NJ State Leave

I can help I’m still on leave

Be careful. They over paid me by a lot when I was on temporary disability so now they say I have to repay thousands back to them and I won't receive any funds for the Family Bonding which I was supposed to. Since my credit is bad I filed bankruptcy to avoid the debt because they sent letters saying they would take me to court for not paying meanwhile at that time I was 3 weeks postpartum dealing with a colicky newborn so obviously not working

My husband is going through this same thing trying to get his leave through the state. It is such an annoying process he’s going to have to take off without pay at first I suppose

I used to work for that department, its VERY confusing. You can fill out the paperwork (online) 60 days in advance but i would suggest doing it 1 month ahead because you have to go back to the application and fill out some info within 14 days of starting the claim, then go back into the claim within 14 days of the actual start date to certify and and file your claim. Ive seen when claimants do it that way they do get their benefits processed quicker since the info is already in the system.

Prepare yourself. I didn’t get my leave pay until til I got back to work…5 months later 🤦🏾‍♀️ Thankfully my boss had warned me since she experienced something similar when she’d been on maternity leave years prior so I tried to save some money. Glad I did or we wouldn’t have been able to cover our rent for a couple months!

I filed for maternity leave a week pp, and now I’m 6 weeks pp. I’m still waiting for them to get back to me. I want to apply for the family bonding time as well, and I haven’t done so because they haven’t got back to me for the disability. It’s all extremely frustrating because they make us wait forever before hearing a response and our jobs don’t even know what’s going on. I’m still waiting for them to get back to me and then I still have to apply for family bonding time and wait all over again for that to approve. It’s just all ridiculous. But i am greatful we live in NJ because at the end of the day, at least we get leave right?

Why aren't you taking the 4 paid weeks before your due date? You're entitled to that and you can't get it back after baby is born. I would go on leave asap and file online asap. NJ is the only state that offers this, take advantage.

I was able to get the papers fill out when I was 35 weeks pregnant but couldn’t submit it due having to stay at the hospital for a week and then at 37 weeks I was induce once I was out of the hospital I gave my papers to my manager I could’ve submitted the papers as soon as they were ready I just had a lot going on but if you have your doctor fill out the form with the state you won’t receive anything till days later after giving birth

Hi!! I believe it’s similar in NJ state, NY has a paid leave policy that’s like 67% of your salary, that’s maternity, my job is paying me 100% paid for 3 months, but you still have to file with your insurance company, and then separately there is FMLA that’s 3 months unpaid, if you pay for disability that’s like 60% pay both have to be filed, once the case manager is assigned they will reach out to your job, it should be similar in NJ, fmla is job protection, if you don’t have short tram disability, your job will use your pto and you are entitled to up to 26 weeks in total of time off without retaliation.

I know it’s frustrating, between that and my stupid insurance it’s been a headache to get support

Some states have no paid leave policy but still have fmla

Also I was told to file now, I’m 31 weeks and that I’ll have a decision in 10 days, I dk why they’re saying file after birth

@Niasia thanks for the info. I did try to start the application but since I don’t have a concrete start date I wasn’t able to continue the form, and the info didn’t save. It’s such a silly process.

@Anela I hope that works for you. I was told I cannot file until I start my leave or within 30 days after.

@Anela the timing must be a NY thing I also don’t qualify for FMLA. I’m finding out my max is 12 weeks for family leave and 4 for disability. I wish I could get 26 weeks!

@Bethany 4 paid weeks from who?? I want to use all the time I can get while baby is here. I am not aware of any paid time off before hand b

@Ari wow that is insane. This is exactly what I’m scared of and it’s just the last thing we want to be focusing on on top of everything else post partum. I hope it all works out for you. It’s nice we have it but does the system actually work and provide?! Only time will tell.

@Thalia oh no!! This is exactly what I am dreading. Glad I’m not the only one dealing with this but sheesh that is unfair.

@Cassie for NJ??!

@Anela yes

@Cassie is it because your company doesn’t provide paid leave? For NY it’s either the company or the state that provides 12 weeks, and fmla is 12 weeks, but I thought the 12 weeks was the same in every my state??!

@Anela no every state is different. I don’t qualify for fmla.

Nj.gov says 12 weeks fmla if you have worked for employer for at least 12 months, and that’s not just for a baby that’s if someone wants to care for their parent etc.

If you don’t qualify I hope you get paid leave at least? I dk how anyone can do this without recovery time. 6 months for me is still not enough time I feel, plus to put a little baby into daycare and pay your entire salary is what’s wrong with America.

@Anela I know. As I mentioned I don’t qualify for fmla. Not worried about that part.

@Anela there are other qualifying parameters as well.

I filled out my paperwork 2 Weeks before I was sure because I still had two pay periods of deposit from working. It’s took about 3 before I got my first payment for leave you now I’m doing bonding time. FYI if your able to bonding time take it consecutively so you can claim For the full time. If you split it up you will only to be able To claim only for A week or Two

If you live and work in NJ you qualify for 4 paid weeks before your due date, 6 to 8 weeks after birth for disability, and 12 weeks paid family bonding all at 85% of your salary. Your HR isn't giving you enough information. https://www.nj.gov/labor/myleavebenefits/worker/maternity/timeline-tool.shtml#:~:text=Prep%20for%20delivery,-Typically%204%20weeks&text=Maternity%20leave%20benefits%20can%20typically,working%20before%20the%20baby's%20birth?&text=Please%20specify%20if/when%20you,Please%20enter%20a%20valid%20date.

@Bethany thanks for the info. My company doesnt pay into temproray disability, so that 4 weeks before birth is not an option for me. I qualify for disability after birth through state taxes. Glad I wasn’t missing something truly available to me.

@Bethany thanks for the link. Never came across that timeline tool on the state website.

@Cassie does your company have less than 50 employees

@Bethany okay maybe I am reading it all wrong. My HR department is definitely not aware of the process. I am the first person in my company to use maternity leave in recent years.

My sister is a contract lawyer, it is state law that you can get up to 4 weeks before. The way I understand it, your doctor has to say you can’t work at your capacity. With only a few exceptions your company doesn’t get to choose not to allow leave for short term and bonding time. The state is paying you.

@Rebecca thanks for the info. luckily I’ve been able to work and at this point I’m just waiting it out but wish I knew more earlier. My company definitely needs to learn about the process more but it’s on me for listening to them and not calling the state to confirm.

If you plan on working until you give birth, then you’ll get 6 weeks of disability for a vaginal birth or 8 weeks of disability for a C-section starting on the date of birth. Once you’re through disability, you get 12 weeks of bonding time…so 18-20 weeks paid by the state. You can start the application ahead of time and finish/submit it after you’ve given birth, which is what I did. The application didn’t take long, but the review process takes awhile. I didn’t receive the payment until my disability period was over, so it took 5-6 weeks. The state will send a letter with a code to use to submit your bonding application, which was much quicker since they have your disability paperwork. Good luck!

Interesting! NY is 12 weeks paid leave and 12 weeks fmla