New Jersey revises contractor rule, easing some trucking compliance concerns

New Jersey regulators revised an independent contractor rule in May 2026, removing provisions that trucking attorneys said could have made routine legal compliance and use of dispatch apps evidence of employer control. The New Jersey Department of Labor rule codifies prior regulatory and court precedents under the state’s ABC test, used to determine worker classification under wage and payment laws. The revised language says actions taken solely to comply with federal, state or local laws will not, by themselves, count as control under Prong A. It also dropped references to proprietary apps and a broader definition of a company’s place of business that critics said could have included truck cabs. Industry groups remain opposed. The New Jersey Business & Industry Association told a state Senate Labor Committee on May 12, 2026, that the rule still narrows pathways to independent work, particularly under Prongs B and C. The group urged lawmakers to void the regulations or seek statutory changes within 120 days.