Castronovo & McKinney, LLC represents employees in Weymouth Township, NJ who have been denied family leave or experienced retaliation for exercising their rights. Our attorneys help workers enforce protections under the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA) and pursue legal action against employers that violate state law.
Protecting Your Rights Under the NJFLA
The New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA) allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of job-protected family leave during a 24-month period. The law applies to employers that meet New Jersey’s coverage requirements and is designed to protect employees who need time away from work for qualifying family reasons.
Eligible employees may use NJFLA leave to:
- Bond with a newborn, adopted child, or foster child within one year of placement.
- Care for a spouse, child, parent, domestic partner, or other qualifying family member with a serious health condition.
- Provide care or assistance to a family member during certain public health emergencies.
While on approved NJFLA leave, eligible employees are entitled to continued health insurance coverage and must generally be restored to the same or a substantially equivalent position upon returning to work.
To qualify, employees must generally have worked for their employer for at least 12 months and completed 1,250 hours of service during the previous 12 months. Advance notice is typically required—30 days for childbirth or adoption and 15 days when caring for a family member—but exceptions may apply in emergencies or unforeseen circumstances. Employers cannot lawfully deny qualified leave requests or retaliate against employees for using protected leave.
It is important to understand that the NJFLA does not cover an employee’s own serious medical condition. That type of leave may instead be protected under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), depending on the circumstances.
Common NJFLA Violations
Employers may violate the NJFLA by:
- Wrongfully denying eligible family leave requests.
- Requiring employees to return before approved leave has ended.
- Demoting, disciplining, or terminating employees for taking protected leave.
- Using family leave as a negative factor in evaluations, promotions, or other employment decisions.
- Misapplying or confusing NJFLA and FMLA requirements, resulting in employees being denied protections available under New Jersey law.
How Castronovo & McKinney, LLC Can Help
If your employer denied your NJFLA leave, interfered with your rights, or retaliated against you for taking protected family leave, Castronovo & McKinney, LLC can evaluate your claim and pursue the compensation you may be entitled to recover. Depending on the facts of your case, you may be able to seek damages for lost wages, lost benefits, emotional distress, attorney’s fees, court costs, and, in appropriate cases, punitive damages.
Employees in Weymouth Township, NJ who are dealing with family leave disputes can rely on Castronovo & McKinney, LLC for experienced legal representation. We are committed to protecting your rights under New Jersey law and holding employers accountable when they unlawfully interfere with protected family leave.
