This bill amends New Jersey law to expand the definition of "family leave" to include leave taken due to the death of a child or the miscarriage or stillbirth of a child. It specifies that employees affected by these events are entitled to family leave, which now encompasses time taken to grieve. The bill also states that when certification is required for leave related to these circumstances, it need only indicate the date of the event. Additionally, it ensures that employees are entitled to 12 weeks of leave within any 24-month period, with provisions for intermittent leave, while clarifying the conditions for taking family leave, including advance notice to employers and options for paid or unpaid leave.

Moreover, the bill modifies the New Jersey Family Leave Act and the Temporary Disability Benefits Law to allow employees to take family temporary disability leave specifically for grieving the loss of a child due to miscarriage or stillbirth. This leave applies to biological parents and those under valid gestational carrier agreements. The bill also includes technical amendments to existing definitions and provisions, clarifying the definition of "covered individual" and the role of the Division of Temporary Disability and Family Leave Insurance. It further expands the definition of "family temporary disability leave" to include care for family members during public health emergencies and specifies that the period of disability for family leave begins at the start of the individual's own disability period.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 34:11B-3, 34:11B-4, 43:21-27