Jersey City Passes paid sick Leave Legislation

Cities like San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Washington D.C., and New York City have already passed, and in many cases, implemented, laws which allow eligible employees to have paid time off of work to address illnesses or medical conditions. Jersey City, New Jersey is the latest city to pass such legislation.

The new Paid Sick Time Ordinance will go into effect on January 24, 2014. Employers in the private sector who have 10 or more Jersey City employees will be required to provide eligible employees with at least one hour of paid sick leave for each thirty hours worked, up to 40 hours of maximum paid sick leave per year. Employers who have less than 10 employees aren't off the hook entirely. Those employers must still provide eligible employees with sick leave, only it can be unpaid instead of paid. Eligible employees are any full-time or part-time employees (including temporary employees) who work in Jersey City for at least 80 hours per year.