New Jersey would translate nursing assistant and home health aide exams

The Health Department would offer required written or oral nursing assistant certification exams through the state's testing contractor. This covers people seeking nursing assistant certification in New Jersey. Exams would be available in at least six languages, including English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole. The department would add languages it finds are spoken by a significant share of nursing assistants, using available workforce data. These requirements would begin on the first day of the sixth month after the bill becomes law.

The Nursing Board would create and maintain standard translations of required written or oral certification exams. This covers certification exams for homemaker-home health aides in New Jersey. The board's exams would be available in at least six languages, including English, Spanish, and French. The board would add languages it finds are spoken by a significant share of these workers. Approved training programs could use the board's exams without replacing their current exams. These requirements would begin on the first day of the sixth month after the bill becomes law.