Easily Apply for Parental Leave (FMLA) In NJ

If you're expecting a baby soon, you're probably doing lots of things to prepare, including planning your time away from work. As a New Jersey resident, you have several parental leave options available. Both the NJFLA and the FMLA in New Jersey can provide you with time at home with your family without having to worry about losing your job.

The New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA) allows certain workers who are pregnant or have recently had a baby to take up to 12 weeks away from work. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a separate program providing 12 weeks away from work. Qualifying NJ residents can utilize both programs for a total of 24 weeks of leave. The application process can be complicated and confusing, but DoNotPay is here to walk you through everything you need to know.

Who is Eligible for Parental Leave in New Jersey?

New Jersey residents have several options for parental leave. First, it's important to mention that many employers provide paid parental leave benefits or allow workers to use paid vacation days or sick days after the birth of a new child. Additionally, NJ residents can apply for NJFLA, FMLA, or both.

Let's take a closer look at the eligibility requirements for both of these programs.

Who Qualifies for the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA)?

• You are employed at a company with 30 or more employees.
• You have been working for at least one year.
• You have worked a minimum of 1,000 hours in the past 12 months.

If you meet these qualifications, you are entitled to 12 weeks away from work to care for your new child. You can take these 12 weeks consecutively, intermittently, or on a reduced work schedule. After your 12 weeks are over, you may also use additional time granted under the FMLA if you qualify.

Who Qualifies for the FMLA in New Jersey?

• Workers who have been with their employer for at least 12 months
• During those 12 months, the worker has put in at least 1250 hours.
• The worker's company employs at least 50 people within a 75-mile radius.

If you meet these conditions, you can also apply for the Family and Medical Leave act.

What is FMLA?

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 is a federal labor law created to provide certain workers time at home with their families without fear of losing their jobs. New Jersey residents can use the FMLA in addition to the NJFLA if they have had a child within the past year or adopted or received a new foster child placement. The FMLA is unpaid.

How to Apply for NJFLA By Yourself

Figuring out how to complete stressful paperwork is probably the last thing you want to be doing while expecting the birth of your new child. However, it is possible to apply for NJFLA leave alone. These are the steps you will need to follow:

1. Determine your program eligibility.
2. Visit the New Jersey state government leave benefits website.
3. Create an account with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, which will allow you to access the forms you need.
4. Begin an application online and print it out and mail or fax it, or submit it online.

How to Apply for FMLA By Yourself

In addition to the NJFLA program, you can apply for the FMLA to maximize your time at home with your child. To do this, use the following steps:

1. Ensure you're eligible for FMLA.
2. Visit the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development website and make an account.
3. Locate the correct forms and print them out.
4. Bring the Certification of Health Care Provider form to your doctor and have them complete it with your relevant health information.
5. Bring the completed health-related form to your work supervisor and have them complete the appropriate sections.
6. Submit your completed paperwork.

How to Get Your Maximum Parental Leave with DoNotPay

If you want to get the maximum parental leave time you're entitled to without having to complete all of those steps, DoNotPay can apply on your behalf. In just a few quick steps, we can have this process completed so you can focus on other things.

1. Tell us which state you work in (if you work in CA, NY, NJ, MA, WA, or DC, your state has a paid family leave program).

2. Choose whether you want us to apply to the program for you or contact your employer with your leave request. If you want to apply for the program, we will walk you through the questions on the form and mail the application form for you.

3. If you want us to contact your employer, enter your leave details, including the starting date, number of weeks of leave, and how many weeks of paid leave you are requesting (for example, you may take a 12 week leave, but only request eight weeks of paid leave to make the request reasonable).

4. Indicate whether you are the birth parent or not (birth parents have a few additional protections).

5. Enter the name of your company and the person to address this request to.

6. Select whether you want us to email the request to your employer on your behalf.

DoNotPay can also assist with parental leave requests in other states:

Skip the stressful paperwork and let DoNotPay get you the time with family you're entitled to at home. We will walk you through the process and handle everything quickly and correctly. Try us out today!