New Jersey-2024-A2263-Introduced

An Act establishing the Office for Women's Advancement, supplementing Title 34 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. There is established the Office for Women's Advancement in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The purpose of this office shall be to facilitate the full and equal participation of women in the workplace in the State of New Jersey. Through research, collaboration, and programming, the office shall foster and promote the advancement of gender equity in employment practices, career development, and the workplace, thereby enhancing the quality of life for women and girls throughout the State.

2. The Office for Women's Advancement shall perform the following functions:

a. gather, analyze, and disseminate data on the status of women in areas pertaining to the workplace, including, but not limited to: access to educational, training and employment opportunities; employer hiring practices; workplace culture; work-family balance; the gender pay gap; and the gender composition of the workforce by industry;

b. collaborate with State agencies and affiliated groups, including, but not limited to, the New Jersey Advisory Commission on the Status of Women, established pursuant to P.L.1974, c.87 (C.52:27D-43.8 et seq.), and the Council on Gender Parity in Labor and Education, established pursuant to P.L.1999, c.223 (C.34:15C-21 et seq.), to address issues that disproportionately affect women in the workplace;

c. review current and proposed legislation and regulations pertaining to gender equity in employment practices, career development, and the workplace, and make recommendations regarding possible legislation and regulations; and

d. educate and provide information to the public on the issues and current developments regarding women in the workplace by publishing reports and holding events such as conferences and symposia.

3. The Office for Women's Advancement shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, department, board, bureau, commission or agency it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes.

4. There shall be established a dedicated and revolving fund called the "Women's Advancement Fund" in the Department of the Treasury, and any funds appropriated to or otherwise received by the Office for Women's Advancement shall be deposited into that fund. The fund shall be used only for expenses of the Office for Women's Advancement. The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall report to the Office for Women's Advancement all transactions involving the fund. There shall be annually appropriated to the fund an amount necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.

5. The Office for Women's Advancement shall be authorized to accept federal funds for any of its purposes, provided the acceptance of those funds commits no State funds and places no additional obligations on the Legislature of this State. The Office for Women's Advancement may apply for and accept foundation grants for specific purposes, and may accept gifts, donations and benefits from individuals and philanthropic organizations.

6. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill establishes the Office for Women's Advancement in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The purpose of this office is to facilitate the full and equal participation of women in the workplace in the State of New Jersey. Through research, collaboration, and programming, the office's goal is to foster and promote the advancement of gender equity in employment practices, career development, and the workplace, thereby enhancing the quality of life for women and girls throughout the State.

The office will perform the following functions:

1. gather, analyze, and disseminate data on the status of women in areas pertaining to the workplace, including, but not limited to: access to educational, training and employment opportunities; employer hiring practices; workplace culture; work-family balance; the gender pay gap; and the gender composition of the workforce by industry;

2. collaborate with State agencies and affiliated groups, including, but not limited to, the New Jersey Advisory Commission on the Status of Women and the Council on Gender Parity in Labor and Education to address issues that disproportionately affect women in the workplace;

3. review current and proposed legislation and regulations pertaining to gender equity in employment practices, career development, and the workplace, and make recommendations regarding possible legislation and regulations; and

4. educate and provide information to the public on the issues and current developments regarding women in the workplace by publishing reports and holding events such as conferences and symposia.

This bill also establishes the "Women's Advancement Fund" in the Department of the Treasury to receive all funding for the Office for Women's Advancement from the State and other sources. The bill authorizes the office to apply for and collect funds from the federal government and other sources in certain cases, and directs that an annual appropriation be made to the fund in an amount necessary to effectuate the purposes of the bill.