34:11B-3 Definitions.

3. As used in this act:

a. "Child" means a biological, adopted, foster child, or resource family child, stepchild, legal ward, or child of a parent, including a child who becomes the child of a parent pursuant to a valid written agreement between the parent and a gestational carrier.

b. "Director" means the Director of the Division on Civil Rights.

c. "Division" means the Division on Civil Rights in the Department of Law and Public Safety.

d. "Employ" means to suffer or permit to work for compensation, and includes ongoing, contractual relationships in which the employer retains substantial direct or indirect control over the employee's employment opportunities or terms and conditions of employment.

e. "Employee" means a person who is employed for at least 12 months by an employer, with respect to whom benefits are sought under this act, for not less than 1,000 base hours during the immediately preceding 12-month period. Any time, up to a maximum of 90 calendar days, during which a person is laid off or furloughed by an employer due to that employer curtailing operations because of a state of emergency declared after October 22, 2012, shall be regarded as time in which the person is employed for the purpose of determining eligibility for leave time under this act. In making the determination, the base hours per week during the layoff or furlough shall be deemed to be the same as the average number of hours worked per week during the rest of the 12-month period.

f. "Employer" means a person or corporation, partnership, individual proprietorship, joint venture, firm or company or other similar legal entity which engages the services of an employee and which:

(1) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2019, c.37);

(2) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2019, c.37);

(3) With respect to the period of time from the 1,095th day following the effective date of P.L.1989, c.261 (C.34:11B-1 et seq.) through June 30, 2019, employs 50 or more employees for each working day during each of 20 or more calendar workweeks in the then current or immediately preceding calendar year; and

(4) With respect to any period of time on or after June 30, 2019, employs 30 or more employees for each working day during each of 20 or more calendar workweeks in the then current or immediately preceding calendar year.

"Employer" includes the State, any political subdivision thereof, and all public offices, agencies, boards or bodies.

g. "Employment benefits" means all benefits and policies provided or made available to employees by an employer, and includes group life insurance, health insurance, disability insurance, sick leave, annual leave, pensions, or other similar benefits.

h. "Parent" means a person who is the biological parent, adoptive parent, foster parent, resource family parent, step-parent, parent-in-law or legal guardian, having a "parent-child relationship" with a child as defined by law, or having sole or joint legal or physical custody, care, guardianship, or visitation with a child, or who became the parent of the child pursuant to a valid written agreement between the parent and a gestational carrier.

i. "Family leave" means leave from employment so that the employee may provide care made necessary by reason of:

(1) the birth of a child of the employee, including a child born pursuant to a valid written agreement between the employee and a gestational carrier;

(2) the placement of a child into foster care with the employee or in connection with adoption of such child by the employee; or

(3) the serious health condition of a family member of the employee.

j. "Family member" means a child, parent, parent-in-law, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, spouse, domestic partner, or one partner in a civil union couple, or any other individual related by blood to the employee, and any other individual that the employee shows to have a close association with the employee which is the equivalent of a family relationship.

k. "Reduced leave schedule" means leave scheduled for fewer than an employee's usual number of hours worked per workweek but not for fewer than an employee's usual number of hours worked per workday, unless agreed to by the employee and the employer.

l. "Serious health condition" means an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition which requires:

(1) inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical care facility; or

(2) continuing medical treatment or continuing supervision by a health care provider.

m. "State of emergency" means a natural or man-made disaster or emergency for which a state of emergency has been declared by the President of the United States or the Governor, or for which a state of emergency has been declared by a municipal emergency management coordinator.

L.1989, c.261, s.3; amended 2004, c.130, s.111; 2006, c.103, s.89; 2013, c.221, s.1; 2019, c.37, s.1.