Leaves of Absence

Rutgers University offers various types of leave, including medical, family, military, and personal leave, among others to help employees during unique circumstances. The university recognizes the importance of supporting its faculty and staff during challenging times and provides a structured process for requesting and obtaining approval for these leaves. Employees are encouraged to review the specific policies, procedures, and eligibility criteria associated with each type of leave outlined below.

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Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

In accordance with federal law, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides job-protected Family and Medical Leave to eligible employees who are unable to work due to their own serious health condition or to care for an immediate family member with a serious health condition. FMLA allows for up to 12 work weeks of leave during a 12-month period based on certain qualifying events including:

  • their own serious illness;
  • the birth, adoption, or placement of a foster child;
  • the serious illness of a spouse, son/daughter, parent, or someone who stood in loco parentis when you were a child;
  • to address certain "qualifying exigencies" for eligible employees with a spouse, son/daughter, or parent on active duty or called to active-duty status in the National Guard or Reserves in support of a contingency operation;
  • to care for a covered service member who has a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty during active duty that may render the service member medically unfit to perform his or her duties, and for which the service member is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy; or is in outpatient status; or is on the temporary disability retired list.

The leave time can be taken consecutively or intermittently, based on information provided by your healthcare provider. For more information and eligibility criteria, please visit the following resources:

For questions regarding Leaves, please contact the OneSource Leaves Team at 732-745 SERV (7378) or navigate to the Self-Service Portal to submit a General Inquiry or formal leave request.

New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA)

The New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA) provides unpaid leave entitlement to eligible employees for the following:

  • the birth or adoption of a child;
  • the care for a spouse/civil union partner, son/daughter, parent, parent-in-law, or a person in a "parental relationship" with a serious health condition.

NJFLA has a wage replacement component that may allow employees to apply for benefits during a leave qualified by the two circumstances listed above. NJFLA allows for up to 12 work weeks of leave during a 24-month period based on certain qualifying events. The leave time can be taken consecutively or intermittently over a 24-month period based on information provided by your family member’s healthcare provider. In addition, and if an employee is eligible, the state will pay up to a maximum of 6 weeks of NJ Family Leave Insurance (FLI). For more information and eligibility criteria, please visit the following resources:

Maternity and Paternity Leave

Maternity leave is the period of time that an employee may be out for recovery from birth. This can begin 4 weeks prior to the anticipated due date. Maternity leave may be paid or unpaid depending on the paid time off available that the employee wishes to utilize. If sick time has been accrued, the employee will be required to select the number of sick days to be utilized first. Subsequently, an employee would choose whether to use some or all accrued paid time off (including vacation days) or go on unpaid leave.

Paternity leave is the time a father takes off work at the birth or adoption of a child. Eligible employees would be entitled to up to 12 weeks of leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) and / or the New Jersey Family Leave Act (“NJFLA”). In order to bond with the child, Paternity leave can be used within the first 12 months of the child’s birth, adoption or placement for foster care.

For more information and eligibility criteria, please visit the following resources:

For questions regarding Leaves, please contact the OneSource Leaves Team at 732-745 SERV (7378) or navigate to the Self-Service Portal to submit a General Inquiry or formal leave request.

Military Leave

Employees serving in the Military Reserve or National Guard may be recalled to active-duty status for extended periods of time. Employees who have been involuntarily recalled to active military duty, aside from their regular annual training obligations, may be entitled to a paid leave of absence and/or supplementary salary differential.

For more information and eligibility criteria, please visit the following resources:

For questions regarding Leaves, please contact the OneSource Leaves Team at 732-745 SERV (7378) or navigate to the Self-Service Portal to submit a General Inquiry or formal leave request.

New Jersey Safe Act

The New Jersey Security and Financial Empowerment Act (NJ SAFE Act) provides that certain employees may be eligible to receive an unpaid leave of absence – for a period not to exceed 20 days in a 12-month period – to address circumstances resulting from domestic violence or a sexually violent offense. This law became effective on October 1, 2013.

For more information and eligibility criteria, please visit the following resources:

Continuation of Coverage during an Unpaid Leave of Absence

For an unpaid leave of absence due to illness and family leave:

  • You will pay your usual medical/prescription and dental payroll deductions for the first three months of unpaid leave.
  • You will pay the full cost of the coverage for medical/prescription and dental for the next nine months of leave.

    Full plan rates are available under 'State Monthly' for the plan(s) you are enrolled in https://www.nj.gov/treasury/pensions/hb-active-shbp.shtml

For Personal Leaves:

  • You will pay the full cost of the coverage for medical/prescription and/or dental up to 9 months.

Continuation and/or Conversion of Life Insurance:

  • For leave due to illness including maternity leave, both contributory (if applicable) and noncontributory life insurance remains in effect for one year.
  • For all other unpaid leaves, life insurance continues for a maximum of 93 days.
  • A conversion privilege is available through the Prudential Insurance Company without a medical exam, but you must apply for conversion within 31 days of termination of coverage.

For more information, please refer to the following resources:

Temporary Disability Insurance and NJ Family Leave Insurance
Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI)
  • New Jersey’s Temporary Disability Insurance program provides cash benefits to NJ State employees who are unable to work due to a physical, mental health or other disability unrelated to their work.
  • The duration of the leave is determined by your health care provider, up to a maximum of 26 weeks.
New Jersey Family Leave Insurance (FLI)
  • Family Leave Insurance is a wage-replacement program similar to New Jersey’s Temporary Disability Insurance program and replaces lost income when an employee is on an unpaid leave of absence for the care of others under certain circumstances including to:bond with a child during the first 12 months after the child’s birth, or bond with an adopted child within the first 12 months of placement; or
  • care for a family member (defined as a child, spouse, domestic partner, civil union partner, or parent) with a serious health condition.

For more information and eligibility criteria or to file a claim, please visit the Division of Temporary Disability and Family Leave Insurance webpage.

Additional Leaves Information