What You Need to Know

• More Employers Covered: Starting July 2026, employers with as few as 15 employees will be covered, phasing down to five employees by 2028, bringing many small and mid-sized businesses under the New Jersey Family Leave Act for the first time.
• Lower Employee Eligibility Threshold: The minimum employment period drops from 12 months to three months, and required hours worked decreases from 1,000 to 250, making far more employees eligible for protected leave.
• New Job Restoration Rights: Employers must now restore employees who take temporary disability or family leave insurance benefits to the same or an equivalent position.

On January 16, 2026, outgoing New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law Assembly Bill 3451 (A3451), which significantly expands the coverage of the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA) by bringing many more employers and employees within its reach.

While the law does not take effect until July 17, 2026, its impact will be substantial, particularly for small and mid-sized employers that were previously exempt. Now is the time for employers to understand what has changed and begin preparing.

The Current NJFLA Landscape

Under the NJFLA, eligible employees are entitled to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave during a 24-month period for qualifying family-related reasons. Currently, the law applies to employees who work for an employer with 30 or more employees worldwide, provided the employee has been employed for...

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