Employees in Ventnor City, NJ who are denied family leave or face retaliation for taking leave may have legal claims under the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA). Castronovo & McKinney, LLC represents workers whose employers violate family leave protections and works to hold employers accountable under New Jersey law.
Understanding Your Rights Under the NJFLA
The New Jersey Family Leave Act gives eligible employees up to 12 weeks of protected family leave during a 24-month period. The law applies to employers with 50 or more employees within a 75-mile radius.
Employees may qualify for leave to:
- Bond with a newborn child
- Bond with an adopted or foster child
- Care for a family member with a serious health condition
- Assist family members during certain public health emergencies
Employers are required to continue health insurance benefits during approved leave and must return employees to the same position or a comparable role after leave ends.
To qualify, employees generally must:
- Work for the employer for at least 12 months
- Complete at least 1,250 hours during the previous 12 months
Employees are typically required to provide advance notice before taking leave. However, emergencies and unexpected medical situations may shorten those notice requirements.
Family Members Covered Under the NJFLA
The NJFLA allows leave to care for:
- Children
- Parents
- Spouses
- Domestic partners
- Civil union partners
- Certain close family relationships recognized under New Jersey law
Unlike the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the NJFLA does not cover leave for an employee’s own medical condition.
Common NJFLA Violations by Employers
Employers in Ventnor City may violate the NJFLA by:
- Denying qualified employees protected leave
- Reducing or interfering with approved leave time
- Failing to restore employees to their previous position
- Retaliating against employees for requesting leave
- Using protected leave against employees in evaluations or disciplinary actions
- Incorrectly applying NJFLA and FMLA requirements
Retaliation can include demotions, reduced hours, disciplinary action, termination, or other negative treatment after requesting or taking leave.
Legal Representation for Family Leave Disputes in Ventnor City, NJ
Castronovo & McKinney, LLC represents employees in Ventnor City, NJ in disputes involving denied leave, retaliation, wrongful termination, and other NJFLA violations.
Depending on the circumstances, employees may be entitled to compensation for:
- Lost wages and benefits
- Emotional distress damages
- Reinstatement to their position
- Punitive damages in serious cases
- Attorney’s fees and litigation costs
Employees facing family leave disputes in Ventnor City should speak with an employment law attorney as soon as possible to protect their rights under New Jersey law.