LOST IN A MAZE OF FAMILY LEAVE LEGISLATION?

HERE'S A MAP

Trying to navigate state-by-state family and medical leave rules can leave even the most seasoned, agile HR team scratching their heads. (And now, if you employ 15 or more people and any of them work in New Jersey, you'll want to download our checklist to prepare for new rules in effect July 17.)

THE LANDSCAPE

Family leave in the United States is a patchwork of policies. If you have employees in more than one state (sometimes more than one county), it can be a nightmare for your employee handbook, for anyone who has to administer programs and payroll, and for managers who may not understand the state-by-state variations.

Only 14 states (and D.C.) currently require paid family leave. Seven more states have created systems for employers to opt in (with two more on the way). And many companies offer it privately.

However, there is little in common among the programs. Each has its own eligibility rules, payment percentages, and math challenges like, "$19,200 -OR- total wages ≥$6,400 AND $3,200 in one base quarter AND total wages ≥1.5x highest quarter of earnings." (Thanks, Rhode Island.)

HOW TO EASE THE HEADACHE

Flexible handbooks. Instead of including all states' benefits in one 1,000-page manual, create a universal handbook and provide each employee with a page detailing their state-specific rights and responsibilities. Even better, skip the printer and use digital documents that can be easily searched and updated.
PEO support. Professional employer organizations are fully dedicated to benefits and payroll, so they stay current on the rules. These partnerships can be ideal for some small and mid-sized employers.
Automated leave tracking. Platforms such as TimeOut, a leave management platform we collaborated with CWS Software to create, was designed to handle unlimited rules for this very reason.

AS ALWAYS, WE'RE HERE FOR YOU

If you have employees in New Jersey, download our free checklist to help navigate the change.

If not, we know that leave management remains a challenge for any company anywhere. So sit down with us to make sure you're managing it compliantly and as efficiently as possible. Just drop me a line!

Best,

Sue Brocaglia

Download Now: New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA) Checklist

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