Governor Phil Murphy today signed into law a sweeping expansion to the state’s paid family leave program. New Jersey enacted a paid family leave program in 2008 and today’s law significantly expands that program to provide additional job protections for those who miss work due to caring for a newborn child or a sick loved one.
“No one should ever be forced to choose between caring for a family member and earning a paycheck,” said Governor Murphy. “By providing the most expansive paid family leave time and benefits in the nation, we are ensuring that New Jerseyans no longer have to face such a decision and that working families are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. This comprehensive paid family leave program, coupled with the newly passed earned sick leave and minimum wage increase, are fundamental elements in building a stronger and fairer New Jersey for all working families.”
A3975 changes New Jersey’s paid family leave program in a number of ways, including the following:
Doubling the number of weeks for Family Leave Insurance (FLI) and Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI): Employees can take up to 12 consecutive weeks of paid family leave or temporary disability insurance during any 12-month period, beginning in July 2020. Currently, employees are only able to take up to 6 weeks of FLI or TDI in a 12-month period.
Increasing the weekly benefit: Individuals can now receive 85 percent of their weekly wage, with the maximum possible benefit going up to 70 percent of the statewide average weekly wage. Using data from this year, the maximum possible benefit would go up from $650 a week to $860 a week under this law.
Increasing intermittent leave from 42 days to 56 days: Workers will be able to take up to 56 days of intermittent leave within a 12-month period, beginning in July 2020.
Anti-retaliation provisions: Employers with over 30 employees will be barred from retaliating or discriminating against an employee because they took family leave.
Expanding individuals eligible to take paid family leave: The newly signed legislation expands paid family leave to include caring for siblings, in-laws, grandparents, grandchildren, other blood relatives, and any other individuals who can be shown to have the equivalent of a family relationship.
Including domestic and sexual violence: The bill explicitly allows family temporary disability leave to be taken for medical attention, counseling, or legal assistance or proceedings arising out of domestic violence or sexual violence. An individual can take family leave under this provision if they themselves were the victim of domestic or sexual violence, or if they need to care for a family member who was such a victim.
Primary sponsors of the bill include Senate President Steve Sweeney; Senators Patrick J. Diegnan and M. Teresa Ruiz; and Assemblymembers Annette Quijano, Thomas P. Giblin, Joann Downey, and Paul D. Moriarty.
Governor Murphy signed the bill at JFK Library in Piscataway.
Will this affect the rate of disability payments or just raise the reimbursement rate for family leave time? Family leave will now pay 85% of salary, but disability payments were 2/3 pay.
Great. Another burden for small business. People are just gonna shut down their businesses, relocate to a different state or just not hire women. That as what I would do. Its not nice but who can afford to give 12 weeks PAID leave for a baby ?
How in the world do you run a business if you didn’t know that the STATE pays the disability benefits, not the employer?
lol. the STATE doesn’t pay the benefits. The EMPLOYEES do – the disability tax taken out of every working person’s paycheck will increase with this new bill. Another tax on the already choking working middle class…
To Murphylaw
That is not how it works. Virtually all employees and employers pay into the system. When you go on maternity leave or disability it is paid out through the state, not the employer directly.