Our previous post on April 24, “New Jersey Family Leave Act Expands Job Protection During Health Emergencies,” reported on the latest amendment to the New Jersey Family Leave law, which applies to employers with 30 or more employees. The amendment expands previous coverage to provide unpaid family leave for an employee to provide care to a family member necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, including:
- when the employee is required to provide in-home care or treatment for a child due to school or daycare closure by order of a public official.
- when, by issuance of a public health authority or recommendation of public health provider, an employee is caring for a sick or quarantined family member due to COVID-19.
For the details concerning both scenarios, refer to our earlier post here.
Employers should note the amendment is not limited to COVID-19 and covers “a state of emergency declared by the Governor or when indicated to be needed by the Commissioner of Health or other public health authority.” As such, it is important that employers update their Family Leave policies to include this new provision.
For questions about this legal alert or for help in updating your Employer Handbook, please contact Tracy Armstrong or another member of the Employment Law Team.
