Bill Text: NJ S1326 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Provides family leave insurance for certain first responders.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-02-27 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Labor Committee [S1326 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-S1326-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Provides family leave insurance for certain first responders.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning family leave insurance for first responders under certain circumstances and amending and supplementing P.L.1948, c.110.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 3 of P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-27) is amended to read as follows:
3. As used in this act, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
(a) (1) "Covered employer" means, with respect to whether an employer is required to provide benefits during an employee's own disability pursuant to P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-25 et al.), any individual or type of organization, including any partnership, association, trust, estate, joint-stock company, insurance company or corporation, whether domestic or foreign, or the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, trustee or successor thereof, or the legal representative of a deceased person, who is an employer subject to the "unemployment compensation law" (R.S.43:21-1 et seq.), except the State, its political subdivisions, and any instrumentality of the State unless such governmental entity elects to become a covered employer pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection (a); provided, however, that commencing with the effective date of this act, the State of New Jersey, including Rutgers, The State University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology, shall be deemed a covered employer, as defined herein.
"Covered employer" means, after June 30, 2009, with respect to whether the employer is an employer whose employees are eligible for benefits during periods of family temporary disability leave pursuant to P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-25 et al.), and, after December 31, 2008, whether employees of the employer are required to make contributions pursuant to R.S.43:21-7(d)(1)(G)(ii), any individual or type of organization, including any partnership, association, trust, estate, joint-stock company, insurance company or domestic or foreign corporation, or the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, trustee or successor thereof, or the legal representative of a deceased person, who is an employer subject to the "unemployment compensation law" (R.S.43:21-1 et seq.), including any governmental entity or instrumentality which is an employer under R.S.43:21-19(h)(5), notwithstanding that the governmental entity or instrumentality has not elected to be a covered employer pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection (a).
(2) Any governmental entity or instrumentality which is an employer under R.S.43:21-19(h)(5) may, with respect to the provision of benefits during an employee's own disability pursuant to P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-25 et al.), elect to become a "covered employer" under this subsection beginning with the date on which its coverage under R.S.43:21-19(h)(5) begins or as of January 1 of any year thereafter by filing written notice of such election with the division within at least 30 days of the effective date. Such election shall remain in effect for at least two full calendar years and may be terminated as of January 1 of any year thereafter by filing with the division a written notice of termination at least 30 days prior to the termination date.
(b) (1) "Covered individual" means, with respect to whether an individual is eligible for benefits during an individual's own disability pursuant to P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-25 et al.), any person who is in employment, as defined in the "unemployment compensation law" (R.S.43:21-1 et seq.), for which the individual is entitled to remuneration from a covered employer, or who has been out of such employment for less than two weeks, except that a "covered individual" who is employed by the State of New Jersey, including Rutgers, The State University or the New Jersey Institute of Technology, or by any governmental entity or instrumentality which elects to become a "covered employer" pursuant to this amendatory act, shall not be eligible to receive any benefits, except first responder family temporary disability leave, under the "Temporary Disability Benefits Law" until such individual has exhausted all sick leave accumulated as an employee in the classified service of the State or accumulated under terms and conditions similar to classified employees or accumulated under the terms and conditions pursuant to the laws of this State or as the result of a negotiated contract with any governmental entity or instrumentality which elects to become a "covered employer."
"Covered individual" shall not mean, with respect to whether an individual is eligible for benefits during an individual's own disability pursuant to P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-25 et al.), any member of the Division of State Police in the Department of Law and Public Safety.
(2) "Covered individual" means, with respect to whether an individual is eligible for benefits during the individual's period of family temporary disability leave pursuant to P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-25 et al.), any individual who is in employment, as defined in the "unemployment compensation law" (R.S.43:21-1 et seq.), for which the individual is entitled to remuneration from a covered employer, or who has been out of that employment for less than two weeks.
(3) "Covered individual" means, with respect to whether an individual is eligible for benefits during the individual's period of first responder family temporary disability leave pursuant to P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-25 et al.), any individual employed as a first responder by an entity who has a family member killed in the line of duty while employed as a first responder from the same entity.
(c) "Division" or "commission" means the Division of Temporary Disability Insurance of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and any transaction or exercise of authority by the director of the division shall be deemed to be performed by the division.
(d) "Day" shall mean a full calendar day beginning and ending at midnight.
(e) "Disability" shall mean such disability as is compensable under section 5 of P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-29).
(f) "Disability benefits" shall mean any cash payments which are payable to a covered individual for all or part of a period of disability pursuant to P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-25 et al.).
(g) "Period of disability" with respect to any covered individual shall mean:
(1) The entire period of time during which the covered individual is continuously and totally unable to perform the duties of the covered individual's employment because of the covered individual's own disability, except that two periods of disability due to the same or related cause or condition and separated by a period of not more than 14 days shall be considered as one continuous period of disability; provided the individual has earned wages during such 14-day period with the employer who was the individual's last employer immediately preceding the first period of disability; [and]
(2) On or after July 1, 2009, the entire period of family temporary disability leave taken from employment by the covered individual; and
(3) On or after the date of enactment of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the entire period of first responder family temporary disability leave taken from employment by the covered individual.
(h) "Wages" shall mean all compensation payable by covered employers to covered individuals for personal services, including commissions and bonuses and the cash value of all compensation payable in any medium other than cash.
(i) (1) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2001, c.17).
(2) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2001, c.17).
(3) "Base week" with respect to periods of disability commencing on or after October 1, 1985 and before January 1, 2001, means any calendar week during which a covered individual earned in employment from a covered employer remuneration equal to not less than 20% of the Statewide average weekly wage determined under subsection (c) of R.S.43:21-3, which shall be adjusted to the next higher multiple of $1.00 if not already a multiple thereof.
(4) "Base week" with respect to periods of disability commencing on or after January 1, 2001, means any calendar week of a covered individual's base year during which the covered individual earned in employment from a covered employer remuneration not less than an amount 20 times the minimum wage in effect pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a4) on October 1 of the calendar year preceding the calendar year in which the benefit year commences, which amount shall be adjusted to the next higher multiple of $1.00 if not already a multiple thereof, except that if in any calendar week an individual subject to this paragraph is in employment with more than one employer, the covered individual may in that calendar week establish a base week with respect to each of the employers from whom the covered individual earns remuneration equal to not less than the amount defined in this paragraph during that week.
(j) (1) "Average weekly wage" means the amount derived by dividing a covered individual's total wages earned from the individual's most recent covered employer during the base weeks in the eight calendar weeks immediately preceding the calendar week in which a period of disability commenced, by the number of such base weeks.
(2) If the computation in paragraph (1) of this subsection (j) yields a result which is less than the individual's average weekly earnings in employment with all covered employers during the base weeks in such eight calendar weeks, then the average weekly wage shall be computed on the basis of earnings from all covered employers during the base weeks in the eight calendar weeks immediately preceding the week in which the period of disability commenced.
(3) For periods of disability commencing on or after July 1, 2009, if the computations in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection (j) both yield a result which is less than the individual's average weekly earnings in employment with all covered employers during the base weeks in the 26 calendar weeks immediately preceding the week in which the period of disability commenced, then the average weekly wage shall, upon a written request to the department by the individual on a form provided by the department, be computed by the department on the basis of earnings from all covered employers of the individual during the base weeks in those 26 calendar weeks, and, in the case of a claim for benefits from a private plan, that computation of the average weekly wage shall be provided by the department to the individual and the individual's employer.
When determining the "average weekly wage" with respect to a period of family temporary disability leave for an individual who has a period of family temporary disability immediately after the individual has a period of disability for the individual's own disability, the period of disability is deemed to have commenced at the beginning of the period of disability for the individual's own disability, not the period of family temporary disability.
(k) "Child" means a biological, adopted, or foster child, stepchild or legal ward of a covered individual, child of a domestic partner of the covered individual, or child of a civil union partner of the covered individual, who is less than 19 years of age or is 19 years of age or older but incapable of self-care because of mental or physical impairment.
(l) "Domestic partner" means a domestic partner as defined in section 3 of P.L.2003, c.246 (C.26:8A-3).
(m) "Civil union" means a civil union as defined in section 2 of P.L.2006, c.103 (C.37:1-29).
(n) "Family member" means a child, spouse, domestic partner, civil union partner or parent of a covered individual.
(o) "Family temporary disability leave" means leave taken by a covered individual from work with an employer to (1) participate in the providing of care, as defined in the "Family Leave Act," P.L.1989, c.261 (C.34:11B-1 et seq.) and regulations adopted pursuant to that act, for a family member of the individual made necessary by a serious health condition of the family member; or (2) be with a child during the first 12 months after the child's birth, if the individual, or the domestic partner or civil union partner of the individual, is a biological parent of the child, or the first 12 months after the placement of the child for adoption with the individual. "Family temporary disability leave" does not include any period of time in which a covered individual is paid benefits pursuant to P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-25 et al.) because the individual is unable to perform the duties of the individual's employment due to the individual's own disability.
(p) "Health care provider" means a health care provider as defined in the "Family Leave Act," P.L.1989, c.261 (C.34:11B-1 et seq.), and any regulations adopted pursuant to that act.
(q) "Parent of a covered individual" means a biological parent, foster parent, adoptive parent, or stepparent of the covered individual or a person who was a legal guardian of the covered individual when the covered individual was a child.
(r) "Placement for adoption" means the time when a covered individual adopts a child or becomes responsible for a child pending adoption by the covered individual.
(s) "Serious health condition" means an illness, injury, impairment or physical or mental condition which requires: inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical care facility; or continuing medical treatment or continuing supervision by a health care provider.
(t) "12-month period" means, with respect to an individual who establishes a valid claim for disability benefits during a period of family temporary disability leave, the 365 consecutive days that begin with the first day that the individual first establishes the claim.
(u) "First responder" means a law enforcement officer, paid firefighter, paid member of a duly incorporated first aid, emergency, ambulance, or rescue squad association, or any other individual who, in the course of his employment, is dispatched to the scene of a motor vehicle accident or other emergency situation for the purpose of providing medical care or other assistance.
(v) "First responder family temporary disability leave" means, at a maximum, 52 weeks of leave taken by an individual employed by an entity as a first responder after the death in the line of duty of a family member, who was also employed as a first responder by the same entity, pursuant to section 3 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
(cf: P.L.2012, c.45, s.125)
2. Section 14 of P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-38) is amended to read as follows:
14. Duration of benefits.
With respect to any period of disability for an individual's own disability commencing on or after January 1, 1953, disability benefits, not in excess of an individual's maximum benefits, shall be payable with respect to disability which commences while a person is a covered individual under the Temporary Disability Benefits Law, and shall be payable with respect to the eighth consecutive day of such disability and each day thereafter that such period of disability continues; and if benefits shall be payable for three consecutive weeks with respect to any period of disability commencing on or after January 1, 1968, then benefits shall also be payable with respect to the first seven days thereof. With respect to any period of family temporary disability leave commencing on or after July 1, 2009 and while an individual is a covered individual, family temporary disability benefits, not in excess of the individual's maximum benefits, shall be payable with respect to the first day of leave taken after the first one-week period following the commencement of the period of family temporary disability leave and each subsequent day of leave during that period of family temporary disability leave; and if benefits become payable on any day after the first three weeks in which leave is taken, then benefits shall also be payable with respect to any leave taken during the first one-week period in which leave is taken. The maximum total benefits payable to any eligible individual for any period of disability of the individual commencing on or after January 1, 1968, shall be either 26 times his weekly benefit amount or 1/3 of his total wages in his base year, whichever is the lesser; provided that such maximum amount shall be computed in the next lower multiple of $1.00 if not already a multiple thereof. The maximum total benefits payable to any eligible individual for any period of family temporary disability leave commencing on or after July 1, 2009, shall be six times the individual's weekly benefit amount or 1/3 of his total wages in his base year, whichever is the lesser; provided that the maximum amount shall be computed in the next lower multiple of $1.00, if not already a multiple thereof. The maximum total benefits payable to any eligible individual for any period of first responder family temporary disability leave, commencing on or after the date of enactment of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), shall be 52 times his weekly benefit amount, provided that the amount shall be computed in the next lower multiple of $1.00 if not already a multiple thereof.
(cf: P.L. 2008, c.17, s.5)
3. (New section) The Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development shall establish a program providing first responder family temporary disability leave benefits to covered individuals who are employed by an entity as a first responder whose family member is also employed as a first responder for the same entity and is killed in the line of duty. The first responder family temporary disability leave program shall include:
a. A maximum of 52 weeks of paid leave, which may be taken within 24 months of the certified date of the death of the family member;
b. A certification program to document the family relationship and the date and cause of death;
c. The determination of the weekly benefit amount, which shall be calculated in the same manner as the amount for individuals receiving family temporary disability leave benefits, pursuant to P.L.2008, c.17 (C.43:21-39.1 et al.); and
d. The provision of first responder family temporary disability leave benefits funded from the "Family Temporary Disability Leave Account" (R.S.43:21-7);
No first responder temporary disability leave benefits shall be paid to an individual concurrently with benefits paid pursuant to: the "Temporary Disability Benefits Law," P.L.1948, c.110 (C.43:21-25 et al.); the "unemployment compensation law," R.S.43:21-1 et seq.; the workers' compensation law, R.S.34:15-1 et seq.; or any other paid leave from the individual's place of employment.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides a first responder, who has a family member, who was also a first responder for the same entity, and who was killed in the line of duty, with up to 52 weeks of paid family leave to be taken within 24 months of the incident.
First responders are defined under the bill as a law enforcement officer, paid firefighter, paid member of a duly incorporated first aid, emergency, ambulance, or rescue squad association, or any other individual who, in the course of employment, is dispatched to the scene of a motor vehicle accident or other emergency situation for the purpose of providing medical care or other assistance.
Family leave insurance benefits will provide compensation equal to 66 2/3% of the individual's average weekly wage, up to a maximum of $572 (for calendar year 2012) per week. The program will be administered by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
It is the intent of this bill to provide support for those first responders to begin their recovery process from the loss of their loved one.
