This bill amends New Jersey laws concerning family leave and gestational carriers by expanding the definitions of "child" and "parent" to include those born through valid agreements with gestational carriers. It introduces provisions that allow employees to take family leave to care for individuals who are pregnant and recovering from childbirth, thereby acknowledging the importance of gestational carriers in family dynamics. Additionally, the bill lowers the employer threshold for providing family leave benefits from 50 to 30 employees, broadening access to these benefits, and includes specific provisions for leave during public health emergencies.

Furthermore, the bill modifies family temporary disability leave to include care for individuals who are intended to become parents through gestational carrier agreements. It ensures that average weekly wages for those on disability leave are computed fairly, taking into account earnings from all covered employers if standard calculations yield a lower result than the individual's average weekly earnings. The bill also clarifies that prior disability leave will be considered in determining the average weekly wage for family temporary disability leave, streamlining the transition between different types of leave. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

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