The Comprehensive Reimbursement and Duration of Leave Expansion Act, or CRADLE Act, seeks to enhance family leave insurance benefits and extend the duration of leave for child bonding in New Jersey. The bill recognizes the significance of comprehensive parental leave policies for family and child well-being, advocating for alignment with international standards that typically offer 26 to 52 weeks of leave. Key amendments include allowing employees to take up to 12 weeks of leave or the number of weeks for which they elect to take benefits, with provisions for paid, unpaid, or a combination of both leave. The act also introduces intermittent leave for serious health conditions or the birth/adoption of a child, while addressing employer conditions for denying leave, particularly in cases of economic hardship.

Additionally, the bill amends existing unemployment insurance laws, focusing on employer contribution rates based on their benefit experience and establishing separate accounts for each employer. It clarifies the charging of benefits against employer accounts and introduces a new rate structure for contributions, with adjustments based on the unemployment trust fund balance. The bill also modifies temporary disability benefits, increasing the weekly benefit rate for family temporary disability leave to 100% of the individual's average weekly wage for claims starting on or after July 1, 2026, and extends the maximum duration of family leave for bonding from 12 to 24 consecutive weeks. To support these changes, the bill includes provisions for adjusting tax rates for family leave insurance and mandates data collection on the impact of continuous child bonding leave.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 34:11B-4, 43:21-39, 43:21-40, 43:21-45.2