Last updated: 2026-09-21.
Statewide MandateHow New Jersey's real statutory thresholds apply to specific employer profiles. Each section re-frames the state law above for one audience — the underlying figures never change, only the lens does.
For employers with fewer than 15 employees: New Jersey requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. 4 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Jersey City, Newark, East Orange, Irvington. Source: https://www.nj.gov/labor/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Size note: Your obligation turns on the threshold "1 employee". The Compliance Checker applies your headcount automatically. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For employers with 50 or more employees: New Jersey requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. 4 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Jersey City, Newark, East Orange, Irvington. Source: https://www.nj.gov/labor/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Size note: Your obligation turns on the threshold "1 employee". The Compliance Checker applies your headcount automatically. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For restaurant, café, and food-service operators: New Jersey requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. 4 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Jersey City, Newark, East Orange, Irvington. Source: https://www.nj.gov/labor/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including restaurants & food service, use the same statewide thresholds: 1 employee, accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For retail stores, shops, and chains: New Jersey requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. 4 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Jersey City, Newark, East Orange, Irvington. Source: https://www.nj.gov/labor/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including retail employers, use the same statewide thresholds: 1 employee, accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For clinics, hospitals, and healthcare staffing: New Jersey requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. 4 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Jersey City, Newark, East Orange, Irvington. Source: https://www.nj.gov/labor/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including healthcare employers, use the same statewide thresholds: 1 employee, accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For hr teams onboarding new employees: New Jersey requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. 4 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Jersey City, Newark, East Orange, Irvington. Source: https://www.nj.gov/labor/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Size note: Your obligation turns on the threshold "1 employee". The Compliance Checker applies your headcount automatically. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For restaurant and food-service operators with fewer than 15 employees: New Jersey requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. 4 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Jersey City, Newark, East Orange, Irvington. Source: https://www.nj.gov/labor/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including small restaurants (under 15 employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 1 employee, accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For restaurant groups and chains with 50 or more employees: New Jersey requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. 4 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Jersey City, Newark, East Orange, Irvington. Source: https://www.nj.gov/labor/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including large restaurants & chains (50+ employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 1 employee, accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For retail stores and shops with fewer than 15 employees: New Jersey requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. 4 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Jersey City, Newark, East Orange, Irvington. Source: https://www.nj.gov/labor/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including small retail (under 15 employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 1 employee, accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For retail chains with 50 or more employees: New Jersey requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. 4 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Jersey City, Newark, East Orange, Irvington. Source: https://www.nj.gov/labor/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including large retail & chains (50+ employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 1 employee, accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For clinics and healthcare practices with fewer than 15 employees: New Jersey requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. 4 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Jersey City, Newark, East Orange, Irvington. Source: https://www.nj.gov/labor/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including small healthcare (under 15 employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 1 employee, accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For hospitals and healthcare systems with 50 or more employees: New Jersey requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. 4 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Jersey City, Newark, East Orange, Irvington. Source: https://www.nj.gov/labor/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including large healthcare systems (50+ employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 1 employee, accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Statewide mandate | Yes |
| Employer threshold | 1 employee |
| Accrual rate | 1 hour per 30 hours worked |
| Max accrual / year | 40 hours/year |
| Paid or unpaid | paid |
| Carryover | Yes |
| Qualified reasons | Own/family illness, preventive care, safety, prenatal (20 hrs extra). |
| Effective date | Oct 29, 2018 |
| Official source | https://www.nj.gov/labor/ ↗ |
These cities/counties in New Jersey have their own sick leave rules that may exceed the state standard. Each links to a dedicated page with the full local breakdown.
| Locality | Employer threshold | Accrual | Max | Paid/Unpaid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jersey City | 1 employee | 1 hour per 30 hours | 40 hours/year | paid |
| Newark | 1 employee | 1 hour per 30 hours | 40 hours/year | paid |
| East Orange | 1 employee | 1 hour per 30 hours | 40 hours/year | paid |
| Irvington | 1 employee | 1 hour per 30 hours | 40 hours/year | paid |
Federal law provides no general paid sick-leave entitlement, and the federal FMLA is unpaid and limited to employers with 50+ employees for serious medical conditions. New Jersey's Earned Sick Leave Law (P.L.2018 c.10) instead covers every employer — including the smallest — and guarantees paid leave for routine illness, preventive care, and safe-time needs. The State Wage Theft Act then layers automatic double (200%) liquidated damages on top of any unpaid leave, a remedy with no federal analog for sick leave.
New Jersey is the most universal of the Northeast mandates: paid for all employers from the first hire, with a flat 1 hour per 30 worked / 40 hours per year. New York tiers by revenue and headcount; Connecticut phases down to 1+ by 2027; Massachusetts and Maryland phase paid status in by size. New Jersey's automatic 200% liquidated damages and 90-day retaliation presumption also make it one of the costliest states in which to deny leave.
| Year | Change |
|---|---|
| 2018 (eff. Oct 29, 2018) | New Jersey Earned Sick Leave Law (P.L.2018 c.10) enacted, covering all employers and pre-empting most local ordinances. |
| 2019 (eff. 2019) | State Wage Theft Act took effect — 200% liquidated damages and escalating criminal penalties for non-payment of earned leave and wages. |
| 2026 (Jan 28, 2026) | Appellate ruling in Cano v. County Concrete affirmed a ~$1.37M judgment plus 200% liquidated damages for denying earned sick leave, reinforcing employer exposure. |
Employers in New Jersey most often trip on the items below. Amounts are typical statutory ranges — confirm the current figure with the state labor department before acting.
| Violation | Typical penalty / fine | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Denying or failing to pay earned sick leave | Criminal penalties: 1st offense $100–$1,000 + 10–90 days; 2nd $500–$1,000 + 10–100 days. Civil/admin: $250 (or $250–$500) plus an administrative fee of 10%/18%/25% of gross wages owed. | State Wage Theft Act adds automatic 200% liquidated damages on top of unpaid leave. |
| Retaliation against an employee who uses leave | A 90-day presumption of retaliation shifts the burden to the employer; employees may recover reinstatement, back pay, and damages. | Retaliation is independently actionable under N.J.S.A. 34:11D-4. |
| Miscounting accrual or withholding records | Administrative penalties and the 200% liquidated-damages multiplier apply to underpaid amounts. | Employers must post the NJ earned sick leave notice and keep accrual records. |
Use the button below to print or save a one-page compliance summary for New Jersey. It includes the state law table and any local ordinances above.
Yes. New Jersey requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. Accrual is 1 hour per 30 hours worked, capped at 40 hours/year, with carryover Yes.
Employees accrue 1 hour per 30 hours worked. The max accrual is 40 hours/year.
4 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Jersey City, Newark, East Orange, Irvington.
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