An Act concerning wages of minor league baseball players and supplementing P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
C.34:11-56a42 Findings, declarations.
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. On March 29, 2023, the Major League Baseball Players Association, the recognized labor union for Major League Baseball players, entered into a first-ever nationwide collective bargaining agreement with Minor League Baseball on behalf of minor league players.
b. This agreement provides significant compensation and benefits to minor league players, including annual salaries, health care, housing, retirement benefits, meals, and tuition assistance.
c. The unique nature of minor league athletic work, including irregular hours and non-traditional training schedules, makes the application of State wage and hour laws incompatible with the collectively bargained agreement.
d. It is in the interest of the State to respect the terms of a union-negotiated agreement and ensure continued operations of minor league teams that provide community and economic benefits to New Jersey.
C.34:11-56a43 Minor League Baseball players exempt from certain State wage laws, circumstances.
2. a. The provisions of the "New Jersey State Wage and Hour Law," P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a et seq.) and the recordkeeping requirements of the State wage payment law, P.L.1965, c.173 (C.34:11-4.1 et seq.) shall not apply to a minor league baseball player who is subject to a collective bargaining agreement entered into between Minor League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association that is in effect and that expressly provides for wages and conditions of the minor league baseball player.
b. The exclusion in subsection a. of this section shall apply only during a period in which an affected minor league baseball player is compensated pursuant to the terms of a collective bargaining agreement that meets the requirements of this section and shall not extend beyond the term of that agreement, except that a collective bargaining agreement may be renewed, renegotiated, or extended.
c. Minor League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association shall notify the Department of Labor and Workforce Development of any termination or replacement of a collective bargaining agreement subject to the provisions of this act within one week of any termination or replacement.
3. This act shall take effect immediately, and shall remain in effect as long as a collective bargaining agreement that meets the requirements of this act remains in effect.
Approved September 11, 2025.