{"id":7892,"date":"2024-03-25T16:16:01","date_gmt":"2024-03-25T20:16:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/human-resources\/?page_id=7892"},"modified":"2025-11-21T10:20:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T15:20:41","slug":"new-jersey-safe-act","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/human-resources\/new-jersey-safe-act\/","title":{"rendered":"New Jersey Safe Act"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The New Jersey Security and Financial Empowerment Act (NJ SAFE Act) provides that certain employees may be eligible to receive an unpaid leave of absence \u2013 for a period not to exceed 20 days in a 12-month period \u2013 to address circumstances resulting from domestic violence or a sexually violent offense to employee or a family member. Leave under the NJ SAFE Act must be used in the 12-month period immediately following an instance of domestic violence or a sexually violent offense.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Eligibility<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You may be eligible for a leave under NJ SAFE if you:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Worked at least 1,000 hours during the immediately preceding 12-month period and;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Worked for an employer in the State that employs 25 or more employees\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If leave is requested for a reason covered by both the NJ SAFE Act and the Family medical Leave Act(FMLA) or the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA), the leave shall count simultaneously against the employee\u2019s entitlement under each respective law. Documentation may be required to support the basis of the leave request.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Intermittent Leave<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">An employee does not need to use this leave entitlement in one block. Leave can be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule when necessary however intervals cannot be less than a day. Employees must make reasonable efforts to schedule leave for planned absences so as not to unduly disrupt the employer\u2019s operations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nj.gov\/labor\/wageandhour\/assets\/PDFs\/Employer%20Poster%20Packet\/AD-289%20(4-22).pdf\">New Jersey SAFE ACT Poster<\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/human-resources\/supervisor-responsibilities\/\">Supervisor Responsibilities<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">Requesting a Leave of Absence<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\">\n<p><em><strong>Notification<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Give at least 30 days\u2019 notice, if you know in advance of your need for a leave of absence.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you learn of your need for time off or a leave of absence less than 30 days ahead of time, request it as soon as you are able.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You do not need to share any specifics about your health circumstances or those of your family member. However, you do need to provide enough information so that your supervisor can understand that your absence may be covered by the FMLA.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Submitting Your FMLA Request<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Employees may request a leave of absence within Workday to initiate the process and prompt the necessary paperwork. View<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">our guide on how to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/human-resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/181\/2025\/09\/Request-Absence.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Request Leave of Absence<\/strong><\/span><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">for instructions..<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Required Documentation<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Leave of absence due to illness and family leave will require a health-care provider certification form\u00a0 to support the need for time off.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The form must be returned to HR within 15 days of receipt. Because the information is so time sensitive, it must be completed 30 days from the leave start date. <em>Any submission before 30 days will expire and will need to be completed by the physician again.<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Medical conditions can change and sometimes you don\u2019t know how much FMLA leave you will need to take. You and the health care provider may provide the best estimate of the length of time or frequency of absences you will need based on what is known at the time. If you require more or less leave than you originally thought, you can always provide an updated certification.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Documentation of the domestic violence or sexually violent offense for no medical leaves to support the basis for the leave.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Confidentiality<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Office of Employee Benefits will keep confidential all medical information relating to requests for a medical leave. This information will be used only to make decisions in regards to the provisions of the policy.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You should not disclose your own or your family member\u2019s medical diagnosis to your supervisor or department.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Any required certification should be submitted directly to the benefits department, where it will be kept confidential and separate from your personnel file. Do not submit any medical documentation to supervisor.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div> <div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">Paid Time off During Leave<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Employees that are approved for a leave of absence are permitted to charge any accrued paid time off (including sick, vacation, personal, administrative and\/or compensatory) in order to receive pay from the University.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Please note that paid time off may be adjusted to reflect only accrued time to restrict employees from utilizing time that has not been earned. This generally applies to time that may have been recently allotted for the new year.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Possible pay continuation options during leave include:<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sick Time Off<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">May be required<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Vacation Time Off<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Optional<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Personal Time Off<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Optional<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Compensatory Time Off<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Optional<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you will not have sufficient paid time off receive pay by Montclair State University, you have the following wage replacement options through State of New Jersey disability programs:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI)- medical (self):<\/strong>\u00a0You can find information about the eligibility and application process on the<\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/myleavebenefits.nj.gov\/worker\/tdi\/\"> State of New Jersey\u2019s Temporary Disability Insurance website page<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Please note: This process is not managed by Montclair State University, you must follow the procedures specified on their website or contact a Customer Service Representative at 609-292-7060.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Family Leave Insurance (FLI)- medical (family member) :<\/strong>\u00a0You can find information about the eligibility and application process on the<\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/myleavebenefits.nj.gov\/worker\/fli\/\"> State of New Jersey\u2019s Family Leave Insurance website page<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Please note: This process is not managed by Montclair State University, you must follow the procedures specified on their website or contact a Customer Service Representative at 609-292-7060.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Note:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Faculty members who will be without pay from Montclair State University will also need to complete and submit a request for a Faculty Leave of Absence without pay for the Board of Trustees (BOT) approval. <\/strong>You will need to supply the necessary <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/provost\/resources-for-faculty\/#Administrative%20Forms\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>administrative forms<\/strong>.<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Faculty\/ staff who will not have sufficient accrued paid time off,\u00a0 may qualify for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/human-resources\/benefits\/donated-leave\/\">Donated Leave Program<\/a>.<\/strong>\u00a0The criteria for shared leave eligibility are different from those for FMLA. Contact your leave coordinator if you wish to participate in the programs.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div> <div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">Benefits During Leave<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">During leave, health coverage under any \u201cgroup health plan\u201d will be maintained on the same terms as if the employee had continued to work.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">While on an unpaid leave of absence from Montclair State University<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Employees will be responsible for your usual medical and\/or prescription payroll deductions for the six pay periods of leave without pay. Employees will be provided with the information to make the necessary arrangements to continue payments in order to maintain coverage while on leave. Group health insurance may be canceled if an employee fails to make payment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If coverage with the University ends while you are on leave, continuation of coverage is offered under COBRA for up to 18 months. Employees will receive a notice about continuation of coverage under COBRA at the time coverage ends. Health coverage must be reinstated upon return to work via Benefitsolver.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Employees will not earn pension service credit, will not receive or make pension contributions, and will not earn vacation or sick accruals.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div> <div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">Returning to Work<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If your leave is for your medical condition, you will be required to provide a Fitness for Duty Certification. This release is to include any restrictions or limitations you have in performing your job. A release to return to work is not required if the Leave of Absence is for a family member\u2019s health condition.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The New Jersey Security and Financial Empowerment Act (NJ SAFE Act) provides that certain employees may be eligible to receive an unpaid leave of absence \u2013 for a period not to exceed 20 days in a 12-month period \u2013 to address circumstances resulting from domestic violence or a sexually violent offense to employee or a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":381,"featured_media":3104,"parent":0,"menu_order":33,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7892","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/human-resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7892","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/human-resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/human-resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/human-resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/381"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/human-resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7892"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/human-resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7892\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9490,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/human-resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7892\/revisions\/9490"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/human-resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/human-resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7892"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}