The Toms River Township Council is expected to vote on on Dec. 26 on an ordinance complying with a mandate for paid sick leave.
On Dec. 11, the township’s seven-member council voted unanimously to move forward on complying with with law P.L. 2018, c. 10 passed by the legislature and signed by Gov. Murphy.
The law requires all employers in the state, including municipal governments, to provide paid sick leave to all employees based on the number of hours worked. It will also establish other requirements governing the accrual and use of paid sick leave.
The legislation allows for workers to accrue one hour of earned sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours each year.
Employees may use paid sick leave for the following, diagnosis, treatment, or recovery from a mental or physical illness or injury, or preventive care, for the employee or a family member, obtaining services if the employee or a family member is a victim of domestic or sexual violence, Circumstances arising from a public health emergency, A school-related meeting or event with regard to the employee’s child.
On May 2, 2018 Gov. Murphy signed the bill into law.
“There is no reason anyone should have to choose between economic security and their health. After today, New Jerseyans will no longer have to face such a choice. I am proud to sign into law one of the strongest earned leave protections in the country for every hardworking employee who deserves the basic right of a paid sick day,” Gov. Phil Murphy said.
Councilman Daniel Rodrick said the township’s code on paid sick leave just had to be changed.
“The Governor and the legislature made some adjustments to what qualifies as a sick day. We just needed to adjust them to comply with the new law. People are allocated sick days and that has changed considerably with the new law,” Rodrick said.
He said that for example dentist appointments are considered sick days and taking relatives to the dentist is considered a sick day.
“Things like that were loosened quite a bit by the legislature and the new governor. We have to make sure our policies comply with the law,” Rodrick said.
