More Than One in Five New Jersey Workers Can Still Be Fired for Taking Paid Family Leave

July 15, 2023 | njpp.org

Photo Credit: Jack_the_sparow // Shutterstock | Copyright: Jack_the_sparow

With its strong paid family leave program, New Jersey is close to being the best state to raise a family. Yet, more than one in five workers can’t take time off to care for a loved one or bond with a new child without the risk of losing their jobs due to a legal loophole in New Jersey’s family leave laws. Left unaddressed, this loophole will continue to undermine the state’s paid family leave program by deterring workers from taking paid leave that they’re entitled to.

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NJ SEED: Loopholes in the governing statues put many NJ workers at risk of not being protected for taking paid family leave. There is a 30 employee threshold and NJ businesses with fewer than 30 employees make up about 90% of all NJ businesses. To mandate that small businesses provide Paid Family Leave may impose a significant financial burden, but the case can be made that all workers should be entitled to equal benefits under Family Leave laws.