One of the most extreme winters on record has spurred the New Jersey Senate to act on behalf of workers unable to get to work during declared state of emergencies. The bill, proposed by State Senator Peter J. Barnes, would protect workers from any employer retaliation after being unable to perform their normal job duties because of weather that warranted a state of emergency. Under the bill, a state of emergency could be man-made or natural, and could be declared by any level of government. Employees who provide public safety and health services, such as police, fire, and EMS, are exempted from the protection. Violation of the proposed protections would incur a penalty of up to $5,000 for the first offense and $10,000 for each subsequent offense.
See "Bill would protect employees unable to make it to work during a state of emergency", Lloyd Nelson, NJ.com, March 12, 2014