Status: Enacted — Signed by Governor Phil Murphy on January 21, 2020. In active enforcement. NJDOL launched a renewed enforcement push in February 2024 and continues that work through 2026.
Citation: P.L. 2019, c. 422 — codified at N.J.S.A. 34:11-69 et seq.
Jurisdiction: New Jersey
Category: Hospitality Safety, Panic Button Mandate, Hotel Worker Protection
Industries: Hospitality (Hotels, Motels, Inns)
Enacted Date: January 21, 2020
Effective Date: Effective on enactment with phased compliance through 2020. Now in active enforcement.
Summary: P.L. 2019, c. 422 made New Jersey the first state in the country to require hotels to issue panic devices to housekeeping and room-attending workers. The statute applies to hotels, motels, and inns with at least 100 guest rooms. Covered employers must provide the device, batteries, and replacements at no cost to the employee; train workers on activation and rights; respond promptly when a device is triggered; and maintain a five-year record of allegations including the name of any accused guest. The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) intensified compliance enforcement in 2024 and has continued aggressive enforcement through 2026.
Key Requirements:
- Device provision: Hotels with 100+ rooms must provide a panic device to every housekeeper and room-entering employee at no cost.
- Employer-funded supplies: Hotels must supply batteries and any other operating supplies. Employees cannot be charged.
- Activation use: Employees may activate the device whenever they reasonably believe an ongoing crime, assault, harassment, or other emergency is occurring in their presence.
- Response protocol: Upon activation, a security officer, supervisor, or designated staff member must promptly respond to the device’s location.
- Anti-retaliation: Hotels cannot discipline, reduce hours, or terminate an employee for activating a device or reporting a covered incident.
- Recordkeeping: Hotels must keep records of activations and allegations for five years from the incident date, including the name of any accused guest, and report suspected criminal activity to law enforcement.
- Education program: Employers must run an active program educating staff on device use, rights under the statute, and how to seek assistance.
Enforcement & Penalties: Enforced by NJDOL. First violation up to $5,000; each subsequent violation up to $10,000. NJDOL has emphasized that complaints can come from employees, unions, advocacy groups, or members of the public, and that investigations may be triggered without advance notice.
Affected Entities: All New Jersey hotels, motels, and inns with 100 or more guest rooms regardless of brand affiliation or ownership structure. Independent properties, flagged properties, and limited-service brands at or above the room threshold are all in scope.
IntelliSee Relevance: High. Panic devices solve the alert problem after an incident is already in progress. IntelliSee’s AI monitoring solves the detection problem before activation is needed. AI gun detection catches visible firearms in lobbies, parking decks, back-of-house corridors, and outdoor approaches in real time. Slip and fall detection protects housekeepers on overnight shifts and in isolated areas. The platform’s 24/7 monitoring produces the documented response trail NJDOL inspectors expect to find when reviewing a hotel’s overall safety posture during a panic-device investigation.