New Jersey maternity leave benefits are not rather poor compared to most other states. Like any other government benefit, you need to be aware of the different laws, how they work, and where to make an application for benefits. New Jersey has 3 laws which affect maternity leave for workers in the state: paid family leave, temporary disability insurance, and family medical leave. Women can increase their level of maternity benefit by purchasing short-term handicap before becoming pregnant.
NJ Temporary Disability Insurance
NJ temporary disability insurance is the 1st of 3 benefits plans you have to understand and use. The state disability plan replaces two-thirds of your income, up to a weekly cap of $559 in 2011. Pregnancy is insured in exactly the same way as any other disabling condition. For a normal pregnancy, benefits are paid for up to 4 weeks before delivery, and 6 weeks after delivery. Benefits could be paid for a longer period of time if you deliver via c-section, or you experience a specific complication of pregnancy. Contact the state department of labor and workforce development to learn more or to submit a claim.
New Jersey Paid Family Leave
New Jersey paid family leave is funded and administered through the temporary disability insurance plan. The advantage calculations of two-thirds income replacement and a $559 cap apply here as well. It’s possible for you to assert paid family leave benefits to bond with your newborn baby during the first 12 months after the child’s birth. A bonding leave should be at least 7 days in length.
Keep in mind one essential point: 2/3 income replacing equals a 1/3 cut in pay. In case, your income exceeds $44,000 per year or $850 per week you hit the weekly cap and your pay cut will be more than one third. Make certain you budget properly.
NJ Family Medical Leave
The New Jersey family medical leave act supplements the federal law (FMLA), and provides a great distinction tremendously relevant to maternity leave situations – especially when pregnancy complications cause an extended leave from work before delivery. The federal FMLA implements to your own disability and/or the care of a sick family member and newborn child. The New Jersey law applies to the care of a newborn child and a sick family member completely.
Analyze a pregnancy complications scenario to understand the reason why this distinction is really significant. Let’s say you experience complications while your pregnancy and miss 12 weeks of work prior to your delivery. The federal FMLA provides for up to 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave in this period. The NJ law offers an additional 12 weeks of job-protected leave to care for your newborn after you deliver your baby. In this case, the two laws work in harmony to provide twenty-four months of job-protected leave.
Increase Your Maternity Benefit
24 weeks of job-protected leave with partial income replacement is far better than what most states provide. New Jersey is only one of two states with paid leave to bond with your baby, only one of five states with temporary disability coverage, and one of only ten states with the law supplementing the federal FMLA. But can you go 24 weeks with a one-third pay cut?
Before becoming pregnant, otherwise, buy short-term disability insurance. It’s going to help supply extra protection in case complications of pregnancy cause you to miss additional time from work, and raise your own level of maternity leave income.
Article publié pour la première fois le 26/09/2015