Everyone gets sick. Colds, flus, injuries, and other illnesses can impactanyone, anywhere. For many employees across the country, the choice to stayhome sick can mean lost wages or even termination. Beginning in May 2014, employees in Newark, New Jersey are able to earn paid sick leave, providing critical job protection for many employees. The law covers both full and part time employees of private companies who work in Newark at least eighty hours a year. In general, employees receive a minimum of one hour of paid sick time for every thirty hours worked. However, if your employer has ten or more employees, your paid sick time is capped at forty hours per year; if your employer has fewer than ten employees your paid sick time is capped at twenty-four hours in a calendar year. Certain categories of workers, such as child care workers, home health care workers, and food service workers, are entitled to accrue up to forty hours a year no matter how many people work for an employer.
The paid sick time can be used for the employee’s care or treatment of a physical or mental illness, injury, or health condition. It can also be used for preventative medical care. In addition, the leave can be used to allow employees to care for a family member with a mental or physical illness, injury or health condition, or to allow them to take care of a family member’s preventative healthcare needs. Finally, the leave can be used for certain public health emergencies or exposure to certain communicable diseases. The ordinance requires that if an employee is using sick leave as allowed for by law, the employee cannot be fired for using it.
Consult an Employment Discrimination Attorney in New Jersey
If you work in Newark and believe you are not receiving the sick leave you are entitled to or that you have been terminated due to illness-related absences, contact an experienced employment discrimination attorney in New Jersey. The law firm of John J. Zidziunas & Associates has a team of knowledgeable New Jersey employment discrimination attorneys who can help you understand your rights under this new ordinance. For further information, call 973-509-8500, email info@jjzlawfirm.com, or visit
http://employmentdiscrimination.com/.
Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici from FreeDigitalPhotos.net