Compliance Stuff

On January 17, Governor Phil Murphy signed a bill into law ( A3451/S2950 ) that significantly amends the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA). The new rules, which take effect on July 17, 2026, will expand the employers covered under the NJFLA and the employees eligible for job-protected leave. The new law also amends the Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) and Family Leave Insurance (FLI) laws to provide job protection for individuals receiving these benefits. Previously, the TDI and FLI laws provided for wage replacement benefits but did not guarantee reinstatement. Current NJFLA Requirements Employer Obligations:  Under the current NJFLA, employers with 30 or more employees (including out-of-state employees) must provide eligible employees up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave during a 24-month period for the following reasons: To care for or bond with a child, as long as the leave begins within one year of the child’s birth or placement for adoption or foster care; To care for ...

During the last days of his administration, former Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation amending multiple New Jersey leave laws and extending job-protected leave to thousands more workers. The amendments will take effect July 17, 2026 . T hey will increase the number of employers subject to the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA), shorten the time employees must work before becoming eligible to take NJFLA leave, and raise new questions surrounding job-restoration rights for employees collecting state temporary disability insurance (TDI) benefits or family leave insurance (FLI) benefits.  Expanded NJFLA Applicability Generally, the NJFLA gives eligible employees 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave in a 24-month period to: (1) care for a family member with a serious health condition; or (2) bond with a child within one year of the child’s birth or placement for adoption or foster care.   Unlike the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, the NJFLA provides no job-protected l...