34:5A-16. Employee requests for information; refusal to work; complaint; civil actions; penalty

a. Any employee or employee representative may request, in writing, from his employer, a copy of a workplace survey, hazardous substance fact sheet, or, where applicable, an environmental survey filed pursuant to the provisions of this act for the facility at which he is employed. The employer shall supply this material within five working days of the request. Any employee or employee representative may request, in writing, the chemical name and Chemical Abstracts Service number of the substance contained in any container which is not labeled pursuant to the provisions of section 14 of this act, and the employer shall supply the employee or employee representative with this information within five working days of the request. An employee shall have the right to refuse to work with a hazardous substance for which a request was made and not honored without loss of pay or forfeit of any other privilege until the request is honored.

b. Any employee or employee representative who believes that an employer has not complied with the provisions of subsection a. of this section may file a complaint with the Commissioner of the Department of Labor. Upon receipt of the complaint, the commissioner shall investigate the allegations contained in the complaint. If the commissioner, following an administrative hearing conducted pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L. 1968, c. 410 (C. 52:14B-1 et seq.), finds that the employer has violated the provisions of subsection a. of this section, he shall initiate a civil action by summary proceeding pursuant to "the penalty enforcement law" (N.J.S. 2A:58-1 et seq.). Any employer violating the provisions of subsection a. of this section is liable to a penalty of not less than $2,500.00 for each offense.

L.1983, c. 315, s. 16, eff. Aug. 29, 1984.