New Jersey Temporary Disability Benefits (TDB) and Family Leave Insurance (FLI)

Most New Jersey employers subject to the provisions of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) are also subject to NJ TDB law and are required to provide coverages for their employees working in NJ. There are some employment classes considered exempt from Unemployment Compensation Coverage and likewise are exempt from the coverage requirements under NJ TDB law. Please refer to the NJ DOL Employer Handbook on the state website for more details on Exempt Employment. 

To be eligible for TDB or FLI, a worker must have paid into the program through their employer and meet the minimum gross earnings requirements.

In 2025, a worker must have worked 20 weeks earning at least $303 weekly, or have earned a combined total of $15,200 in what is called a “base year”. 

The base year is defined as the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters prior to the start of a claim. The wages earned during the base year will determine the weekly benefits that a worker is eligible to receive. For example: If an employee filed a claim on January 1, 2025, their base year is October 1, 2023-September 30, 2024.

For quick reference, use the chart below to help you understand the base year period that will be used to calculate the weekly benefit based on when the claim began:

NJ Temporary Disability Benefits (TDB) provides partial wage replacement to eligible employees who suffer from their own non-work-related injury, illness, or other disability, including pregnancy. TDB benefits are available to most New Jersey workers with the exception of federal government employees, out of state employees, and select exempt employment classes. 

Benefit provisions for 2025: 

• Weekly benefit -

  • 85% of employee’s average weekly wage up to a maximum of $1,081 per week.

• Benefit duration - The lesser of 26 weeks times the weekly benefit or one-third of the total wages paid to the claimant during the base year.

• Waiting period - None for organ or bone marrow donation, benefits begin on first day of leave. Seven calendar days for accident or illness, benefits begin on the eighth day. However, if disability extends beyond three consecutive weeks, the employee is paid for those initial seven days.

• Maximum employee contribution rate - 0.23% of the employee’s covered wages during the calendar year, up to the annual maximum of $380.42.

• Taxable wage base maximum for employee contributions - $165,400

• Taxable wage base maximum for employer contributions - $43,300

FLI provides eligible workers with paid time off to bond with a newborn, a newly adopted child, a recently placed foster child, or to care for a family member with a serious health condition who is unable to care for themselves. Workers can collect FLI benefits for a maximum of 12 weeks (56 days) in a 12-month period. The same covered employer and employee eligibility requirements for NJ TDB benefits apply to NJ FLI benefits.

Benefit provisions for 2025:

• Weekly benefit -

  • 85% of employee’s average weekly wage up to a maximum of $1,081 per week.

• Benefit duration – 

  • 12 weeks or 56 days for intermittent leaves

• Waiting period - No waiting period

• Maximum employee contribution rate - 0.33% of the employee’s covered wages during the calendar year, up to the annual maximum of $545.82.

• Taxable wage base maximum for employee contributions - $165,400

• Taxable wage base maximum for employer contributions - $43,300

Under NJ TDB law, covered employers have the option to choose how to provide both the NJ TDB and NJ FLI state-mandated coverages to their employees. An employer can choose to provide one or both coverages through the state administered plan, or can choose to provide the coverage(s) through a private plan instead.

The private plan may be self-insured (meaning the plan is funded by the employer itself), or fully insured (meaning the plan is provided through a licensed and approved insurance company or through a union welfare fund). All private plans must be approved by the NJ State Division of Temporary Disability Insurance, Private Plan Operations. Private plans must offer at least the same benefit provisions as the state plan. Benefit provisions are dictated by the state and are subject to change annually. 

Guardian is currently licensed and approved to provide a fully insured Temporary Disability Benefits (TDB) coverage in New Jersey. We do not offer Family Leave Insurance (FLI) coverage at this time.

For more details, visit the state of New Jersey’s Division of Temporary Disability and Family Leave Insurance website.

• NJTDB Benefit Provisions - 2025 (coming soon)

• NJTDB Program 2025 vs 2024 Benefit Provisions Comparison (coming soon)

• NJ DOL - Temporary Disability and Family Leave Insurance

• NJ DOL COVID-19 Resources for NJ Workers

• NJ Temporary Disability Benefits Website

• Educate yourself and your administrative teams on the laws concerning paid family leave and temporary disability benefit changes and employer requirements.

• Consult with your payroll department and/or payroll vendor to confirm it's prepared to update the payroll system to properly administer the appropriate payroll deductions for both TDB and FLI as dictated by the state for each calendar year. As the employer, you're responsible to ensure the correct employee deductions are applied, per the state guidance.   

• Update your current company leave policies/employee handbooks to reflect the updated NJ state mandated benefit provisions.

• Advise your employees of the updated benefit provisions and inform them of their updated payroll deduction rate for these benefits.