A new report from the state comptroller’s office finds the New Jersey Economic Development Authority has addressed many issues with its tax-incentive program that were revealed in a 2019 audit. That audit found the EDA could not provide sufficiently detailed data to confirm whether jobs were created or retained by certain companies receiving tax breaks. Budget and Finance Writer John Reitmeyer says the EDA has fully implemented many recommendations since the audit, but some have only been partially implemented, so there’s more work to be done. In response to the comptroller’s report, the EDA noted it has a new compliance division and says it has saved some $350 million from improved oversight. See more here.
A New Jersey hospital merger is now complete. Trinitas Regional Medical Center is now officially a part of the RWJBarnabas System. The providers say that under the partnership, announced two months ago, Trinitas will be able to sharpen its focus on community-based programs, as well as expand its clinical services.
Ever-changing COVID-19 developments are prompting some of the country’s largest retailers to amend their workplace policies. Walmart is cutting its pandemic-related paid leave now that the CDC has reduced the time period for quarantining. Walmart was giving its employees two weeks of paid leave for COVID-19; it’s cutting that in half, to just one week. Meantime, Macy’s is shortening its store hours for the rest of this month, as a way to manage staffing shortages.
