The proposed bill establishes an Occupational Heat Stress Standard and an Occupational Heat-Related Illness and Injury Prevention Program within the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD). It mandates the commissioner to create a heat stress standard by June 1, 2024, requiring employers to implement a heat-related illness and injury prevention plan. This plan must include measures such as monitoring employee exposure to heat, providing potable water, ensuring access to shade and rest breaks, and implementing emergency response procedures for heat-related illnesses. The bill emphasizes employee participation in developing these plans and mandates training for both employees and supervisors on recognizing and responding to heat-related risks.

Furthermore, the bill prohibits retaliation against employees who report heat-related concerns and establishes a rebuttable presumption of retaliation for adverse actions taken within 90 days of such reports. The commissioner is granted authority to investigate compliance, issue penalties for violations, and enforce stop-work orders against non-compliant employers, with penalties of $5,000 per day for non-compliance. Employers can appeal these orders within 72 hours, and a hearing will be held within seven business days. The bill also ensures that employees affected by a stop-work order receive pay for the first ten days of lost work and establishes a six-year statute of limitations for actions arising under this act. The provisions are set to take effect immediately, with specific rules regarding the heat stress standard to be issued by June 1, 2024.