2026 New Jersey Midyear Roundup
The following changes to New Jersey employment law take effect on July 17, 2026, and apply to employers of all sizes unless otherwise noted.
New Jersey Family Leave Act Expansion
The NJFLA will be expanded to cover employers that have 15 or more employees. (Currently, it applies to employers that have 30 or more employees). Additionally, it will be broadened to apply to employees who have been employed for at least three months and have worked at least 250 hours in the previous year. (Currently, the law applies to employers with 30 or more employees and to employees who have been employed for at least a year with at least 1,000 hours worked).
Temporary Disability and Family Leave Insurance Updates
Job Protections
Employees who use TDI or FLI benefits will be entitled to job protections that mirror those provided under the NJFLA.
Employers will be required to reinstate returning employees to the same position they held before the leave or to a position with equivalent seniority, status, benefits, pay, and other terms and conditions of employment. Employees will also retain any rights under a layoff and recall system as if they hadn’t taken leave. This change effectively makes TDI and FLI new forms of protected leave rather than just insurance benefits.
Coordination with Earned Sick Leave
Employees who are eligible for both earned sick leave and either TDI or FLI will have the right to choose the order in which they use each type of paid leave. However, they can only use one type of paid leave at a time.
A 3451 was signed by the governor on January 17, 2026.
Action Items
If you have 15 or more employees, post the NJFLA notice in a conspicuous location in the workplace by July 17 if you don’t currently have it posted.
If you have a policy addressing the NJFLA, TDI, or FLI, amend those as appropriate.