New Jersey Expands Family Leave Act Effective July 17
New Jersey is preparing to implement significant updates to its family leave laws effective July 17, 2026.
Published: 03.18.2026
Updates to the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA) Effective July 17, 2026New Jersey is preparing to implement significant updates to its family leave laws, expanding employee leave rights by broadening employer coverage, extending eligibility, and adding new forms of job‑protected leave.
As the July 17, 2026, effective date approaches, organizations of all sizes will need to understand the new requirements and prepare their policies and practices accordingly.
| Change | Before July 17 | After July 17 | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expanded Definition of a Covered Employer | Employers with 30+ employees must comply. | Employers with 15+ employees must comply. | Employers who are between 15-30 employees must comply as of July 17, 2026. If the employee of a 15+ group is eligible for leave before the 7/17/26 date, they can take advantage of the change after 7/17/26 by taking leave on that date. |
| Expanded Definition of an Eligible Employee | Employees must be employed for at least 12 months and worked at least 1,000 hours during the preceding 12 months. | Employees must be employed for 3 months and have worked at least 250 hours. | If the employee would be eligible for leave before the 7/17/26 date, had they met the definition of eligible employee based on hours/time worked, they can take advantage of the change after 7/17/26 by taking leave on that date. |
| Job Protection Added to the TDI/FLI Law | Job protection is not necessarily part of the leave. | Job protection is now part of leave. Employees must be reinstated to same or similar role. | Employees on leave before 7/17/2026 who continue leave through that date can enjoy job protected status until NJ TDI/FLI. |
| Interaction Between TDI/FLI and NJ Paid Sick Leave | Unclear since the law technically was not clear before on whether an employer could dictate the order that an employee takes leave. | Law has been clarified, the order of the leave laws used would be at the discretion of the employee. However, an employee cannot use both paid sick leave and TDI/FLI at the same time, meaning employee can't use paid sick leave to "top up" their TDI. |
Employee may have been able to take TDI and FLI at the same time (the law was unclear previously) but definitely cannot do so after 7/17/26. Employees can also coordinate their leave laws as they see fit after 7/17/26, depending on what programs are available to them after that date if they start their leave before 7/17/26. |
Stay ahead of changes and ensure compliance.
With more employers covered, more employees eligible and new medical leave protections in place, organizations should begin preparing now to ensure compliance.
For more information or support ensuring compliance, please contact our team today for personalized guidance.
The information contained herein is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, accounting, actuarial, or legal advice as to any particular matter. The reader should consult with a legal or other professional advisor before commencing a course of action. Acting upon information herein does not create an attorney-client relationship.
