NJ Family Leave Act (NJFLA) Changes Coming in 2026

Employers should be aware that changes to the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA) will take effect on July 17, 2026.

Here is a summary of the changes:

• The employer threshold will decrease from 30 employees to 15 employees
• The employee eligibility requirement will decrease from 12 months of employment to 3 months with the same employer
• The service hour requirement will decrease from 1,000 hours to 250 hours with the same employer
• The employer size threshold will decrease further to 10 employees on July 17, 2027, and to 5 employees on July 17, 2028

These changes may have a significant impact on smaller employers, particularly those without a dedicated HR department. NJFLA provides eligible employees with job protection for up to 12 weeks.

We are sharing this as a general update for awareness purposes. Employers with questions about how these changes may apply to their specific situation should contact their HR advisor or employment attorney.