Program Description
New Jersey’s Paid Family Leave Act established the Family Leave Insurance (FLI) program. The FLI program helps families care for loved ones by providing up to six weeks of paid time off for the sole purpose of caring for a family member who is seriously ill. While the program is not specifically designed to care for the elderly, it can be used to care for one’s aging parents.
The FLI program does not require that an employer hold one’s job for the person taking leave. However, this program can be used in combination with the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which does require that an employer hold one’s job and requires them to continue providing any health insurance coverage.
The FLI program is administered by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development and is financed via employee wage deductions.
Eligibility Guidelines
Paid Family Leave / Family Leave Insurance is available to all employed state residents given their employer is subject to the NJ Unemployment Compensation Law. Unlike the Family and Medical Leave Act, which is briefly mentioned above, there is no minimum number of employees required in order for a company to be covered for Family Leave Insurance benefits. As a general rule of thumb, most businesses that employ at least one person and pay a minimum of $1,000 / year are subject to the Unemployment Compensation Law.
As of 2023, candidates must have earned a minimum of $260 per week in the state of New Jersey for at least 20 weeks prior to taking leave. Alternatively, they must have earned a combined total of $13,000 in the year preceding their leave.
Candidates must supply detailed medical information that their parent or family member has a serious condition and requires their care.
Candidates must be taking time off to care for an eligible family member. In addition to one’s biological or adopted parents, parents-in-law are included as eligible family members.
Candidates must give employers reasonable advanced notice unless they need to take the leave unexpectedly.
There is no requirement that the individual who will receive care reside in New Jersey. One can take leave to care for a loved one out-of-state or even out of the country.
Did You Know? In NJ, there are several other programs that pay family members as caregivers. While the FLI program pays family members for short-term caregiving, both the Personal Preference Program (PPP) and New Jersey Assistance for Community Caregiving (JACC) will pay family members on an ongoing basis. However, one’s employer is not required to hold a position open for the caregiver when working with these programs. PPP is for care recipients who are Medicaid eligible, read more. JACC is for care recipients who are not Medicaid eligibility, read more.
Benefits and Services
Family Leave Insurance offers up to 12 weeks of paid care leave. The benefit amount is based on an applicant’s average weekly wage or how much they earned in the eight weeks immediately before their claim begin. For 2023, the current weekly benefit rate is 85% of an individual’s average weekly wage, up to $1,025.
Leave can be taken continuously or intermittently. To clarify, continuous leave is leave taken all at once in 12 consecutive weeks. Intermittent leave offers up to 56 days, which can be taken as needed during a 12-month period. For example, one could take off one day each week for the 12-month period. If one chooses to take time off intermittently, one must give the employer a 15-day notice. If the leave is continuous, you must give your employer a 30-day notice.
How to Apply / Learn More
When applying for paid leave, one must notify their employer in advance. An employer may require the employee to use up any vacation time, sick time, or any other paid leave time they have accumulated prior to their formal leave beginning.
One can begin the application for benefits with the state up to 60 days before their leave has begun. If you apply after you start your leave, you must do so within 30 days.
For more information or to apply call 609-292-7060 or visit the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development website.
