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(e) Employment Security Council. There shall be within the department an Employment Security Council, as established and constituted under the Department of Labor and Industry Act of 1948 (P.L.1948, c. 446; C. 34:1A-1 et seq.).

(f) Employment stabilization. The department, with the advice and aid of the Employment Security Council, shall take all appropriate steps to reduce and prevent unemployment; to encourage and assist in the adoption of practical methods of vocational training, retraining and vocational guidance; to investigate, recommend, advise, and assist in the establishment and operation, by municipalities, counties, school districts, and the State, of reserves for public works to be used in times of business depression and unemployment; to promote the re-employment of unemployed workers throughout the State in every other way that may be feasible, and to these ends to carry on and publish the records of investigations and research studies.

(g) Records and reports. Each employing unit shall keep true and accurate employment records, containing such information as may be prescribed. Such records shall be open to inspection and be subject to being copied by the director of the division and the controller or their authorized representatives at any reasonable time. The department may require from any employing unit any sworn or unsworn reports, with respect to persons employed by it, which are deemed necessary for the effective administration of this chapter. Under such rules and regulations as may be adopted by the department, reports relative to wages and separation from employment may be required from any employer or employing unit at the time such employer or employing unit suspends business operations in this State, or from any employer or employing unit which fails to cooperate in submitting promptly the wage and employment data which may be required under paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of section 43:21-6 of this Title. If the nature of such suspension is temporary or in the nature of a transfer, then the employer or employing unit may be excused from furnishing such a termination report upon assurances that proper arrangements have been made to supply any information which may be required under paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of section 43:21-6 of this Title. The department may require from any employer or employing unit reports relative to wages and separation in such manner and at such time as may be necessary for the effective administration of this chapter.

All records, reports and other information obtained from employers and employees under this chapter, except to the extent necessary for the proper administration of this chapter, shall be confidential and shall not be published or open to public inspection other than to public employees in the performance of their public duties, and shall not be subject to subpena or admissible in evidence in any civil action or proceeding other than one arising under this chapter, but any claimant at a hearing before an appeal tribunal, the division or the board of review shall be supplied with information from such records to the extent necessary for the proper presentation of his claim. Any officer or employee of the department who violates any provision of this section shall be liable to a fine of $200.00, to be recovered in a civil action in the name of the division, said fine when recovered to be paid to the unemployment compensation auxiliary fund for the use of said fund.