HR News Item

On October 29, 2018, the New Jersey Earned Sick Leave Law went into effect.

This new law:

1. Expands Employees' Ability to Use Sick Leave
   1. Employees may continue to use and will accrue paid sick time in accordance with University Policies and the terms of any applicable collective negotiations agreements.
   2. Effective October 29, 2018, employees may use up to forty (40) hours of this accrued paid sick time per fiscal year for their or their family member's medical condition or preventive care, incidents of domestic or sexual violence, due to a public health emergency that results in the closure of the employee's workplace or employee's child's school or daycare, and/or to attend a school meeting or function related to the employee's child.
   3. Employees who wish to use this paid sick time for such reasons must notify their supervisors that they wish to designate their absence as "New Jersey Earned Sick Leave" time.
2. Provides Sick Leave Benefits to Those Employees Who in the Past Did Not Have Sick Leave Benefits
   1. Casual Employees and Student Workers
      1. On October 29, 2018, casual employees and student workers began accruing one (1) hour of paid sick time for every thirty (30) hours worked, up to a total of forty (40) hours per fiscal year.
      2. Effective February 26, 2019, these employees who have been employed by Rutgers for at least 120 calendar days may begin to use up to forty (40) hours of accrued paid sick time per fiscal year for their or their family member's medical condition or preventive care, incidents of domestic or sexual violence, due to a public health emergency that results in the closure of the employee's workplace or employee's child's school or daycare, and/or to attend a school meeting or function related to the employee's child.
      3. Casual employees and student workers who begin employment after October 29, 2018 will begin accruing sick leave upon hire and will be eligible to use up to forty (40) hours of this sick time per fiscal year for the
         above reasons after 120 calendar days of employment.
         
         
   2. Salaried/Non-Hourly Employees Who Do Not Currently Accrue Paid Sick Time
      1. Effective July 1, 2019, these employees will be advanced paid sick time in accordance with the Law at the beginning of each fiscal year (July 1st of each year).
      2. These employees will be able to use this paid sick time immediately upon receipt as long as they have been employed for at least 120 calendar days as of July 1.
      3. Employees who have not yet worked for Rutgers for 120 calendar days by July 1 will be advanced paid sick leave on July 1, which cannot be used until they have completed 120 calendar days of employment.
      4. Employees who begin work on a date after July 1 will be advanced paid sick leave upon commencement of employment to be used after 120 calendar days of employment.
      5. An employee may use up to forty (40) hours of this sick time per fiscal year for their or their family member's medical condition or preventive care, incidents of domestic or sexual violence, due to a public health emergency that  results in the closure of the employee's workplace or employee's child's school or daycare, and/or attend a school meeting or function related to the employee's child.

Employees with questions regarding NJ Earned Sick Leave, should contact  for additional information. 

 NJ Earned Sick Leave Law

Source: Employee Rights and Responsibilities (UHR)