NJ Gov. Murphy Signs 9 Coronavirus Bills, Family Leave Into Law

NEW JERSEY – Gov. Phil Murphy signed nine bills into law this week that he says will help the state battle the coronavirus outbreak.

Murphy signed legislation (S2374) on Tuesday that expands New Jersey’s Family Leave Act to include time off for employees who need to care for a sick family member, and also to deal with possible exposure to the coronavirus and subsequent quarantines.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, workers will be allowed to take up to 12 weeks of family leave during a 24-month period without losing their jobs.

The number of cases rose to 68,824 on Tuesday, and 2,805 people have died. Patch will be running regular updates as more information is released. Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

These job protections will extend to employees requiring leave to provide care or treatment for their child if the child's school or place of care is closed in response to a public health emergency, Murphy said.

“New Jerseyans should not have to make a decision between caring for a loved one with COVID-19 and keeping their job,” said Murphy. “Our state is already home to the nation’s most comprehensive Family Leave Act, and it’s only right that we expand these protections to meet the unprecedented health crisis we are facing.”

“This public health crisis is putting enormous strains on families, especially those that need to care for a loved one who is infected,” said Senate President Sweeney, who authored the original family leave law.

“They should not be forced to choose between an ill family member and their job. While we are experiencing emergency circumstances that could not have been anticipated, this is what the law should be covering.”

In a joint statement, Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker, Assemblyman Joseph Egan and Assemblywoman Linda Carter said:

"Countless New Jersey residents have needed to take time off from work to care for family members due to the health crisis created by the spread of COVID-19, and many more will need to do so in the future. There’s never been a more important time to strengthen our family leave program.

"In a time of growing uncertainty, every worker deserves to know they won’t lose their job if they use family leave. This law also expands family leave for parents of school aged children who need to take time off due to school closures during this crisis."

Here are the other bills:

• A-3901/S-2334 (Chiaravalloti, Kennedy, Speight, Dunn/Pou, Vitale, Greenstein, Brown) - Permits professional and occupational licensing boards to reactivate licensure of certain individuals during state of emergency or public health emergency
• A-3903/S-2336 (Downey, Houghtaling, Swain/Greenstein, Gopal, Singleton, O’Scanlon) - Allows remote notarial acts during Public Health Emergency and State of Emergency declared by Governor in Executive Order 103 of 2020
• A-3904/S-2337 (Burzichelli, Schepisi, Lampitt, Jasey, Stanfield/Cardinale, Beach, Kean) - Permits use of virtual or remote instruction to meet minimum 180-day school year requirement under certain circumstances
• S-2333/A-3910 (Kean, Sweeney, Smith, O’Scanlon/Kennedy, Burzichelli, DiMaio, Greenwald) - Provides civil and criminal immunity to certain health care professionals and health care facilities during public health emergency and state of emergency; facilitates issuance of certain temporary licenses and certifications during public health emergency and state of emergency
• S-2338/A-3918 (Sarlo, Oroho, Bucco/Pintor Marin, Wirths, Burzichelli) - "COVID-19 Fiscal Mitigation Act;" clarifies filing and payment deadline for CBT and GIT taxpayers, modifies duration of State Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021, requires certain updates and presentation for State Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021
• S-2342/A-3915 (Bucco, Greenstein/Dunn, Bergen) - Permits nonprofit corporations to allow members to participate in meetings by means of remote communication, and permits nonprofit corporations to hold meetings in part or solely by means of remote communication during state of emergency
• S-2349/A-3922 (Beach/Coughlin, Jimenez, Swain) - Changes date of 2020 primary election from June 2 to July 7
• S-2353/A-3938 (Cryan/Quijano) - Excludes from severance requirements under "Millville Dallas Airmotive Plant Job Loss Notification Act" mass layoffs resulting from coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

Murphy also signed A-2371/S-865, which requires large food waste generators to separate and recycle food waste.