Jersey City passed Ordinance No. 13-097, which requires
all Jersey City businesses with 10 or more employees to provide paid sick leave
to its employees. Employers with less
than 10 employees must provide its employees with unpaid sick leave.
The ordinance applies to all full-time, part-time, and
seasonal workers who work 80 hours in a calendar year in Jersey City. Employees earn one hour of sick time for
every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours (or 5 days) per year. Although employees begin accruing sick leave
when they start working, employers are not required to give employees sick
leave until they have worked for 90 days.
Employees may use sick time in hourly increments, or the smallest
unit of time the employer uses to account for absences or other time off. They may use sick time for their own or a
family member’s illness or preventative care.
Employers are required to provide written, individual
notice to each of its employees about employee rights under the law. Employers also must display a poster
containing notice of the ordinance.
A copy of the ordinance can be found here.
Please feel free to contact Connell Foley’s employment law
attorneys for guidance on implementing Jersey City’s sick leave ordinance or
any other leave issue you may be facing.
