New Jersey is the country's second-most-generous state for maternity leave after California — 85% wage replacement and a stackable structure that totals about 22 weeks of paid leave for birthing parents.
A New Jersey birthing parent can stack up to 22 weeks of paid leave by combining Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) with Family Leave Insurance (FLI). Both programs replace 85% of your average weekly wage, capped at $1,119 per week in 2026 — one of the highest replacement rates in any U.S. state. NJFLA provides job protection at employers with 30+ employees, lower than the federal FMLA threshold of 50.
What a typical New Jersey birthing parent gets
For an employee earning $75,000 per year, vaginal delivery, working 12+ months at a 50+ employee company:
22 weeks total ·
22 paid ·
$24,618 net during leave
New Jersey runs two state-mandated wage replacement programs for birthing parents and partners. Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) covers the medical recovery portion: typically 4 weeks of pre-birth disability when certified by your provider, plus 6 weeks of post-birth recovery for a vaginal delivery (8 weeks for a C-section). TDI replaces 85% of your average weekly wage, capped at $1,119 per week in 2026 (which represents 70% of the statewide average weekly wage of $1,598.66). Family Leave Insurance (FLI) picks up after the medical recovery period for bonding leave — 12 weeks at the same 85% rate and cap, available to birthing parents, non-birthing parents, adopting parents, and fostering parents. FLI can also be taken intermittently up to 8 weeks (56 days) within the first year. The combination yields about 22 weeks of paid leave for a typical birthing parent — roughly 10 weeks of TDI plus 12 weeks of FLI, sequenced back-to-back.
Eligibility and how to apply
TDI/FLI eligibility. You must have earned at least $310 per week for 20 base weeks during the base year, OR earned $15,500 total in the base year. These thresholds increased from 2025 figures. How to apply. TDI is filed at myleavebenefits.nj.gov/labor/myleavebenefits/worker/tdi/ — your provider must complete a medical certification. FLI is a separate claim at the same domain (path /fli/), filed after your medical recovery ends. There's a 7-day waiting period for TDI but no waiting period for FLI. Job protection. TDI and FLI provide wage replacement but not job protection on their own. Job protection comes from federal FMLA (12 weeks at 50+ employee employers with 12+ months tenure and 1,250+ hours worked) and the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA), which provides 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave at employers with 30+ employees — a lower threshold than federal FMLA. NJFLA can run sequentially after FMLA in some cases, effectively extending job protection.
State-specific things worth knowing
NJ's combined TDI + FLI of approximately 22 paid weeks places it second only to California. The 85% wage replacement rate is one of the highest in the country, and the program is funded entirely through employee payroll deductions (TDI rate decreased to 0.19% in 2026; FLI rate decreased to 0.23%; taxable wage base $171,100). Two practical tips: First, NJFLA's 30-employee threshold means smaller employers must provide job protection that federal FMLA wouldn't require. If your company has between 30 and 49 employees and has been around long enough, you have job protection at the state level. Second, employers cannot require you to use accrued PTO before FLI begins, but you can choose to use PTO to top up FLI to 100% of pay if your company permits. Check your employee handbook.
Calculate yours
The numbers above are for a typical case. Your actual leave depends on your salary,
tenure, employer size, and birth type. The calculator walks you through eight short
questions and produces a personalized timeline with action items, dates, and a
breakdown you can take to your HR department.