When family comes first, your job shouldn’t be at risk. The New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA) ensures that employees in Egg Harbor Township can take time off to care for loved ones without fear of losing their job. Whether you’re welcoming a new child, caring for a seriously ill family member, or supporting a partner through recovery, NJFLA offers critical protections and peace of mind.
What Is the NJFLA?
The NJFLA allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave within a 24-month period to care for a family member with a serious health condition or to bond with a newborn or newly adopted child.
Who Is Eligible?
To qualify under the NJFLA, you must:
- Have worked for your employer for at least 12 months
- Have logged at least 1,000 hours in the past 12 months
- Work for a company with at least 30 employees worldwide
Key Differences Between NJFLA and FMLA
While NJFLA is similar to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), there are some important distinctions:
- NJFLA does not cover your own medical condition; it’s strictly for caring for others or bonding with a new child.
- FMLA and NJFLA can be used consecutively, allowing you to extend your total time off in certain situations.
- Same-sex and domestic partners are covered under NJFLA but not always under FMLA.
Reasons You Can Take NJFLA Leave
- Bonding with a newborn, adopted, or foster child
- Caring for a spouse, child, parent, parent-in-law, sibling, grandparent, or any blood relative in your household
- Supporting a family member with a serious physical or mental health condition
Employer Obligations
Your employer must:
- Restore you to the same or equivalent position upon return
- Continue your group health benefits during leave
- Refrain from retaliating against you for taking protected leave
What If Your Rights Are Violated?
If your employer denies your leave, disciplines you for taking it, or terminates you in retaliation, they may be in violation of NJFLA. You have the right to take legal action to hold them accountable.
What You Can Recover
- Reinstatement to your job
- Back pay and lost benefits
- Emotional distress damages
- Attorney’s fees and court costs
How Castronovo & McKinney Can Help
Castronovo & McKinney, Employment Law Attorneys are committed to helping workers in Egg Harbor Township exercise their rights under the NJFLA. Their legal team can review your case, explain your options, and fight to restore your job or pursue compensation for any harm you’ve suffered.
Contact Castronovo & McKinney, LLC Today
When your family needs you most, the law should be there to protect you. If you’ve been denied family leave or retaliated against for taking it, contact Castronovo & McKinney today for a confidential consultation and let their team help you stand up for your rights.
New Jersey Office
71 Maple Ave
Morristown, NJ 07960
Phone: 973.920.7888
Fax: 973.920.7924
New York Office
420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 1830
New York, NY 10170
Phone: 646.755.3781
Fax: 646.755.3781