Paid Sick Leave in NJ

© iStockPhoto\shironosov

Paid sick time for private-sector employees in the two largest cities in New Jersey will soon be a reality. Indeed, new ordinances in Jersey City and Newark will assure these workers of having paid sick time at their disposal if they or a loved one in their care should fall ill.

Under these new city ordinances, full time private-sector employees would be entitled to mandated paid sick time after having worked for a specified time period. The number of days that employees can accrue can vary based on the size of the company that the employee works for.

This is particularly crucial for caregivers who have often been forced until now, to sacrifice much needed pay when missing work to provide care to their ill family members.

“This is a momentous step forward in allowing lower wage workers to take care of their loved ones, preventing the spread of illnesses at work, all while not depriving employees of the income they depend on,” said Marilyn Askin, AARP Chief Legislative Advocate.

AARP continues to work toward the passage of a statewide earned paid sick time law.