The basics:
- Bill lowers Family Leave Act threshold from 30 to 15 employees
- Workers would qualify for job-protected leave after three months on the job
- Business groups warn of added costs, legal risks for small employers
- Labor advocates praise expanded access to family, medical leave
Legislation expanding New Jersey’s Family Leave Act has drawn the ire of the state’s business community. And it now heads to the governor’s desk.
The measure passed Jan. 12 amid a flurry of lame duck activity in Trenton on the final day of the 221st New Jersey Legislature.
Under the current Family Leave Act, employers with 30 or more employees must offer workers the right to be reinstated after taking family leave to care for a new child or for a loved one with a serious health condition. Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave during a 24-month period. This legislation would reduce that threshold from 30 to 15 employees.
Additionally, it would make workers eligible for job-protected leave after just three months of employment. It would also reduce the required minimum base hours to 250 hours.
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