New Jersey 2024-2025 Regular Session

New Jersey Assembly Bill A2700

Introduced
1/9/24  

Caption

Requires institutions of higher education to review employment history of prospective employees who will have regular contact with students to ascertain allegations of child abuse or sexual misconduct.

Impact

If enacted, A2700 would significantly impact how higher education institutions interact with job applicants and manage hiring practices. By enforcing a stringent background check on prospective employees, the bill aims to extend protections already in place in K-12 public schools to college and graduate students. This may improve overall student safety and trust in educational environments. However, it simultaneously raises concerns about the implications of thorough background checks and may have a chilling effect on the recruitment of capable applicants, especially if they come from previous environments where unfounded allegations were made against them.

Summary

A2700 is a legislative bill proposed in New Jersey that aims to enhance the safeguarding of students by requiring institutions of higher education to review the employment history of prospective employees who will have regular contact with students. This legislation seeks to identify any allegations of child abuse or sexual misconduct in a potential employee's past. The bill stipulates that each applicant must provide a detailed list of their previous employers over the last 20 years, particularly those in educational settings or those involving direct contact with children, alongside explicit authorizations for disclosure. This aims to ensure a thorough vetting process essential for protecting students from potential predators within educational institutions.

Contention

One notable point of contention regarding A2700 revolves around the balance between ensuring student safety and maintaining fair employment practices. Critics may argue that such extensive background checks could lead to discrimination against individuals who have faced allegations that were never substantiated. There are also discussions about the legal liability of institutions for any failure to act on disclosed information, as well as potential penalties for applicants who provide misleading or incomplete information regarding their past employment. This bill thus has the potential to generate both necessary safeguards in education and debates on the implications for personal privacy and fair hiring processes.

Companion Bills

NJ S2635

Same As Requires institutions of higher education to review employment history of prospective employees who will have regular contact with students to ascertain allegations of child abuse or sexual misconduct.

NJ A5838

Carry Over Requires institutions of higher education to review employment history of prospective employees who will have regular contact with students to ascertain allegations of child abuse or sexual misconduct.

NJ S4235

Carry Over Requires institutions of higher education to review employment history of prospective employees who will have regular contact with students to ascertain allegations of child abuse or sexual misconduct.

Previously Filed As

NJ A5838

Requires institutions of higher education to review employment history of prospective employees who will have regular contact with students to ascertain allegations of child abuse or sexual misconduct.

NJ S4235

Requires institutions of higher education to review employment history of prospective employees who will have regular contact with students to ascertain allegations of child abuse or sexual misconduct.

NJ S2635

Requires institutions of higher education to review employment history of prospective employees who will have regular contact with students to ascertain allegations of child abuse or sexual misconduct.

NJ A4553

"Safer Students Act"; requires school districts, charter schools, nonpublic schools, contracted service providers, and institutions of higher education to review employment history of prospective employee for allegations of child abuse or sexual misconduct.

NJ S3485

"Safer Students Act"; requires school districts, charter schools, nonpublic schools, contracted service providers, and institutions of higher education to review employment history of prospective employee for allegations of child abuse or sexual misconduct.

NJ S3054

Revises law requiring school districts, charter schools, nonpublic schools, and contracted service providers to review employment history of prospective employee for allegations of child abuse or sexual misconduct.

NJ A4126

Revises law requiring school districts, charter schools, nonpublic schools, and contracted service providers to review employment history of prospective employee for allegations of child abuse or sexual misconduct.

NJ A127

Requires State employer to ascertain child abuse or sexual misconduct in employment applications for certain positions involving children; requires background checks for current and prospective employees.

NJ A4480

Requires State employer to ascertain child abuse or sexual misconduct in employment applications for certain positions involving children; requires background checks for current and prospective employees.

NJ S628

Requires State employer to ascertain child abuse or sexual misconduct in employment applications for certain positions involving children; requires background checks for current and prospective employees.

Similar Bills

NJ A5838

Requires institutions of higher education to review employment history of prospective employees who will have regular contact with students to ascertain allegations of child abuse or sexual misconduct.

NJ S4235

Requires institutions of higher education to review employment history of prospective employees who will have regular contact with students to ascertain allegations of child abuse or sexual misconduct.

NJ S2635

Requires institutions of higher education to review employment history of prospective employees who will have regular contact with students to ascertain allegations of child abuse or sexual misconduct.

NJ S3485

"Safer Students Act"; requires school districts, charter schools, nonpublic schools, contracted service providers, and institutions of higher education to review employment history of prospective employee for allegations of child abuse or sexual misconduct.

NJ A4553

"Safer Students Act"; requires school districts, charter schools, nonpublic schools, contracted service providers, and institutions of higher education to review employment history of prospective employee for allegations of child abuse or sexual misconduct.

MA H1832

Relative to preventing the sexual abuse of children and youth

NJ S2688

Requires State employer to ascertain child abuse or sexual misconduct in employment applications for certain positions involving children; requires background checks for current and prospective employees.

NJ A4480

Requires State employer to ascertain child abuse or sexual misconduct in employment applications for certain positions involving children; requires background checks for current and prospective employees.