Members Only
All movers listed on this website must meet membership requirements, which are higher than just obtaining a movers license, and they must agree to adhere to our Code of Ethics!
NJWMA movers must also be established and dependable because consumers expect and deserve good movers!
There are many other benefits available for good movers and vendors, such as:
- TRAINING SEMINARS: We offer hands-on training for packing boxes, best practices, safety, and paperwork and regulation updates.
- GROUP HEALTH CARE PROGRAM: Members eligible for Blue Cross Blue Shield EPO & Omnia plans offered through Association Member Trust.
- BOARD REPRESENTATION: All members have a voice at meetings chaired by an elected representative.
- YEARLY AWARDS: Mover and Associate member of the year, College scholarship, Lifetime achievement award
- CREDIT CARD PLAN: New equipment that saves you money, has low rates, and has no up-front cost.
- MEETINGS, INFORMATIVE PUBLICATIONS & WEB SITE: Advertising on this website is restricted to members only
Attention members: NJ has increased penalties for misclassifying employees.
The NJDOL says all workers are employees unless an employer can pass the A-B-C rules test to the satisfaction of the Director. Anyone using Independent Contractors (IC) can be subject to new laws that were passed on July 8th, 2021, that increased enforcement and penalties for employers who misclassify employees. The fines and potential workplace shutdowns that target deliberate violators have caused some movers with legitimate IC’s to be the subject of state audits. Some movers had defense attorney fees that exceeded the penalties imposed by the state, forcing them to accept penalties rather than fight the State and pay lawyer fees. Here are recent misclassification laws and penalties:
Public Law 2021, c.165 (A-5890) amends existing laws to give the NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) the power to go after any businesses found to be in violation of the state’s Unemployment Compensation Law (“UCL”). This bill also includes stop-work orders and fines of $5,000 for every day an employer chooses to ignore an order from NJDOL.
Though NJDOL already had the power to issue stop-work orders, the new powers expanded stop-work orders to apply to all of an employer’s facilities, not just the worksite found to be in violation. The NJDOL can also issue wage claims on behalf of all workers who have not been paid in compliance with state law. Under this bill, the state labor commissioner can file a civil suit for an alleged injured person, rather than the person filing his or her own private suit. The commissioner can enlist the use of private law firms to perform these suits, putting the lure of profits over policy. NJDOL can also issue fines of at least $1,000 per violation.
Public Law 2021, c.166 (A5891) creates a new Office of Strategic Enforcement and Compliance within the NJDOL that is charged with investigating all claims of misclassification and coordinating between NJDOL and all other State agencies. Prior to any award, the department will verify that that a business is in substantial good standing with all State agencies, including unpaid contributions to the unemployment compensation or disability funds, or any individual or any penalties, fees or interest due to any department they enforce.
Public Law 2021, c.167 (A5892), is an amendment to existing laws, and will go into effect on January 1, 2022, that will allow misclassification of employees to be treated as insurance fraud with new penalties and streamlined enforcement.
The above new laws will have a significant impact on NJ employers who incorrectly classify independent contractors, but no worries if you only have employees.
If you use IC’s, Remember to issue a W-9 to any contractor and keep it on file for at least four years after hiring. Verify the information is correct. If false, you could be charged with a crime. Read the certification instructions carefully on the W-9 form online (this is a “fillable” file with instructions). Use the IC’s information to issue a 1099 to the IC at the end of the tax year.
If you use IC’s for intrastate, remember to give the consumer an advisory on your letterhead with the owner-operator’s name.
Listen to NJMA member Jim Simpson discuss the affordable healthcare plan we offer our members.
