Paid Leave · New Jersey
New Jersey Paid Medical Leave in 2026
Your own serious health condition, including pregnancy and childbirth recovery. Here is how many weeks New Jersey pays, what each week pays at your income, and the formula the state uses — worked through at $60,000 a year, with a table for other pay levels.
Informational only — not financial or legal advice. Does not include income tax on benefits.
In New Jersey you can take up to 26 weeks of medical leave and be paid for 26 of them: about $981 a week, or 85% of your usual pay.
- 85% of your $1,153.85 average weekly wage$980.77
- Weekly benefit$980.77
- Program: Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI), run by NJ Department of Labor.
- Waiting period: none for this type of leave.
- Who qualifies: 2026: 20 base weeks earning $310 or more, or $15,500 in the base year.
- The first 7 days are a waiting week. It is paid retroactively once you have been paid for the 3 weeks that follow it, so any medical leave of a month or more is paid in full — the planner assumes that case.
Law: N.J.S.A. 43:21-25 et seq. · Figures: NJ DOL — 2026 benefit rates
Job protection is separate. Federal FMLA gives up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave if your employer has 50+ employees within 75 miles and you have worked there 12 months and 1,250 hours. State paid leave usually runs at the same time, not after it.
Assumes steady pay over the past year. Benefits are figured from your quarterly wage records, so uneven pay changes the answer. Informational only, not financial or legal advice.
New Jersey medical leave by yearly pay
| Yearly pay | Weekly wage | Weekly benefit | Share of pay | Total for 26 paid weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $576.92 | $490.38 | 85% | $12,750 |
| $45,000 | $865.38 | $735.58 | 85% | $19,125 |
| $60,000 | $1,153.85 | $980.77 | 85% | $25,500 |
| $80,000 | $1,538.46 | $1,119.00 (cap) | 73% | $29,094 |
| $100,000 | $1,923.08 | $1,119.00 (cap) | 58% | $29,094 |
| $150,000 | $2,884.62 | $1,119.00 (cap) | 39% | $29,094 |
Assumes the same pay in every quarter of the base period. The share of pay falls as income rises because the formula replaces less of each extra dollar, then stops at the cap.
Asking your employer
New Jersey pays the benefit, but your employer still needs notice. Draft a leave request letter that cites N.J.S.A. 43:21-25 et seq. and federal FMLA.
Other kinds of leave in New Jersey
Last reviewed: September 2026
Frequently asked questions
How much does New Jersey medical leave pay per week in 2026?
Up to $1,119.00 a week. Below the cap, the benefit is a share of your average weekly wage: at $60,000 a year it is about $981 a week. The table above shows other pay levels.
How many weeks of medical leave do you get in New Jersey?
Up to 26 weeks under Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI). The first 7 days are a waiting week. It is paid retroactively once you have been paid for the 3 weeks that follow it, so any medical leave of a month or more is paid in full — the planner assumes that case.
Who qualifies for New Jersey medical leave?
2026: 20 base weeks earning $310 or more, or $15,500 in the base year. Qualifying for pay is separate from job protection: federal FMLA protects your job only if your employer has 50+ employees within 75 miles and you have worked there 12 months and 1,250 hours.
What law sets New Jersey's medical leave benefit?
N.J.S.A. 43:21-25 et seq., administered by NJ Department of Labor. StubTrue reviews the figures each year when the state updates its average weekly wage and cap; last reviewed September 2026.
Related tools
See how many weeks of leave your state gives, how many are paid, and what each week pays — for a new baby, your own health, or caring for family. Formula and law shown.
/paid-leave-calculatorOpen →Leave Request Letter GeneratorDraft a request for time off to your employer that cites federal FMLA and your state's paid leave program. Copy it and send.
/leave-request-letterOpen →State Disability & Paid Leave Deduction CalculatorSee exactly how much your state's SDI or PFML payroll deduction takes from your paycheck — covers CA, NJ, NY, RI, HI, WA, MA, CT, and OR.
/state-disability-calculatorOpen →