In response to Governor Murphy’s recent announcement on the signing of Executive Order 192, Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle issued the following statement:

Executive Order 192 is a critical step forward in protecting New Jersey’s frontline workforce.

Governor Murphy’s Worker Protection Executive Order will mandate key protections for workers and require employers to implement proper safety protocols, such as social distancing, PPE usage and a notification system to alert workers of potential exposure to COVID-19.

Thank you, Governor Murphy, for taking action to protect our vulnerable workers. This Executive Order is an important piece of this puzzle and the passage of the Right to Refuse bill, A4268 is the logical next step forward in guaranteeing protections for workers who are unable to work from home.

Under this legislation, workers would have the right to refuse work if their workplace conditions put their health and safety at risk because their employer has not taken sufficient measures to reduce their exposure to communicable disease.

The Right to Refuse bill (A4268) would protect workers’ jobs and incomes when they alert their employer to unsafe conditions and file a complaint that the Department of Labor makes a determination that refusal to work is reasonable.

“As New Jersey begins to experience another surge in COVID-19 cases, we must ensure that our workers are protected, and their rights are safeguarded.” said Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle “Our frontline workers need the right to refuse unsafe work, A4268 would empower workers to raise their voice without fear of retribution.”

“I became sick with COVID after my employer did not provide me with adequate PPE. When I spoke up about the conditions at my workplace, I was fired.” said Carmen Torres, an advocate with Make the Road New Jersey “We need to ensure all New Jersey workers have the right to refuse unsafe work without fear of retaliation.”

“Workers are suffering and unfortunately there are some employers who are not putting into place protocols and protections to keep their employees as safe as possible. We must ensure that workers do not have to risk their livelihood to protect their lives. The Right to Refuse is an important policy that creates clear steps for workers to take to rectify hazardous workplace conditions when their employer will not,” said Yarrow Willman-Cole representing the Protection NJ Workers Coalition and staff with NJ Citizen Action. “It creates an important mechanism during the pandemic so workers’ lives are not put at risk and the Legislature should step up and join Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle in supporting, and passing the Right to Refuse, A4268.”