Newark, February 12, 2024 -- Yarrow Willman-Cole, Work Justice Program Director for New Jersey Citizen Action and convener of the NJ Time to Care coalition, released the following statement today in response to the passage of bill A3451:
“This bill will expand job protection to approximately 525,000 workers, but without further changes, it will still leave 1 million workers without job security if they chose to participate in the paid leave program. This bill does not streamline the patchwork of eligibility requirements to receive job protection when taking leave. This causes confusion and fear for workers that they may not have a job to return to if they take leave when they need it to care for a loved one.”
“As this bill moved through the Assembly, members of the NJ Time to Care Coalition had been requesting amendments to extend job protection to all eligible workers at employers of more than 5 employees, and after 90 days of employment with that employer,” she added.
####
New Jersey Citizen Action is a statewide advocacy and empowerment organization that fights for social, racial and economic justice for all.