Mandatory wage-statement items
- 1Gross wages
Total wages earned before deductions.
- 2Net wages
Take-home pay after deductions.
- 3Rate of pay
Hourly, salary, piece, or commission rate.
- 4Hours worked
Regular and overtime hours for non-exempt employees.
- 5Deductions
Each deduction itemized separately.
- 6Pay-period dates
Beginning and ending dates of the pay period.
- 7Employer name and address
Legal business name and physical address.
Penalties and retention
Wage Theft Act triple damages on unpaid wages, plus attorney's fees and costs. Criminal penalties escalate on repeat offenses; disorderly-persons offenses can lead to disqualification from public contracts.
Six years under N.J.A.C. 12:56-4.1 — one of the longest in the country, matching the Wage Theft Act statute of limitations.
Allowed, provided employees can access and print records at no cost.
Compliance checklist
- All required N.J.S.A. 34:11-4.6 items appear on every stub
- Records retained for at least six years
- Overtime hours and rate itemized for non-exempt employees
- Portal or paper delivery documented
- Deductions authorized in writing where required
Frequently asked questions
A 2019 law that added triple damages, a six-year lookback, and criminal exposure for wage violations, including missing pay-stub items.
Yes, when employees can access and print them freely. Paper delivery must be offered on request.
The Division of Wage and Hour Compliance under the NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
Six years under the Wage Theft Act, up from two years pre-2019.
Generate a NJ-compliant pay stub
StubGenPro's US pay stub template covers hours-at-each-rate, itemized deductions, YTD totals, and pay-period dates — the fields most state laws require.