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  • In the realm of HR management, few situations are as challenging as a government shutdown. When a shutdown occurs, the repercussions are widespread, affecting federal employees and government contractors. In this blog, we’ll explore a critical aspect of HR administration during a government shutdown: handling Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave and paid time off (PTO).

    The Impact Of A Government Shutdown

    A government shutdown can disrupt the lives of millions of employees, including approximately 4 million military and civilian workers. Among them, 2.2 million are federal employees, while the remainder consists of active-duty military and civilian workers. These shutdowns can occur when Congress fails to pass a budget, and the consequences can be extensive.

    During a government shutdown, certain federal employees must continue working without pay. This group includes individuals involved in law enforcement, national defense, and life and property protection. Examples range from postal workers and federal prison guards to FBI agents, Border Patrol officers, airport security screeners, and air traffic controllers.

    Understanding FMLA Leave During A Shutdown

    For HR professionals, managing FMLA leave is one of the most complex aspects of a government shutdown. According to guidance from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), employees on FMLA leave are advised to commence a leave without pay during a government shutdown. This recommendation stems from the lack of an established work schedule during a shutdown, making it impossible to accommodate FMLA leave.

    As a result, all previously scheduled FMLA leave and PTO during a shutdown furlough period are canceled. This cancellation applies to employee FMLA leave requests and other PTO forms. It’s crucial for HR professionals to grasp that any scheduled FMLA leave should not be deducted from the employee’s FMLA entitlement during a furlough.

    PTO Becomes Unpaid

    In a government shutdown scenario, various types of paid leave, such as:

    • Vacation days
    • Parental leave
    • Military leave
    • Court leave
    • Bone marrow or organ donor leave
    • Transition into unpaid leave

    In addition, this unpaid leave does not count against the employee’s allotted PTO. The OPM’s guidance for shutdown furloughs clarifies that employees must be placed in furlough status without pay during scheduled time off. If there is government-funded paid leave during a shutdown, there is no authority to provide that pay since the government is effectively shut down. Any PTO taken during this period results in a debt to the government that lacks legal authorization until the funding issue is resolved.

    The Importance Of Communication

    Employers should ensure that they provide furlough notices to workers scheduled to be on FMLA leave during a government shutdown. The only exception is if employees are not expected to work during the furlough period for reasons such as accompanying a military spouse overseas on a one-year leave without pay, per the OPM’s December 2021 guidance.

    Accurate Record-Keeping Is Key

    During a government shutdown, accurate record-keeping for FMLA leave is paramount. HR professionals must maintain clear documentation of when employees are at work and when they are not. This documentation ensures legal compliance and helps manage the complex web of leave policies during a shutdown.

    The Assistance Of A PEO

    Partnering with a professional employer organization (PEO) during a government shutdown can be a game-changer for HR professionals and organizations. PEOs like GMS specialize in managing complex HR functions, including leave administration, with precision and compliance. Through this partnership, small business owners can confidently navigate the intricate rules and regulations of government shutdowns. Partnering with a PEO ensures that employees’ rights are upheld and allows HR professionals to focus on strategic initiatives, knowing that the intricacies of FMLA leave and PTO are in capable hands. In times of uncertainty, a PEO can provide the stability and support needed to weather the storm, allowing organizations to emerge stronger on the other side. Interested in learning more? Contact us today.

  • June 30th, 2023, has come and gone, but here’s some good news – the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) forms with an expired date is still valid, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). So, if you’re an eligible employee of a covered employer, you can still utilize these forms for your family and medical leave needs.

    The FMLA provides an important safety net for employees by allowing them to take unpaid, job-protected leave for various family and medical reasons. Whether it’s due to pregnancy, chronic health conditions, or the care of a family member with a serious health condition, this act ensures that your job is secure while you attend to these important matters.

    Employers rely on these forms to comply with the FMLA notice requirements and request medical certification from your health care provider. In addition, the DOL has clarified that the five optional-use forms they provide are still applicable, regardless of the expiration date mentioned on them. The content of the information contained within these forms remains relevant and useful, regardless of its expiration.

    What Employers Should Know 

    The DOL is obligated to review these forms and notices every three years, ensuring that they meet the required standards. While employers are not obligated to use the DOL’s forms, they can serve as excellent models. Employers can create their own version if they include the same essential notice information and require the same basic certification details. Many employers customize the DOL-recommended forms to align with their specific state laws, allowing for greater flexibility and accuracy.

    In addition, it’s important to note that employers must accept any complete and sufficient certification that supports an employee’s need for FMLA leave, regardless of the format it’s presented in. This means that your employer cannot reject the following:

    • A fax copy of the certification
    • A certification that is not completed on their standard company form 
    • Any other medical documentation, such as communication from your health care provider on their letterhead

    If the certification contains all the necessary information to determine if the leave qualifies under FMLA, an employer cannot refuse it.

    Frequently asked questions and answers about the revisions to the FMLA can be found by clicking here.

    What Employees Should Understand

    As an employee, you may be wondering what this means for you. Think of it this way: If you’re in a situation where you need to take FMLA leave, rest assured that the forms you have are still perfectly valid. Remember, the FMLA protects your rights and ensures you can attend to your family and medical needs without fearing job loss. Take advantage of this opportunity and communicate openly with your employer about your situation.

    Have You Considered Partnering With A PEO? 

    A professional employer organization (PEO) can be a valuable resource when it comes to navigating the complexities of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Determining employee eligibility for FMLA leave can sometimes be challenging, especially for small business owners.

    A PEO such as GMS specializes in HR employment-related matters, including compliance with labor laws such as the FMLA. Our HR experts stay up-to-date with the latest regulations and can ensure that your company’s FMLA policies and practices align with legal requirements. In addition, we can help you develop comprehensive FMLA policies and procedures tailored to your company’s specific needs.

    In addition, managing FMLA paperwork, including forms and certifications, can be time-consuming. GMS’ HR experts handle the administrative tasks associated with FMLA leave, such as collecting and maintaining records, tracking leave usage, and ensuring proper documentation. This frees up your HR team to focus on other essential responsibilities.

    We’re here to make your life easier. We take all the administrative burdens off your shoulders so you can focus on other areas of your business. Get a quote today so we can make your business simpler, safer, and stronger.

  • As a small business owner, it’s important to try to prepare for anything—even Mother Nature. In Florida, that means doing what you can to make sure your business and your employees are as ready as possible for hurricanes, named storms, and other events that can cause serious problems.

    Hurricane season is a stressful time that requires plenty of preparation and employee management to help weather any issues. Here are some tips that you can use to help you and your employees navigate any potential problems before, during, and after a storm.

    A hurricane approaching Florida, causing small business owners to prepare for the storm.

    Train Your Employees Ahead of Time

    Good employees play a major role in the success of your business, but sometimes they don’t always look out for themselves. The best time to prepare for a natural disaster is long before one arrives, so it’s smart to include hurricane education as part of a regular training program, especially if you have a lot of transient workers who never experienced a storm before.

    People move to Florida all the time. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 330,000 moved to the Sunshine State from 2016 to 2017, which is an average of nearly 900 people per day. That means a lot of workers in the state have never been through a bad storm before. A hurricane education session can help them know what they should always have available, including:

    • Battery operated TV and fans
    • Generator
    • Second refrigerator just to store water (will keep somewhat cool even after power is out)
    • Nonperishable canned goods

    While basic hurricane preparation education and supplies are good, you can go the next step and see if an expert would be willing to help. Local meteorologists are a great resource for hurricane training, whether they give you some helpful advice or are willing to visit your business to talk to your employees. It never hurts to ask.

    The frequency of the training depends on the makeup of your business. If you have a small workforce and little turnover, training can be more infrequent. If you’re in a high turnover business or have a larger staff, yearly training sessions can be a good idea. It’s also important to stress to your employees that they may want to consider leaving the area depending on the storm. Sometimes the best plan of action is to be nowhere near the hurricane when it hits.

    Close the Office When Necessary

    In general, the decision to close the office due to an incoming storm is up to you. OSHA does stipulate in its general duty clause, that all places of employment are “free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.” Essentially, if the storm makes your workplace a dangerous location, it’s time to shut down and evacuate.

    Another reason to play it safe and close your business if the weather is questionable is to avoid any potential liability issues. While the commute to and from your office is outside of your workplace, there is a grey area in terms of whether you’re on the hook if the impending or active storm causes an employee to get hurt or have an accident. A court may rule in your favor, but you may not want to take that risk when you can simply play it safe and close your office.

    Handle Wages with Care

    If you decide to close your business, your employees may still expect to be paid. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), what they’re owed and if you need to pay them at all can depend on the type of employee:

    • Nonexempt employees are only owed for the hours they’ve worked according to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This means that you do not owe them any money when you close your business.
    • Exempt employees are owed their full salary if the weather forces the office to close for less than a full workweek. However, you may require these employees to take paid time off (PTO) during these days.

    While the FLSA outlines your minimum requirements, that doesn’t mean that you should follow these guidelines. Forcing an employee to take PTO sends a message that you see the hurricane as their vacation, which will rub even the most loyal workers the wrong way. In addition, being left without a paycheck for something out of their control can create some discontent, even if the business isn’t able to generate any money during the closure either.

    One solution to this is to go above and beyond if possible. If you know what an employee typically makes during a week, find a compromise, whether it’s paying them in full or even offering a portion of their normal earnings. This can show them that you’re still trying to help during a difficult period. If you can’t make that kind of financial commitment or you need to make serious repairs to the business after the storm, explain the situation so that your employees understand instead of feeling blindsided by a lack of pay.

    Be Open and Accommodating About Leaves of Absence

    Even if you decide to keep your business open, there may be employees who want to stay home with their families. In this case, the Department of Labor allows you to consider such leave as an absence for personal reasons. As with wages, however, this can send a bad message to a good employee. Instead, it can be best to be flexible for employees who want to be at home to prepare for a storm, especially if they plan to head out of state.

    You can also offer some alternatives. For example, you can allow employees to work from home if possible. This will allow them to cut down on travel during a storm without sacrificing valuable work hours, at least until the power goes out.

    Employees may also be absent from work after a storm to attend to post-disaster needs, such as meeting with insurance adjusters. SHRM also notes that “employees affected by a natural disaster are entitled to leave under the FMLA [Family and Medical Leave Act] for a serious health condition caused by the disaster,” such as the need to care for a family member.

    If you want a more set structure in terms of how many days employees are allowed off for storms, you can include writing in your handbook or leave policies that sets out a specific process. The problem with this is that no hurricane is the same. One storm could last two days, while another could last 10. A set policy may pigeonhole you into an exact number of days if you’re not careful.

    Protect Important Documents

    Both you and your employees have important documents that must always stay safe. Unfortunately, hurricanes don’t cooperate. In Florida, it’s good to invest in document storage that can protect both business and personal documents from the elements, like a fireproof and waterproof safe.

    While a great start, a safe can’t protect your documents from a worst-case scenario. If a storm is projected to be bad enough to make you leave the area, make sure to take your documents with you so that the storm doesn’t take them away for good. Digitizing documents in a securely-stored online portal can also make sure that these files are safe from storms and accessible anyplace with an internet connection.

    Always Communicate

    Good communication is a key part of hurricane preparation. It’s important to keep in contact with your employees long before a storm hits, during the storm, and after it’s gone.

    While some employees will know the risks and protect themselves, others may not understand the danger of these storms or will be afraid to stay home out of fear of losing their job. Monitor the situation and make employees feel comfortable with their decision to stay or go if the coming storm looks dangerous. There are times where storms pass over and you don’t need to close, but it’s always good to err on the side of caution instead of being wrong about the weather.

    If you have any other questions about protecting your business before, during, and after a storm, it’s best to communicate with a trusted HR partner. GMS is a Professional Employer Organization that serves companies of all sizes across the nation. The experts in our Fort Myers, Florida branch can work with you to help you protect your business and manage key HR functions that complicate your day and bog down your schedule.

    Contact GMS today to talk to one of our experts in our Florida office about how we can help your business prepare for the future.

  • The 50-employee mark is more than just a milestone; it’s also an important number for some major regulation requirements. Once your business has 50 full-time employees, various federal and state laws become mandatory, which can wreak havoc on your business if you don’t prepare for them. Here’s what your business needs to do to stay compliant once it reaches 50 full-time employees.

    Multiple employees during a training session at an applicable large employer.

    Health Insurance

    While smaller businesses can choose to offer health insurance, it becomes a requirement once your business reaches 50 or more full-time or full-time equivalent employees. At that point, the Affordable Care Act designates your business as an applicable large employer (ALE).

    Any ALE is required to meet the employer shared responsibility provisions found in the Affordable Care Act. These provisions give ALEs two options:

    • Offer health coverage that the ACA deems “affordable and provides “minimum value” to full-time employees and their dependents
    • Make a payment to the IRS any of the ALE’s full-time employees receive a premium tax credit for purchasing individual coverage on a Health Insurance Marketplace

    In addition to offering coverage – or opting to not offer coverage and pay penalties – ALEs are required to report to the IRS about their health care coverage. This means every ALE must file both Form 1095-C and Form 1094-C to the IRS, as well as a similar statement for each full-time employee.

    Determining full-time equivalent employees

    You may have noticed that threshold to be considered an ALE was set at 50 full-time or full-time equivalent employees. This means that you don’t need 50 strictly full-time employees to meet ALE designation if you have enough part-time individuals to qualify.

    Full-time employees include any worker who averages at least 30 hours of service per week in a calendar month. Full-time equivalent employees are a combination of individuals who do not meet full-time specifications, but whose combined work is determined to equate to that of a full-time worker.

    Per the IRS, there is a two-step process to determine the number of full-time equivalent employees at your business.

    1. Combine the number of hours of service of all non-full-time employees for the month (do not include more than 120 hours of service per employee)
    2. Divide the total by 120

    The total number represents a company’s number of full-time equivalent employees. That total would then be added to the number of regular full-time employees. If the combined number is at least 50 – for example, 40 full-time employees and 10 full-time equivalent employees – your business is considered an ALE.

    Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

    Unlike the Affordable Care Act, the Department of Labor (DOL) does not look to full-time and full-time equivalent employees to determine which businesses must comply with FMLA. Instead, the DOL simply writes that “private employers with at least 50 employees are covered by FMLA.” FMLA also applies to businesses with fluctuating workforces as long as they had at least 50 employees for 20 or more total workweeks in the current or previous year. These employees must then meet the following stipulations to be eligible for FMLA:

    • Work for the employer for at least 12 months
    • Work at least 1,250 hours during the 12 months before the start of leave
    • Work at a jobsite where the employer has at least 50 employees within 75 miles

    If eligible, employees are entitled to take unpaid, job-protected leave for various permissible reasons. These include taking up to 12 weeks of leave in a 12-month period for the following:

    • The birth of a child and to bond with the newborn child within one year of birth
    • The placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care and to bond with the newly placed child within one year of placement
    • A serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the functions of his or her job
    • To care for the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent who has a serious health condition

    FMLA Compliance requirements

    Covered employers must also take steps to notify employees about FMLA rights. The first step is to display an FMLA poster prepared by the DOL at all locations. The next is to provide general notice with the same information as the poster in the employee handbook. If no handbook exists – and it absolutely should – employers must distribute a general notice to all employees and any new individuals when hired.

    As expected, the FMLA has penalties in place for any employers who meet the 50-employee threshold who deny or interfere with permitted leave or fail to meet notification requirements. Updated penalty amounts can be found on the DOL website.

    Miscellaneous State Laws

    Only looking to federal requirements can land your business in hot water. Certain states have their own regulations for businesses once they reach the 50-employee threshold. One of the more notable examples is that New York employers with 50-plus full-time employees must give at least 90 days’ written notice for mass layoffs, employment losses, or relocations. This law is a variation of the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), which only applies to businesses with at least 100 employers. As a result, you’ll want to consult with your state government’s site to review any local laws that go into effect at the 50-employee threshold.

    Prepare Your Growing Business

    Growth is great, but it can become a major problem if you aren’t prepared for the additional compliance concerns and internal responsibilities. More employees mean more time spent handling payroll management, benefits administration, and other key HR needs – unless you find a partner that can manage these critical functions and save you much-needed time.

    Whether you’re a startup or a 50-plus employee business, Group Management Services provides professional HR management to help you make your business simpler, safer, and stronger while you focus on ways to grow your company. Contact us today to talk to one of our experts about what we can do to help you protect your company now and prepare for the future.

  • As a business owner, you have to make countless decisions about the types of benefits your business offers. From health insurance plans to PTO, your benefits package impacts your employees and your bottom line. Deciding on the type of benefits you want to offer your employees, like maternity and paternity leave, can be a tricky situation.

    Two new parents with their baby while on maternity and paternity leave from their employers. 

    Is My Business Required to Offer Maternity and Paternity Leave?

    The answer to that question depends on the size of your company and its location. Maternity and paternity leave is regulated by U.S. labor law, which includes the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA). This law applies to any employee who has worked for your company for at least 12 months and has logged at least 1,250 hours in that span. Any employee who meets FMLA criteria is then able to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period for any of the following reasons.

    • The birth of a child and time to bond with that newborn child within one year of birth
    • The placement of a child for adoption or foster care and to bond with the newly placed child within one year of placement
    • A serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the functions of his or her job
    • To care for the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent who has a serious health condition

    However, FMLA doesn’t affect every business. According to the Department of Labor, FMLA applies to “all public agencies, all public and private elementary and secondary schools, and companies with 50 or more employees” on a federal level. 

    There are some states with different rules in regards to which businesses are impacted by FMLA. For example, New Jersey updated its Family Leave Act to drop its threshold to 30 employees. In addition, New Jersey offers paid family leave. These individual state laws can differ dramatically from the federal norm, so you’ll want to check your local laws to see where your company stands in terms of your parental leave obligations. If your business does not meet the employee threshold for FMLA in your state, you are not required to provide paid or unpaid leave for maternity and paternity leave.

    Should I Offer Maternity and Paternity Leave Benefits Anyway?

    Even if FMLA doesn’t apply to your business, you may want to consider some form of maternity and paternity leave for your employees. There are advantages and disadvantages associated with your various parental leave options, so it’s important to identify some factors that may impact your decision.

    The costs of offering leave

    Your parental leave policy can have different financial impacts. Not offering a leave policy is the lowest cost option, at least in terms of how it’ll impact your day-to-day operations. Conversely, paid leave means that you’re still on the hook for paying your employees while they’re out of the office. In addition, the following factors can affect your bottom line whether you offer paid or unpaid leave:

    • The impact of lost productivity while your employee is on leave
    • The cost of a temp worker to pick up the extra work
    • The cost of covering benefits while an employee is gone

    All of these factors can add up, which can make the decision to offer some form of paid or unpaid parental leave a pricy policy. However, it’s important to also consider the financial impacts of not having a formal maternity or paternity policy.

    No maternal or paternal leave policy can be a big reason as to why an employee leaves your company – or why a potential job candidate accepts a job somewhere else. If a talented employee plans on having a child at some point, he or she may look for other opportunities to cut down on the amount of stress after childbirth and afford them more time to bond with that child. In fact, a study by the Center for Women and Work at Rutgers found that women are “93 percent more likely to be working nine to 12 months after giving birth than those who didn’t take leave.”

    Not only will that departure affect your business’ productivity, replacing that employee can cost as much as half of his or her salary. If you’re in a position where you want to avoid turnover, some form of parental leave policy may be the more cost-effective solution in the long run.

    Employees want paid leave

    Just how attractive is an opportunity for paid leave to a typical employee? BenefitsNews shared the results of a survey that asked workers about the most desirable benefits outside of health insurance and retirement plans. Paid family leave eked out flexible/remote work options as the most coveted option, which can make it a very desirable option to help you attract and retain talented employees.

    The growing desire for parental leave benefits hasn’t gone unnoticed. According to SHRM, more business have offered paid parental leave in recent years. The number of business offering paid maternity leave has nearly tripled between 2014 and 2018, rising from 12 percent to 35 percent. Paid paternity leave wasn’t far behind, increasing from 12 to 29 percent in that time.

    What are Some Parental Leave Options for a Small Business?

    Now that you’ve weighed a few factors that may impact your decision on whether you should or shouldn’t offer maternity and paternity leave. There are a few different options you can take based on the needs of your company.

    • No parental leave
    • Unpaid parental leave
    • Paid parental leave
    • A combination of paid and unpaid parental leave

    So which is the best choice? Ultimately, the decision lies with what’s right for you and your company. You’ll need to balance the financial implications along with how your policy can impact your employees, which requires an internal perspective from someone who knows and understands the company. 

    You’re the best person to judge which type of maternity and paternity leave policy works for your company, but you don’t have to make this call alone. At Group Management Services, we can help you determine which route may be best for your particular situation and put together a company policy to keep your employees informed (and protect you from potential claims). Contact GMS today to talk to one of our experts about how we can help you strengthen your business through employee benefits administration and other key HR functions.

  • The state of family medical leave has been in flux in New Jersey over the past year. In February, Governor Phil Murphy signed an amendment to expand both New Jersey’s Family Leave Act (NJFLA) and Family Leave Insurance law (NJFLI). Those changes went into effect back on June 30, 2019, but they wouldn’t be the only adjustments to leave laws during the years.

    As of Oct. 7, 2019, business owners have a pair of new laws to plan for when it comes to how the state processes leave applications. With so many changes, it can be hard to keep all the new family leave updates straight. To help, here’s a breakdown of what business owners need to know about the changes to family leave in New Jersey over the course of 2019 – and why it might be important to business outside the Garden State as well.

    A mother taking family medical leave from work after the birth of her new child.

    What’s Going on with Family Leave Laws in New Jersey?

    Changes to the NJFLA and NJFLI

    While New Jersey previously had the NJFLA and NJFLI both in place, the new amendments essentially increased the level of benefits and protections for any eligible employees who wish to use family leave. As was the case before, New Jersey employers must provide family leave to eligible workers and cannot terminate them as a result of this leave. These employees must meet the following requirements to be considered eligible for family leave. 

    • Their employer has at least 30 employees (it was 50 employees prior to June 30, 2019) or is a government entity of any size
    • The employee has worked for that employer for at least a year, amassing at least 1,000 hours over the course of the last 12 months
    • The family leave is used to care for a child of younger than 1 year old or to care for a family member, or someone equivalent to family, with a serious health condition

    In addition to reducing the employer size threshold found in the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), many other changes went into effect for both NJFLA and NJFLI in June. Here are some of the more notable differences that directly impact employers.

    Reduced notice requirements

    The FMLA requires advance notice of 30 days for leave requests. However, New Jersey’s amendment drops the advance notice requirement to 15 days for an intermittent leave request for family members with serious health conditions.

    Additional time for paid leave benefits

    Originally, New Jersey employees were only allowed six weeks of paid family leave within a 12-month period. The amendments double that amount to 12 weeks. It also increased intermittent paid leave benefits from 42 to 56 days in that same 12-month period, while extending intermittent use to foster care placement in addition to care for newborns or adopted children.

    Higher weekly benefit amount cap

    Employees taking paid leave earn a portion of their weekly salary. Currently, that rate is two-thirds of an employee’s weekly salary, with weekly payments capped at 53 percent of New Jersey’s statewide weekly remuneration. As of July 1, 2020, that pay will increase to 80 percent of a weekly salary, with weekly payments capped at 70 percent of the statewide remuneration.

    No more PTO mandates

    Previously, employers had the option to require employees to use up to two weeks of PTO in place of paid leave time. The new amendment bars employers from mandating PTO use, although it still gives employees the option to do so at their own discretion.

    October amendments

    While the latest amendments don’t offer as many changes as the ones that took effect in June, they do institute a pair of notable updates that aim to speed up the leave application process for people with new children.

    The first change saves employees the trouble of completing multiple applications for leave. With the new rules, the state will automatically process applications for leave insurance after an employee applies for temporary disability. The second update allows employees to submit pregnancy-related temporary disability claims up to 60 days ahead of the actual claim period as long as they know when they’ll expect to start their period of leave.

    Why Family Leave Changes Matter to Business Owners

    As with any legislative changes that affect businesses, the updates to NJFLA and NJFLI mean that business owners in New Jersey need to take precautions to make sure that their company is compliant with the new family leave rules. If your company falls in the 30-employees or more threshold, you’ll need to abide by all the new rules listed above. You’ll also want to update your employee handbook to include these new policies.

    If your company employs fewer than 30 people, you don’t have to follow the same details. However, you can mirror the new family leave laws even if you aren’t legally required to do so. Matching the new family leave rules can serve as a sign of good faith to your current employees – and help you stay competitive with bigger companies that have to honor the new rules. Whether you decide to modify your family leave policy or not, it’s important to document it in your handbook as well. 

    While these new updates only affect business owners in New Jersey, they may serve as a sign of things to come for people in other states. It’s not uncommon for New Jersey to act as a testing ground for legislative changes. As such, other states may mimic similar changes to their Family Medical Leave Act laws in the future.

    Whether it’s family leave or something else, it’s never easy to stay on top of all the legislative changes that can impact your business. At GMS, our team of experts can help you stay compliant with any new rules and regulations while helping your business simplify key HR functions like payroll and risk management. Contact our New Jersey office or one of our other locations today to talk to one of our experts about how we can help you save time and money through professional HR administration.