Urges Governor to provide reports required by law regarding TDI and FLI program operations.
Impact
This resolution points to the critical importance of consistent governmental oversight and transparency in ensuring the effective functioning of the TDI and FLI programs. The lack of reports has created a gap in information necessary for assessing program efficacy, which is alarming given the substantial financial outlay involved, with anticipated benefits exceeding $900 million in 2022. The absence of these reports hampers legislative capabilities in addressing potential issues within these programs and responding adequately to the needs of working families who rely on these benefits.
Summary
Senate Resolution No. 84, introduced in New Jersey, urges the Governor to provide reports concerning the State's Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) and Family Leave Insurance (FLI) programs, which are currently mandated by law. These programs serve to provide necessary income to workers who are unable to work due to medical conditions or are on family leave. The resolution highlights a significant failure to report from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) since 2018, despite the requirement for annual reports that track various metrics of program success and compliance with legal standards.
Contention
There has been notable concern around DOLWD's inability to comply with reporting requirements that were instituted by previous legislation. Observers argue that the failure to produce these reports since 2018 could indicate underlying issues that warrant immediate attention. The situation is particularly concerning in the context of the requirements established by laws passed in 2018 and 2019, which aimed to enhance and improve these programs. Advocates for working families emphasize the urgency for the DOLWD to fulfill its responsibilities to ensure accountability and to promote awareness of these benefits to the population they serve.
Revises law concerning family leave to extend protection by reducing, over time, employee threshold from 30 employees to five employees in definition of employer.
Revises law concerning family leave to extend protection by reducing, over time, employee threshold from 30 employees to one employee in definition of employer.