Sponsored by:
Senator JIM WHELAN
District 2 (Atlantic)
Senator LINDA R. GREENSTEIN
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Concerns eligibility for certain leave and benefit programs.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning eligibility for certain leave and benefits and amending P.L.1989, c.261, P.L.2013, c.82, and P.L.1948, c.110.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 3 of P.L.1989, c.261 (C.34:11B-3) is amended to read as follows:
3. As used in this act:
a. "Child" means a biological, adopted, or resource family child, stepchild, legal ward, or child of a parent who is
(1) under 18 years of age; or
(2) 18 years of age or older but incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical impairment.
b. "Director" means the Director of the Division on Civil Rights.
c. "Division" means the Division on Civil Rights in the Department of Law and Public Safety.
d. "Employ" means to suffer or permit to work for compensation, and includes ongoing, contractual relationships in which the employer retains substantial direct or indirect control over the employee's employment opportunities or terms and conditions of employment.
e. "Employee" means a person who is employed for at least 12 months by an employer, with respect to whom benefits are sought under this act, for not less than 1,000 base hours during the immediately preceding 12-month period. Any time, up to a maximum of 90 calendar days, during which a person is laid off or furloughed by an employer due to that employer curtailing operations because of a state of emergency declared after October 22, 2012, shall be regarded as time in which the person is employed for the purpose of determining eligibility for leave time under this act. In making the determination, the base hours per week during the layoff or furlough shall be deemed to be the same as the average number of hours worked per week during the rest of the 12-month period.
f. "Employer" means a person or corporation, partnership, individual proprietorship, joint venture, firm or company or other similar legal entity which engages the services of an employee and which:
(1) With respect to the period of time from the effective date of this act until the 365th day following the effective date of this act, employs 100 or more employees for each working day during each of 20 or more calendar workweeks in the then current or immediately preceding calendar year;
(2) With respect to the period of time from the 366th day following the effective date of this act until the 1,095th day following the effective date of this act, employs 75 or more employees for each working day during each of 20 or more calendar workweeks in the then current or immediately preceding calendar year; and
(3) With respect to any time after the 1,095th day following the effective date of this act, employs 50 or more employees for each working day during each of 20 or more calendar workweeks in the then current or immediately preceding calendar year. "Employer" includes the State, any political subdivision thereof, and all public offices, agencies, boards or bodies.
g. "Employment benefits" means all benefits and policies provided or made available to employees by an employer, and includes group life insurance, health insurance, disability insurance, sick leave, annual leave, pensions, or other similar benefits.
h. "Parent" means a person who is the biological parent, adoptive parent, resource family parent, step-parent, parent-in-law or legal guardian, having a "parent-child relationship" with a child as defined by law, or having sole or joint legal or physical custody, care, guardianship, or visitation with a child.
i. "Family leave" means leave from employment so that the employee may provide care made necessary by reason of:
(1) the birth of a child of the employee;
(2) the placement of a child with the employee in connection with adoption of such child by the employee; or
(3) the serious health condition of a family member of the employee.
j. "Family member" means a child, parent, spouse, or one partner in a civil union couple.
k. "Reduced leave schedule" means leave scheduled for fewer than an employee's usual number of hours worked per workweek but not for fewer than an employee's usual number of hours worked per workday, unless agreed to by the employee and the employer.
l. "Serious health condition" means an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition which requires:
(1) inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical care facility; or
(2) continuing medical treatment or continuing supervision by a health care provider.
m. "State of emergency" means a natural or man-made disaster or emergency for which a state of emergency has been declared by the President of the United States or the Governor, or for which a state of emergency has been declared by a municipal emergency management coordinator.
(cf: P.L.2006, c.103, s.89)
2. Section 2 of P.L.2013, c.82 (C.34:11C-2) is amended to read as follows:
2. As used in this act:
"Employee" means a person who is employed for at least 12 months by an employer, with respect to whom benefits are sought under this act, for not less than 1,000 base hours during the immediately preceding 12-month period. Any time, up to a maximum of 90 calendar days, during which a person is laid off or furloughed by an employer due to that employer curtailing operations because of a state of emergency declared after October 22, 2012, shall be regarded as time in which the person is employed for the purpose of determining eligibility for leave time under this act. In making the determination, the base hours per week during the layoff or furlough shall be deemed to be the same as the average number of hours worked per week during the rest of the 12-month period.[; and]
"Employer" means a person or corporation, partnership, individual proprietorship, joint venture, firm or company, or other similar legal entity which engages the services of an employee and employs 25 or more employees for each working day during each of 20 or more calendar workweeks in the then current or immediately preceding calendar year. "Employer" includes the State, any political subdivision thereof, and all public offices, agencies, boards, or bodies.
"State of emergency" means a natural or man-made disaster or emergency for which a state of emergency has been declared by the President of the United States or the Governor, or for which a state of emergency has been declared by a municipal emergency management coordinator.
(cf: P.L.2013, c.82, s.2)
3. Section 3 of P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-27) is amended to read as follows:
3. As used in this act, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
(a) (1) "Covered employer" means, with respect to whether an employer is required to provide benefits during an employee's own disability pursuant to P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-25 et al.), any individual or type of organization, including any partnership, association, trust, estate, joint-stock company, insurance company or corporation, whether domestic or foreign, or the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, trustee or successor thereof, or the legal representative of a deceased person, who is an employer subject to the "unemployment compensation law" (R.S.43:21-1 et seq.), except the State, its political subdivisions, and any instrumentality of the State unless such governmental entity elects to become a covered employer pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection (a); provided, however, that commencing with the effective date of this act, the State of New Jersey, including Rutgers, The State University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology, shall be deemed a covered employer, as defined herein.
"Covered employer" means, after June 30, 2009, with respect to whether the employer is an employer whose employees are eligible for benefits during periods of family temporary disability leave pursuant to P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-25 et al.), and, after December 31, 2008, whether employees of the employer are required to make contributions pursuant to R.S.43:21-7(d)(1)(G)(ii), any individual or type of organization, including any partnership, association, trust, estate, joint-stock company, insurance company or domestic or foreign corporation, or the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, trustee or successor thereof, or the legal representative of a deceased person, who is an employer subject to the "unemployment compensation law" (R.S.43:21-1 et seq.), including any governmental entity or instrumentality which is an employer under R.S.43:21-19(h)(5), notwithstanding that the governmental entity or instrumentality has not elected to be a covered employer pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection (a).
(2) Any governmental entity or instrumentality which is an employer under R.S.43:21-19(h)(5) may, with respect to the provision of benefits during an employee's own disability pursuant to P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-25 et al.), elect to become a "covered employer" under this subsection beginning with the date on which its coverage under R.S.43:21-19(h)(5) begins or as of January 1 of any year thereafter by filing written notice of such election with the division within at least 30 days of the effective date. Such election shall remain in effect for at least two full calendar years and may be terminated as of January 1 of any year thereafter by filing with the division a written notice of termination at least 30 days prior to the termination date.
(b) (1) "Covered individual" means, with respect to whether an individual is eligible for benefits during an individual's own disability pursuant to P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-25 et al.), any person who is in employment, as defined in the "unemployment compensation law" (R.S.43:21-1 et seq.), for which the individual is entitled to remuneration from a covered employer, or who has been out of such employment for less than two weeks, except that a "covered individual" who is employed by the State of New Jersey, including Rutgers, The State University or the New Jersey Institute of Technology, or by any governmental entity or instrumentality which elects to become a "covered employer" pursuant to this amendatory act, shall not be eligible to receive any benefits under the "Temporary Disability Benefits Law" until such individual has exhausted all sick leave accumulated as an employee in the classified service of the State or accumulated under terms and conditions similar to classified employees or accumulated under the terms and conditions pursuant to the laws of this State or as the result of a negotiated contract with any governmental entity or instrumentality which elects to become a "covered employer."
"Covered individual" shall not mean, with respect to whether an individual is eligible for benefits during an individual's own disability pursuant to P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-25 et al.), any member of the Division of State Police in the Department of Law and Public Safety.
(2) "Covered individual" means, with respect to whether an individual is eligible for benefits during the individual's period of family temporary disability leave pursuant to P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-25 et al.), any individual who is in employment, as defined in the "unemployment compensation law" (R.S.43:21-1 et seq.), for which the individual is entitled to remuneration from a covered employer, or who has been out of that employment for less than two weeks.
(c) "Division" or "commission" means the Division of Temporary Disability Insurance of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and any transaction or exercise of authority by the director of the division shall be deemed to be performed by the division.
(d) "Day" shall mean a full calendar day beginning and ending at midnight.
(e) "Disability" shall mean such disability as is compensable under section 5 of P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-29).
(f) "Disability benefits" shall mean any cash payments which are payable to a covered individual for all or part of a period of disability pursuant to P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-25 et al.).
(g) "Period of disability" with respect to any covered individual shall mean:
(1) The entire period of time during which the covered individual is continuously and totally unable to perform the duties of the covered individual's employment because of the covered individual's own disability, except that two periods of disability due to the same or related cause or condition and separated by a period of not more than 14 days shall be considered as one continuous period of disability; provided the individual has earned wages during such 14-day period with the employer who was the individual's last employer immediately preceding the first period of disability; and
(2) On or after July 1, 2009, the entire period of family temporary disability leave taken from employment by the covered individual.
(h) "Wages" shall mean all compensation payable by covered employers to covered individuals for personal services, including commissions and bonuses and the cash value of all compensation payable in any medium other than cash.
(i) (1) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2001, c.17).
(2) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2001, c.17).
(3) ["Base week" with respect to periods of disability commencing on or after October 1, 1985 and before January 1, 2001, means any calendar week during which a covered individual earned in employment from a covered employer remuneration equal to not less than 20% of the Statewide average weekly wage determined under subsection (c) of R.S.43:21-3, which shall be adjusted to the next higher multiple of $1.00 if not already a multiple thereof] (Deleted by amendment, P.L. , c. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
(4) "Base week" with respect to periods of disability commencing on or after January 1, 2001, means any calendar week of a covered individual's base year during which the covered individual earned in employment from a covered employer remuneration not less than an amount 20 times the minimum wage in effect pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a4) on October 1 of the calendar year preceding the calendar year in which the benefit year commences, which amount shall be adjusted to the next higher multiple of $1.00 if not already a multiple thereof, except that if in any calendar week an individual subject to this paragraph is in employment with more than one employer, the covered individual may in that calendar week establish a base week with respect to each of the employers from whom the covered individual earns remuneration equal to not less than the amount defined in this paragraph during that week.
(5) In the case of an individual who is laid off or furloughed by an employer curtailing operations because of a state of emergency declared after October 22, 2012, any week in which the individual is separated from employment due to that layoff or furlough, up to a maximum of 13 weeks, shall be regarded as a week which is a "base week" for the purpose of determining whether the individual becomes eligible for benefits pursuant to subsections (d) or (e) of Section 17 of P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-41), but shall not be regarded as a base week when calculating the "average weekly wage" pursuant to subsection (j) of this section.
(j) (1) "Average weekly wage" means the amount derived by dividing a covered individual's total wages earned from the individual's most recent covered employer during the base weeks in the eight calendar weeks immediately preceding the calendar week in which a period of disability commenced, by the number of such base weeks.
(2) If the computation in paragraph (1) of this subsection (j) yields a result which is less than the individual's average weekly earnings in employment with all covered employers during the base weeks in such eight calendar weeks, then the average weekly wage shall be computed on the basis of earnings from all covered employers during the base weeks in the eight calendar weeks immediately preceding the week in which the period of disability commenced.
(3) For periods of disability commencing on or after July 1, 2009, if the computations in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection (j) both yield a result which is less than the individual's average weekly earnings in employment with all covered employers during the base weeks in the 26 calendar weeks immediately preceding the week in which the period of disability commenced, then the average weekly wage shall, upon a written request to the department by the individual on a form provided by the department, be computed by the department on the basis of earnings from all covered employers of the individual during the base weeks in those 26 calendar weeks, and, in the case of a claim for benefits from a private plan, that computation of the average weekly wage shall be provided by the department to the individual and the individual's employer.
When determining the "average weekly wage" with respect to a period of family temporary disability leave for an individual who has a period of family temporary disability immediately after the individual has a period of disability for the individual's own disability, the period of disability is deemed to have commenced at the beginning of the period of disability for the individual's own disability, not the period of family temporary disability.
(k) "Child" means a biological, adopted, or foster child, stepchild or legal ward of a covered individual, child of a domestic partner of the covered individual, or child of a civil union partner of the covered individual, who is less than 19 years of age or is 19 years of age or older but incapable of self-care because of mental or physical impairment.
(l) "Domestic partner" means a domestic partner as defined in section 3 of P.L.2003, c.246 (C.26:8A-3).
(m) "Civil union" means a civil union as defined in section 2 of P.L.2006, c.103 (C.37:1-29).
(n) "Family member" means a child, spouse, domestic partner, civil union partner or parent of a covered individual.
(o) "Family temporary disability leave" means leave taken by a covered individual from work with an employer to (1) participate in the providing of care, as defined in the "Family Leave Act," P.L.1989, c.261 (C.34:11B-1 et seq.) and regulations adopted pursuant to that act, for a family member of the individual made necessary by a serious health condition of the family member; or (2) be with a child during the first 12 months after the child's birth, if the individual, or the domestic partner or civil union partner of the individual, is a biological parent of the child, or the first 12 months after the placement of the child for adoption with the individual. "Family temporary disability leave" does not include any period of time in which a covered individual is paid benefits pursuant to P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-25 et al.) because the individual is unable to perform the duties of the individual's employment due to the individual's own disability.
(p) "Health care provider" means a health care provider as defined in the "Family Leave Act," P.L.1989, c.261 (C.34:11B-1 et seq.), and any regulations adopted pursuant to that act.
(q) "Parent of a covered individual" means a biological parent, foster parent, adoptive parent, or stepparent of the covered individual or a person who was a legal guardian of the covered individual when the covered individual was a child.
(r) "Placement for adoption" means the time when a covered individual adopts a child or becomes responsible for a child pending adoption by the covered individual.
(s) "Serious health condition" means an illness, injury, impairment or physical or mental condition which requires: inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical care facility; or continuing medical treatment or continuing supervision by a health care provider.
(t) "12-month period" means, with respect to an individual who establishes a valid claim for disability benefits during a period of family temporary disability leave, the 365 consecutive days that begin with the first day that the individual first establishes the claim.
(u) "State of emergency" means a natural or man-made disaster or emergency for which a state of emergency has been declared by the President of the United States or the Governor, or for which a state of emergency has been declared by a municipal emergency management coordinator.
(cf: P.L.2012, c.45, s.125)
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill helps to maintain eligibility for workers who may otherwise lose eligibility for certain leave and benefits due to loss of employment during a disaster or emergency for which a state of emergency is declared. The bill's provisions apply to eligibility determinations for leave under the "Family Leave Act," P.L.1989, c.261 (C.34:11B-1 et seq.) ("FLA") and under the "New Jersey Security and Financial Empowerment Act," P.L.2013, c.82 (C.34:11C-1) ("SAFE Act"), and eligibility determinations for temporary disability insurance ("TDI") benefits under the "Temporary Disability Benefits Law," P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-25 et al.), and family leave insurance ("FLI") benefits under P.L.2008, c.17 (C.43:21-39.1 et al.).
Currently, a worker is not eligible for leave under the FLA or SAFE Act unless employed at least 1,000 hours during the preceding year, and is not eligible for TDI or FLI benefits unless establishing at least 20 "base weeks" (with pay each week at least 20 times the minimum wage), or earning a total of 1,000 times the minimum wage, during the preceding year. The bill provides that, in the case of an individual who is laid off or furloughed by an employer curtailing operations because of a state of emergency declared after October 22, 2012, any time in which the individual is separated from employment (up to a maximum of 90 calendar days for the FLA or the SAFE Act, and up to 13 weeks under the TDI or FLI laws) is regarded as time in which the individual is employed for the purpose of determining whether the individual is eligible for leave under the FLA or the SAFE Act, or benefits under the TDI or FLI laws.