If your New Jersey employee handbook makes references to the Spice Girls, scrunchies or this new thing called the World Wide Web, it is very likely time for an update.
The Garden State’s employment law landscape has undergone significant changes in just the past year or so, including revisions of our state’s Family Leave Act, Family Leave Insurance Benefits law, the Law Against Discrimination and the Security And Financial Empowerment Act, the Wage Payment Law, the Equal Pay Act and the New Jersey State Wage and Hour Law among others. The shifting legal landscape makes it crucial that your employment policies are regularly revised to ensure compliance.
Some of the changes to New Jersey employment law include the following:
- As of June 30, the Family Leave Act extended the right to workers to 12 weeks of family leave in a 24-month period without losing their jobs to those working for employers with 30 or more employees (down from the previous 50).
- The changes to family leave included a broadening of the definition of “family member,” enabling workers to take time off to care for siblings, grandparents, grandchildren and others.
- Employers can no longer require that workers use up to two weeks of paid time off during family leave.
- Paid time-off benefits are now available in cases of domestic violence and sexual violence.
- Anti-retaliation provisions have been expanded, preventing employers from discriminating/retaliating against who ask for or receive Temporary Disability Insurance benefits or Family Leave Insurance benefits.
- Under the revised Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, employees and job applicants who use medical marijuana away from work and during their off-hours are now protected from discrimination.
If your employee handbook does not reflect these changes and others, contact a Morristown attorney who knows the law and how to ensure that you and your company are in compliance.
