New Jersey Employers: New Jersey Family Leave Act Changes Take Effect July 17, 2026

Valentina M. Scirica, Associate

Beginning July 17, 2026, significant amendments to the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA) will expand employee eligibility for protected leave and require many employers to update their employee handbooks, personnel policies, and leave practices.  Of note:

• Employees will become eligible for NJFLA leave after only three months of employment and 250 hours worked during the preceding 12 months, a substantial reduction from the prior one-year and 1,000-hour eligibility requirements.
• The private-employer coverage threshold changes from 30 employees to 15 employees, although public employers remain covered regardless of workforce size.

The legislation also expands job restoration protections by requiring employers to reinstate employees who receive New Jersey Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) or Family Leave Insurance (FLI) benefits to the same or an equivalent position under certain circumstances, even where the employee may not otherwise qualify for leave under the NJFLA or the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

As a result, employers should carefully evaluate leave requests that involve state disability or family leave benefits, as restoration obligations may now extend beyond traditional NJFLA or FMLA scenarios. Employers should also remember that the NJFLA frequently overlaps with the FMLA, the New Jersey Paid Sick Leave Act, and New Jersey’s TDI and FLI programs, making it important to assess each leave request on a case-by-case basis to ensure compliance with all applicable laws.

Employers should review and revise their employee handbooks, leave policies, eligibility provisions, forms, and internal leave procedures to ensure compliance with the amended law.

How We Can Help

With the effective date of July 17, 2026, it is time to review and update employee handbooks, personnel policies, leave forms, and internal procedures to ensure compliance with the amended NJFLA and other applicable federal and state leave laws. Our Labor & Employment attorneys are available to assist employers and provide guidance on the new requirements including administering  leave requests and coordinating NJFLA, FMLA, Temporary Disability Insurance, Family Leave Insurance, and paid sick leave obligations. If you have questions regarding the amendments or would like assistance reviewing your organization’s policies and practices, please contact John L. Shahdanian II, Chair of the Labor and Employment Law Practice at Trenk Isabel Siddiqi & Shahdanian, P.C.