New Jersey has just released its Earned Sick Leave Notice for all employers to utilize in connection with the new Paid Sick Leave law. Employers will be required to allow up to 40 hours of Earned Sick Leave per year to qualified employees. The employees will be able to use this time for important matters such as a serious health condition of a family member or for legal proceedings in connection with domestic violence or sexual assault. The employer may choose to have the sick leave accrue over the benefit year (at a rate of 1 hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked) or the employer may choose to make all 40 hours available to the employee at the beginning of the benefit year. This Notice must be posted in a place frequented by employees (such as the break room or communal area) by October 29. Furthermore, this Notice must be distributed to all existing employees by November 29 and to all new employees at the time of hiring. The Notice requires an employer to input the benefit year so employees can have an easy reference to that information. If the benefit year changes, then the employer must re-furnish this form to employees (although there is no information yet on when that must happen by). Employers should immediately add this document to their New Hire Kit to ensure receipt by all new employees. The law is set to take effect on October 29.
Click here for the employer notice.