Protection for Essential Workers Awaits Governor Murphy’s Signature
As the Covid 19 Coronavirus spread in New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy deemed in Executive Orders certain individuals as essential workers. Those essential workers went beyond public safety workers and included individuals who worked in grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, gas stations, delivery personnel, and financial institutions including banks. As previously pointed out in an article on NJAccident.com, the definition of public safety workers did not include grocery store workers, pharmacy workers, restaurant workers, gas station workers, delivery personnel, and financial institutions or bank workers. These workers although deemed “essential workers” were not contained within the definition of “Public safety workers”. The Legislature after several months of negotiations and opposition from insurance carriers recently passed an amendment extending protections currently provided to Public Safety Workers to essential workers. The Governor has not signed the law as of August 8, 2020.