New Jersey Passes Paid Family Leave Law

Recently, New Jersey joined California and Washington State in providing paid family leave benefits to employees. Commencing on July 1, 2009, New Jersey will provide public and private employees (1) working at least 20 calendar weeks for their employer and earning at least $143 per week, or (2) earning at least $7,200 in the prior year, up to six weeks of paid family leave (or 42 days for intermittent leave for any 12-month period) to care for sick family members, including a child, spouse, domestic partner, civil union partner, or parent suffering from a serious health condition, or to care for a newborn or newly adopted child within the first year after the birth or adoption.

Employees will fund the paid leave benefits through payroll taxes beginning on January 1, 2009. Benefits under the law will be capped at two-thirds of the employee’s weekly pay or a maximum of $524, whichever is smaller. Employees must wait one week before they become eligible to receive benefits, and employers may substitute up to two weeks of accrued company-provided paid leave (e.g., paid vacation days) for paid leave benefits, which may run concurrently with any entitlement to Federal or state-mandated unpaid family or disability leave.

Once the Commission of the New Jersey Department of Labor issues its Paid Family Leave Law form notice, employers must:  Learn more about New Jersey Paid Family Leave Law