The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development recently released an updated Family Leave Insurance poster. In addition to posting the new notice, NJ employers must give each employee a written copy of the notification no later than 30 days after it was issued (that was sometime in April, 2019), at the time of hire, whenever the employee notifies the employer of the need for FLI benefits, and upon an employee’s first request for benefits.
Here are some of the highlights of the changes, which became effective on February 19, 2019:
- The definition of “family member” has been expanded to include a child of any age, foster child or child born via gestational carrier, parent or parent-in-law, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, spouse, domestic partner, or partner in a civil union, and any other person related by blood to the employee or with whom the employee has a close association that is equivalent to a family relationship.
- Employees can now use FLI benefits to bond with a newly placed foster child.
- FLI is now available when an employee takes time off because the employee or a family member is a victim of domestic or sexual violence.
The Labor Department also put out an updated guidance that clarifies many of the amended FLI provisions. Here are the main points:
- No more waiting week for FLI benefits! (There is still a waiting week for Temporary Disability, though.)
- Paid time off no longer runs concurrently with FLI, so employees no longer have to use vacation days before becoming entitled to FLI. Of course, employees may not “double dip” and receive FLI benefits at the same time as receiving full pay from their employer.
- Employees now can use FLI benefits for bonding purposes intermittently, in one day increments, rather than one consecutive six-week period or separate week-long increments.
