Assembly committee substitutes and releases A3025 to clarify unemployment protections for temporary election workers

Assembly members on a New Jersey Assembly committee substituted and released A3025 on a unanimous voice vote after brief discussion. The bill, as substituted, would explicitly exempt poll worker and other temporary election worker wages from affecting eligibility for unemployment compensation.

The measure was introduced for consideration and a written statement from Assemblyman Kevin Calabrese was read into the record; Calabrese said the bill “modernizes our current laws to reflect the realities of how elections are conducted today by ensuring that temporary workers assisting with elections before and after an election day receive the same unemployment protections.”

Why it matters: Committee members and supporters said the change would remove legal uncertainty for workers involved in early voting, ballot processing and other tasks that now extend beyond a single election day. Supporters argued that clearer protections would help maintain a stable workforce and avoid delays in ballot processing.

Committee action and votes: The committee substituted and released A3025. Roll-call at the release showed affirmative responses from Assemblywoman Swift, Assemblyman Simonson, Chair Swayne and Chairman Karabenchak; the clerk announced the bill “is substituted and released.” No amendments were offered on the floor during the hearing.

Public input and advocacy: A written slip in favor from Jesse Burns of the League of Women Voters of New Jersey was entered into the record; the witness list included no members who requested to testify in person on this bill.

Next steps: The chair noted an amendment process was ongoing on a separate agenda item (53-43) and that the committee’s calendar may send other work to a probes hearing later in the day. A3025 was released for further consideration by the Legislature.

Ending: The committee moved on to subsequent bills after the release of A3025.