By: Connor Mason, Follow South Jersey Intern
SOUTH JERSEY – About four million workers and employees will save $223 million thanks to the state’s Temporary Disability Insurance and Family Leave Insurance program.
“While I’m glad our Temporary Disability and Family Leave funds are robust, thus resulting in a decrease to contribution rates, it also indicates that workers may be missing the opportunity to utilize these vital programs,” said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo in a press release. “We’re working with our partners in the community to increase awareness of these critical resources so workers know their rights and take the time they need and deserve to care for themselves and their families without risking their job or paycheck.”
For a while, the Disability Insurance and Family Leave insurance program was declining, mainly due to increasing fund balances. That all changed just this year, when NJDOL awarded $1.1 million dollars through its CARE act (Cultivating Access, Rights, and Equity) to many eligible workers in the state of New Jersey, which includes the Temporary Disability and Family Leave Insurance.
On July 1, 2020, Governor Phil Murphy had signed a bill expanding the program, which now workers will receive 85% of their weekly salary, and is now up to $993 per week. This allows any employee to work for more than one job as long as schedules don’t conflict, and to take care of a newborn child or any blood-related child.
In order to qualify for this program, the applicants must have made at least $240 a week for 20 base weeks or otherwise $12,000 during those weeks.
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