New Jersey Family Leave Insurance

New Jersey Family Leave Insurance (FLI) is provided under the NJ Paid Family Leave Act. NJ FLI allows for 6 weeks of partially paid leave to care for a sick family member, or to bond with your newborn baby.

NJ Family Leave Insurance is one of three laws providing maternity leave benefits in NJ. But your benefit amounts, and duration will vary depending upon several variables.

• How many weeks of partially paid leave will you receive? 
  
• What will be your level of income replacement? 
  
• How much total time off will you really get? 
  
• Will your job still exist by the time you return to work? 
  

Scroll down below to answers to these questions, and more.

You can claim NJ Family Leave Insurance benefits to bond with a newborn child during the first 12 months after the child’s birth. You, your spouse, your domestic partner or your civil union partner must be the biological parent of the child.

If both spouses work for covered employers in NJ then there may be 12 weeks of partially paid leave available: 6 weeks for mom, and 6 weeks for dad.

You must give your employer 30 days’ notice before the leave starts. If you do not give your employer the proper notice, your benefit entitlement may be reduced by 14 days.

New Jersey Family Leave Insurance can be combined with the state temporary disability plan to provide mom with 18 weeks of partial pay for normal delivery, and longer if complications arise.  

New Jersey Temporary Disability Insurance covers mom's maternity disability leave: 4 weeks prior to delivery, plus 6 weeks for vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for c-section delivery.  The insurance replaces up to 2/3 of your income, capped at $559 per week.    

You can't take NJ FLI for your own disability.  So read between the lines.  Take your paid maternity leave using the disability insurance.  Then tack on an additional 6 weeks to continue bonding with your baby.  You get a total of 18 weeks of paid leave for a normal c-section delivery.

18 weeks of partially paid leave is great - provided you still have a job when you return. And what if complications cause you to miss extended time prior to delivery? Both the Federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the state level NJ Family Leave Act (NJFLA) protect your job during a qualified leave - but apply to employers with 50 or more employees. A key variation in the two laws provides extended job protection for women experiencing complications prior to delivery.

If you work for a smaller employer, you may not have these protections. Your employer is not obligated to hold your position open during your extended leave. If you lose your job under these circumstances, you may then be eligible for unemployment insurance. Unemployment insurance will provide benefits for up to 26 weeks.