New Jersey § 34:11b-4

§ 34:11b-4.

An employee of an employer in this State subject to the provisions of this act shall

be entitled to a family leave of 12 weeks in any 24-month period upon advance notice

to the employer in the manner specified by the provisions of sections 11 and 12 of P.L.2008, c. 17 ( C.43:21-39.2 and 43:21-39.3 ), unless the employer denies family leave to the employee pursuant to subsection

h. of this section. a. In the case of a family member who has a serious health condition, the leave may

be taken intermittently when medically necessary, in the manner specified by the provisions

of section 11 of P.L.2008, c. 17 ( C.43:21-39.2 ). b. In the case of the foster care placement, birth or adoption of a healthy child,

the leave may be taken intermittently in the manner specified by the provisions of

paragraph (2) of subsection a. of section 12 of P.L.2008, c. 17 ( C.43:21-39.3 ). c. Leave taken because of the birth or placement for adoption of a child may commence

at any time within a year after the date of the foster care placement, birth or placement

for adoption. d. Family leave required by this act may be paid, unpaid, or a combination of paid

and unpaid leave. If an employer provides paid family leave for fewer than 12 workweeks, the additional

weeks of leave added to attain the 12-workweek total required by this act may be unpaid. e. An employer may require that any period of family leave be supported by certification

issued by a duly licensed health care provider or any other health care provider determined

by the director to be capable of providing adequate certification as described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection, or where the leave is for

an epidemic of a communicable disease, a known or suspected exposure to a communicable

disease, or efforts to prevent spread of a communicable disease, certification issued

by a school, place of care for children, public health authority, public official,

or health care provider, as described in paragraph (3) of this subsection . (1) Where the certification is for the serious health condition of a family member

of the employee, the certification shall be sufficient if it states: (a) the date

on which the serious health condition commenced; (b) the probable duration of the

condition; and (c) the medical facts within the provider's knowledge regarding the

condition; (2) Where the certification is for the birth or placement of the child, the certification

need only state the date of birth or date of placement, whichever is appropriate ; (3) Where the certification is for an epidemic of a communicable disease, a known

or suspected exposure to the communicable disease, or efforts to prevent spread of

the communicable disease, the certification shall be sufficient if it includes: (a) for leave taken to provide in-home care or treatment of a child due to the closure

of the school or place of care of the child of the employee, by order of a public

official due to the epidemic or other public health emergency, the date on which the

closure of the school or place of care of the child of the employee commenced and

the reason for such closure; (b) for leave taken due to a public health authority's issuance of a determination

requiring or imposing responsive or prophylactic measures as a result of illness caused

by an epidemic of a communicable disease or known or suspected exposure to the communicable

disease because the presence in the community of a family member in need of care by

the employee would jeopardize the health of others, the date of issuance of the determination

and the probable duration of the determination; or (c) for leave taken because a health care provider or public health authority recommends

that a family member in need of care by the employee voluntarily undergo self-quarantine

as a result of suspected exposure to a communicable disease because the presence in

the community of that family member in need of care by the employee would jeopardize

the health of others, the date of the recommendation, the probable duration of the

condition, and the medical or other facts within the health care provider or public

health authority's knowledge regarding the condition . In any case in which the employer has reason to doubt the validity of the certification

provided pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, the employer may require, at

its own expense, that an employee obtain an opinion regarding the serious health condition

from a second health care provider designated or approved, but not employed on a regular

basis, by the employer. If the second opinion differs from the certification provided pursuant to paragraph

(1) of this subsection, the employer may require, at its own expense, that the employee

obtain the opinion of a third health care provider designated or approved jointly

by the employer and the employee concerning the serious health condition. The opinion of the third health care provider shall be considered to be final and

shall be binding on the employer and the employee. f. In any case in which the necessity for leave under this act is foreseeable, based

upon placement of a child into foster care an expected birth or placement of the child

for adoption, the employee shall provide the employer with prior notice of the expected

birth or placement of the child for adoption or foster care in the manner specified

by the provisions of section 11 of P.L.2008, c. 17 ( C.43:21-39.2 ). g. No employee shall, during any period of leave taken pursuant to this section, perform

services on a full-time basis for any person for whom the employee did not provide

those services immediately prior to commencement of the leave. h. An employer may deny family leave to the employee if: (1) The employee is a salaried employee who is among the highest paid 5% of the employer's

employees or the seven highest paid employees of the employer, whichever is greater; (2) The denial is necessary to prevent substantial and grievous economic injury to

the employer's operations; and (3) The employer notifies the employee of its intent to deny the leave at the time

the employer determines that the denial is necessary. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply when , in the event of a state of emergency declared by the Governor or when indicated

to be needed by the Commissioner of Health or other public health authority, the family leave is for an epidemic of a communicable disease, a known or suspected exposure to a communicable disease , or efforts to prevent spread of a communicable disease . i. In any case in which the leave has already commenced at the time of the notification

pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection h. of this section, the employee shall return

to work within 10 working days of the date of notification. j. In the case of leave taken due to an epidemic of a communicable disease, a known

or suspected exposure to the communicable disease, or efforts to prevent spread of

the communicable disease, the leave may be taken intermittently if: (1) the covered

individual provides the employer with prior notice of the leave as soon as practicable;

and (2) the covered individual makes a reasonable effort to schedule the leave so

as not to unduly disrupt the operations of the employer and, if possible, provide

the employer, prior to the commencement of the intermittent leave, with a regular

schedule of the day or days of the week on which the intermittent leave will be taken.