by Rosemary Becchi
February 22, 2026
In one of her first executive orders, Gov. Mikie Sherrill took a welcome step by implementing a 90-day pause on the adoption of new state rules and regulations, including the New Jersey Department of Labor’s proposed independent contractor rules. This temporary pause provides an important opportunity to reassess the scope and impact of these regulations. While the initial 90-day review is a prudent starting point, the proposed independent-contractor rules in particular warrant continued pause and careful reconsideration beyond this period to ensure they strike the right balance between worker protections and economic flexibility.
The proposed rules, as currently written, would have a devastating impact on hundreds of thousands of New Jersey workers who are considered independent contractors and the employers who rely on them. Rather than rushing forward with a regulation that would transform the very nature of freelance work, policymakers should use this pause to rethink, recalibrate, and reaffirm the rights of New Jersey’s independent workforce.
As president of Jersey1st, a grassroots organization that advocates for taxpayers and workers, I worked closely with an overwhelming number of diverse groups, individuals and businesses to strongly oppose this regulation. Frankly, the scale of grassroots resistance to this rule has been unprecedented in recent New Jersey administrative history: of roughly 9,500 written comments submitted in the rulemaking process, more than 99% were opposed. If a rule of such magnitude – one that could reshape how tens of thousands of people work – is supported by virtually no one outside the department, that alone is reason to pause and reconsider.
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