Governor Murphy has signed legislation expanding the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA), significantly broadening employer coverage and employee eligibility.
Effective under the new law, the employer coverage threshold is reduced from 30 or more employees to 15 or more employees. As a result, many smaller employers that were previously exempt are now subject to NJFLA requirements.
The law also revises employee eligibility standards. Employees will now qualify for NJFLA leave after they have been employed for at least three months and worked 250 hours in the 12 month period immediately preceding their need for leave. Previously, eligibility required 12 months of employment and at least 1,000 hours worked.
Importantly, the revised eligibility requirements apply to all covered employers, not solely those newly brought under the statute due to the lower employee threshold. Employers should review their leave policies and management practices to ensure compliance.
These changes will become effective in July 2026.