HR and future of work · Industry brief

New Jersey's Department of Labor has activated its Employer Response Portal, implementing amendments to the state's Unemployment Compensation law effective July 31, 2023. Employers must now electronically report every employee separation within seven days—including terminations, resignations, retirements, and layoffs—to enable faster unemployment benefit determinations. Failure to meet the seven-day deadline results in significant consequences: the Division issues determinations based on available information without correcting subsequent benefit overpayments caused by late submission, employers have only seven days to appeal after receiving the determination, and willful non-reporting may trigger monetary penalties. The portal requires employers to provide company name, employee name and Social Security number, last day of work, separation date, reason for separation, work schedule, and wage information. HR departments should register Employer Access accounts in advance, incorporate the response window into offboarding procedures, monitor the portal for Division requests, and assign clear internal ownership to prevent reporting gaps during personnel transitions.

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Regulators across the financial services sector are increasingly focusing on non-financial misconduct including bullying, harassment, and discrimination, with heightened expectations around workplace culture, accountability, and fitness standards. Organizations must update their policies, investigation protocols, governance frameworks, and reporting processes to manage these regulatory risks and respond to inquiries (Norton Rose Fulbright).