The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) launched the Employer Response Portal, where employers must submit separation information under New Jersey’s Unemployment Compensation Law.
The portal requires employers to proactively report layoffs, discharges, resignations, and retirements within seven (7) days of separation, rather than waiting for the former employee(s) to file for unemployment benefits. Employers also have seven (7) calendar days after the NJDOL makes an initial unemployment benefit determination to file an appeal.
Employers must report the employee’s separation date, last day worked, reason for separation, wages, work schedule, employer and supervisor contact information, and other relevant supporting documentation. Employers generally have seven (7) days to respond to an NJDOL notification that required separation information is missing, though in some instances the deadline is shorter. Employers must also provide separated employees with Form BC-10, Instructions for Claiming Unemployment Benefits, though the BC-10 does not need to be submitted through the portal.
If an employer fails to provide required information timely, the NJDOL will decide the claim based on available information, and the employer may lose the ability to challenge certain benefit charges. Willful failure or refusal to furnish required information may also result in monetary penalties.
Going forward, New Jersey employers should be sure to incorporate the Employer Response Portal reporting and monitoring into their separation processes.