Federal and state laws give employees in New Jersey the right to take an unpaid leave of absence from work because of a serious health condition. If you take a medical leave pursuant to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), it is against the law for your employer to fire you or otherwise retaliate against you. In other words, your employer must allow you to return to your job after your FMLA leave is finished. FMLA also enables you to take an unpaid leave of absence to care for a family member with a serious health condition; qualifying family members include your spouse, your parents, and your spouse’s parents. You can also take FMLA leave to care for your newborn or newly adopted child.
New Jersey law also requires large employers to provide paid leave for employees diagnosed with temporary disabilities. During this leave, your employer must pay you two-thirds of your usual pay. Pregnancy is among the qualifying medical conditions for this kind of paid leave.