This bill amends New Jersey's workers' compensation and temporary disability benefits laws to exclude certain illegal aliens from receiving these benefits. Specifically, it states that employees who are aliens are not eligible for benefits unless they were lawfully admitted for permanent residence, were lawfully present for the purpose of performing the employment, or were otherwise permanently residing in the United States under color of law at the time the employment was performed. This change is intended to clarify the eligibility criteria for workers' compensation coverage in light of a previous court ruling.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that illegal aliens will not be eligible for benefits under the "Temporary Disability Benefits Law" if they are also ineligible for benefits under the unemployment compensation law. This provision aims to ensure that individuals who do not meet the legal requirements for employment and benefits are not able to claim these protections. The bill is a direct response to the court case Mateo Coria v. Board of Review and National Fence Systems, which previously allowed illegal aliens to receive temporary disability benefits despite their immigration status.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 43:21-39