N.J. Stat. Ann. § 10:5-1 et seq. § 10:5-33

Contents of bid specs, contract provisions

In Force
Verified 10/6/2026 · Next check 11/5/2026
effective 10/6/2026New JerseyFair Housing & Anti-Discrimination

Operative Text

N.J. Stat. Ann. § 10:5-1 et seq. § 10:5-33
3. The State or any county or municipality or other political subdivision of the State, or any agency of or authority created by any of the foregoing, shall include in the bid specifications and the contract provisions of any public works contract the following language:

"During the performance of this contract, the contractor agrees as follows:

a. The contractor or subcontractor, where applicable, will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality or sex. Except with respect to affectional or sexual orientation and gender identity or expression, the contractor will take affirmative action to ensure that such applicants are recruited and employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality or sex. Such action shall include, but not be limited to the following: employment, upgrading, demotion, or transfer; recruitment or recruitment advertising; layoff or termination; rates of pay or other forms of compensation; and selection for training, including apprenticeship. The contractor agrees to post in conspicuous places, available to employees and applicants for employment, notices to be provided by the contracting officer setting forth the provisions of this nondiscrimination clause;

b. The contractor or subcontractor, where applicable will, in all solicitations or advertisements for employees placed by or on behalf of the contractor, state that all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality or sex;

c. The contractor or subcontractor where applicable, will send to each labor union or representative of workers with which he has a collective bargaining agreement or other contract or understanding, a notice, to be provided by the agency contracting officer, advising the labor union or workers' representative of the contractor's commitments under this act and shall post copies of the notice in conspicuous places available to employees and applicants for employment."

In soliciting bids for any public works contract the State or any county or municipality or other political subdivision of the State, or any agency of or authority created by any of the foregoing, shall include in the advertisement and solicitation of bids the following language: "Bidders are required to comply with the requirements of P.L.1975, c.127."

L.1975,c.127,s.3; amended 1976, c.60; 1991, c.519, s.13; 2003, c.180, s.25; 2006, c.100, s.14.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Under N.J.S.A. 10:5-33, public entities in New Jersey—including the State, counties, municipalities, and their agencies—must embed specific equal-employment language into public works bid specifications and contracts. Contractors taking on such work are bound to avoid discrimination in hiring and employment on the basis of characteristics such as race, sex, disability, and sexual orientation, and must notify employees and unions of these commitments. Bid advertisements must also remind prospective bidders of their obligation to comply with P.L.1975, c.127.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 14, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Although N.J.S.A. 10:5-33 targets public works contractors rather than residential landlords directly, property owners who participate in publicly funded construction or rehabilitation projects should be aware that their contracts must contain the mandated nondiscrimination clauses. Compliant operators ensure that bid documents, employment advertisements, and union notices all reflect the required equal-employment language. Maintaining posted notices in visible locations for employees and applicants is a standard element of compliance under this provision.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

N.J.S.A. 10:5-33 primarily governs public works contracting rather than residential tenancy, but tenants who work for—or seek work from—contractors on publicly funded housing projects may have protections under this provision. If a contractor on such a project appears to have violated the nondiscrimination requirements, affected individuals can explore filing a complaint with the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights or consulting a tenant-rights or workers'-rights organization. Reviewing the contract documents for the required P.L.1975, c.127 compliance language can help clarify whether the provision applies to a given situation.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 6, 2026
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