New Jersey Workers at Small Companies Could Soon Get New Family Leave Protections
New Jersey workers at small companies may soon have new protections when it comes to family leave. Currently, the Family Leave Act guarantees job safety for employees in workplaces with at least 30 employees. However, a new measure being considered by the Assembly would expand this law to include smaller companies and establishments.
If approved, the updated law would guarantee employment reinstatement for workers taking family leave in companies with 20 or more employees. After one year, this guarantee would extend to companies with 10 or more workers, and then 12 months later, the threshold would be reduced to just 5 employees.
While this legislation is seen as a matter of fairness by some, New Jersey’s largest business group, the New Jersey Business and Industry Association, is not pleased. Elissa Frank, the association’s vice president of government affairs, argues that this law would be especially detrimental to small businesses. Holding a job open while an employee is on leave would be “unmanageable,” she says. Frank also points out that if a temporary worker is brought in to cover while an employee is on leave and turns out to be a good fit, the company won’t be able to retain them permanently under the new update.
Eric Richard, the legislative director for the New Jersey AFL-CIO, disagrees with this view. He argues that modifying the Family Leave Act to cover employees in smaller companies is a matter of fairness. Richard emphasizes that every employee pays for this benefit through a payroll deduction and it doesn’t make sense that approximately 1.5 million workers in smaller companies in the state don’t have job protection if they need to take family leave.
The proposed law would give employees in smaller companies legal recourse if they lose their job because they went on family leave. However, opponents like Elissa Frank argue that this could bankrupt micro-businesses. Frank also points out that the Temporary Workers Bill of Rights, which requires employers to pay temporary workers the same salary as the permanent employee who is on leave, further complicates the situation.
Eric Richard, on the other hand, wants to make it clear that this bill does not extend the paid family leave program to anyone, it simply protects their job if they choose to use the benefit. Richard believes that workers shouldn’t have to choose between caring for their loved ones and keeping their job. He also notes that many small business owners have said they are already accommodating employees who need time off for family leave.
The legislation still needs to be approved by the state Senate Labor Committee before it can be put up for a vote in the full Upper House.
Analyst comment
Positive news: New Jersey workers at small companies could soon have new protections for family leave. If approved, the law would guarantee employment reinstatement for workers taking family leave in companies with 20 or more employees, eventually extending to smaller companies. This is seen as a matter of fairness and advocates argue that workers shouldn’t have to choose between caring for loved ones and keeping their job.
Market impact: The market impact of this news is likely to be neutral. While small businesses may find it challenging to hold job positions open during family leave, this legislation aims to provide necessary protections for workers. Overall, it may lead to increased job security for employees in smaller companies.
