New Jersey Family Leave Insurance (FLI) is provided under the NJ Paid Family Leave Act. The act 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 entitlement amounts and duration will vary depending upon several variables. Be prepared to address these following vital questions to ensure your family’s financial health.
- 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?
- What happens to employer health plan costs?
NJ Family Leave Insurance – Bonding with Baby
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 parents 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 entitlement may be reduced by 14 days.
Applying for Maternity Benefits - NJ Paid Family Leave is one of three state regulations impacting maternity leave for New Jersey workers. It provides partial payments during the time you remain at home caring for your newborn, or a sick family member. Learn how to file a claim from state programs, and extra payments from private policies.
NJ Paid Family Leave – Pay Amounts
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 to 8 weeks after childbirth. The insurance replaces up to 2/3 of your income, with a maximum entitlement capped at $576 per week in 2012.
Extra NJ Maternity Pay – How long can your family make ends meet with a one-third pay cut or more? Ask yourself this question before getting pregnant. NJ Paid Leave provides an unusual entitlement found in only one other state, but the payments reach only two-thirds, and cap at a hard dollar amount. If mom’s income exceeds a certain amount you could be left with a big gap.
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.
Sources:
