proposed Bill

Temp workers are a crucial part of the supply chain. Warehouses contract with agencies, which then hire temporary workers to staff the production line. But these workers aren't always offered proper training, or protections. Many of them are undocumented. Sometimes they don't know who their employer is, which means they don't know who to hold accountable.

Now, State Senator Joe Cryan has introduced a bill to give temp workers basic protections, like ensuring they receive a minimum wage.

"Quite frankly their work environment is not acceptable to the majority of New Jerseyans," he told WNYC.

Temp workers make up about a quarter of the state's warehouse labor force. But they're often crammed into vans that take them to different work sites and are then charged for the ride. The bill would ban this practice and require they be given advance notice of where they'll be working.

Cryan said he expects debate on the bill to start during the next legislative session, which begins in January.