Division of Temporary Disability and Family Leave Insurance (2024)

You may be eligible for Temporary Disability benefits through the Disability During Unemployment section if you become unable to work more than 14 days from your last day of work at an employer covered for New Jersey Temporary Disability Insurance (whether you are still employed or not).

You may become unable to work due to:

• A physical or mental illness, (non-work related) injury or scheduled surgery.
• Pregnancy and childbirth recovery.
• An underlying health condition that makes you high risk for COVID-19, as certified by a licensed healthcare provider.

If You're Applying forTemporary Disability After Receiving Unemployment or Family Leave During Unemployment Benefits:

In most cases, if you are applying for DDU benefits after being approved for Unemployment or Family Leave During Unemployment Insurance you have already met theDDU minimum earnings requirement, providedall earnings used on your claim were in New Jersey and covered for Temporary Disability Insurance. Keep in mind, the Unemployment earnings criteriamay include municipal, federal, military, and/or out of state wages.When qualifying for Disability During Unemployment benefits, those earnings do not count towards eligibility.

If You Did Not Collect Unemployment or Family Leave During Unemployment Benefits:

Employers are required to report their employees' wages to the state after each calendar quarter is completed. When your claim is under review, we consider your New Jersey covered earnings reported for the 5 completed quarters prior to the week your disability period began. The first 4 quarters of that time frame iscalled thebase year.

To qualify in 2023, you must have worked 20 weeks earning at least $260 weekly, or have earned a combined total of $13,000 in those four quarters (the base year).

To qualify in 2024, you must have worked 20 weeks earning at least $283 weekly, or have earned a combined total of $14,200 in those four quarters (the base year).

Yourregular base year periodconsists of 52 weeks and is determined by the date you apply for Disability During Unemployment benefits, as outlined in the chart below:

The wages earned during your base year will determine the amount of weekly benefits you may receive, and the total amount you can collect during the life of a claim.

For workers who don't qualify with a standard base year, we have other ways of calculating a base year.Click herefor more information on these alternate base years.

If You're Applying for Temporary Disability AfterApplying For Unemployment or Family Leave During Unemployment Benefits:

Ifyour previousclaim met the earnings requirement to qualify, a12-month period (known as the benefit year) was established. If you are now applying for Temporary Disability benefits within thatbenefit year, your Disability During Unemployment claim will havethe same start date as your prior claim, whether you were previously approved for benefits or not.

If You Did Not Collect Unemployment or Family Leave During Unemployment Benefits:

If you do not have anexistingUnemployment Insurance or Family Leave During Unemployment claim that can be used, the date of claim will be the Sunday of the week in which you become unable to work and apply for DDU benefits. The benefit year is the 12-month period starting on the first day of benefits claimed.

For example, let's say Steve's first day of Disability During Unemployment is Friday, March 1, 2024 and he does not have a prior Unemployment or Family Leave During Unemployment claim. Steve's DDU claim will begin on the Sunday before his disability date (Sunday, February 25, 2024). His benefit year will run from Sunday, February 25, 2024 through Saturday, February 22, 2025.

If You're Applying forTemporary Disability After Receiving Unemployment orFamily Leave During Unemployment Benefits:

If you have an Unemployment Insurance or Family Leave During Unemployment claim and are now applying for DDU benefits, you typically will receive the same benefit rate for DDU as you were receiving on your prior approved claim, provided all earnings were in New Jersey and covered for Temporary Disability Insurance. Refer back to the monetary determination notice that you were issued for your prior approved claim, as you will not receive a new one for your DDU benefits.

If You Did Not Collect Unemployment or Family Leave During Unemployment Benefits:

Your weekly benefit amount is 60% of your average weekly wage, up to a maximum benefit rate set for that calendar year.
The maximum weekly DDU benefit rate in 2023 is $830 per week.
The maximum weekly DDU benefit rate in 2024 is $854 per week.

A dependent may be:

• an unemployed spouse or civil union partner;
• unemployed, unmarried children (including stepchild, and/or legally adopted child) under the age of 19;
• unemployed, unmarried children (including stepchild, and/or legally adopted child) under the age of 22 if attending a public or other nonprofit educational institution full time.

*If your spouse or civil union partner is unemployed and claimed your children as dependents on their Unemployment claim, you cannot claim the same children as dependents on your Disability During Unemployment claim.

If You're Applying forTemporary Disability After Receiving Unemployment or Family Leave During Unemployment Benefits:

When transitioning from one program to another, the maximum amount of benefits you can collecttotal(during Unemployment, Disability During Unemployment, and Family Leave During Unemployment benefits combined) is one and one-half times the maximum benefit amount of yourinitial Unemployment claim. Be aware that the maximum benefit amount applies to standard Unemployment benefits only and is not impacted by pandemic related benefit extensions that may be in place at the time of your filing.

For example, let's say Sarah was collecting Unemployment benefits but is now applying forTemporary Disability and her Unemployment approval notice shows a maximum benefit of $10,000. If Sarah is approved forDisability During Unemployment, the most she can collect from Unemployment andDisability During Unemploymentcombined, is $15,000 in benefits (one and one-half times the maximum benefit amount of her initial Unemployment claim).

If You Did Not Collect Unemployment orFamily Leave During Unemployment Benefits:

You may receive one week of benefits for each base week you worked in yourbase year period, up to a maximum of 26 weeks. In 2024, a base week is any week with earnings of $283 or more.

For example, let's say in Sarah's base year period she worked 22 weeks earning atleast $283. If Sarah's DDU claim is approved, she may collect up to 22 weeks of benefits in the benefit year.

Both New Jersey workers and employers contribute to the cost of Temporary Disability Insurance coverage.

Cost to Workers.

For 2022, workers contribute 0.14% on the first $151,900 (the wage cap) in covered wages earned during this calendar year. The maximum worker contribution for 2022 is $212.66. This contribution is in the form of a salary deduction that your employer takes from your weekly wages.

For 2023, employers contribute between $41.10 and $308.25 on the first $41,100 earned by each employee during this calendar year.

For 2024, employers contribute between $42.30 and $317.25 on the first $42,300 earned by each employee during this calendar year.

You can apply forDisability During Unemployment benefitsonline,in the mail, or by fax. Instructions are included on the application. Read all the instructions carefully before completing the application. If filing by mail or fax, don’t forget to sign and date the form.

When you apply forDDU benefits, we’ll need information from you, andyour medical provider.It isyourresponsibility to have all this information – including the medical provider part – submitted to us online, by mail, or by fax.

This is the information we need to complete your application:

1. From you:
   • Your Social Security number, contact information, and date of birth
   • The date you became disabled
   • Contact information for the medical provider who treated you within 10 days of the first day you were unable to work
   • Dates of any emergency/urgent care treatment or hospitalizations
   • Dates you worked for any employers in the last 6 months, the employers’ contact information, and the address(es) where you worked
   • The date when you expect to recover (or the date you recovered)
2. Fromyour doctor:
   • A medical certification to confirm the period you are unable to work

When you complete your part online, you will get a uniqueOnline Form IDnumber to give to your medical provider. They will use this number to submit their part to us online. You will be prompted to print out (or save as a PDF file) a page that has your unique Online Form ID number, along with instructions for your medical provider to follow. If you do not have access to a printer wheninitially filing your application, you have a fourteen day window to return andprint the instructionswhen a printer is available. You can doso by clickingAccess claim documentsat the top of this page.

If planning ahead, you can start the online application process up to 60 days' in advance and it will be saved as a draft. Once your disability period begins, you must return to your draft (within 14 days' of the start of your leave) to certify and submit your application. If applying after disability period begins, you have 30 days' from your first day of disability to file your application.

We would like to process your claim quickly, but can’t do it without your help.

Keep these tips in mind to avoid delays and receive your benefits faster:

1. Apply online.It’s faster than printing and mailing or faxing your application to us.Remember,it is your responsibility to give these instructions to the medical provider to complete – they arenotautomatically notified by our system. If you do apply online, do notalsosubmit that claim by mail or fax. That may delay the processing of your application.
2. Fill out your application completely and accurately. Read all instructions first. If you’re not sure how to answer a question, check out ourFAQorForm Look Upfor more information. If you still need help,contact us.
3. Include your Social Security numberon all correspondence.
4. Don’t fax us pictures of documents.If you want to submit a digital copy of a document, use a free mobile app likeAdobe ScanorDropboxto transform a mobile phone picture into a high-contrast, black-and-white PDF file you can print and fax.
5. Get ready to receive your payments.Money Network/My Banking Direct will mail your prepaid debit card in a plain envelope that may look like junk mail, so check allyour mail carefully. If you already have a debit card from a previous Temporary Disability, Family Leave, or Unemployment Insurance claim, we will use that same card to pay benefits for new claims. If you can’t find your card,contact Money Network/My Banking Directfor a replacement.

Once we receive your application and see that you fit the criteria for Disability During Unemployment, we maytemporarilydeny your application as a way of routing it to the proper DDU section. This temporary denial is our internal process of reassigning your claimand has no reflection on the content of your application. Once a Disability During Unemployment examiner receives your application, it will be reviewed for claim approval.

If You're Applying for Temporary Disability After Receiving Unemployment or Family Leave During Unemployment Benefits:

In general, when an Unemployment Insurance orFamily Leave During Unemployment claim exists, DDU applications with complete information are determined within seven to ten days from the date of receipt. If you were receiving Unemployment Insurance, there may be a delay in benefits from when you stop your weekly certification and when DDU starts paying you-as it will take time for your new application to make it's way to an examiner. You will be paid retroactively byDisability During Unemployment for this delay. If you were receivingFamily Leave During Unemployment and you provided them with the disability paperwork, they may initiate the transfer of your claim to DDU so that the transition is seamless.

If You Did Not Collect Unemployment orFamily LeaveDuring Unemployment Benefits:

When an Unemployment orFamily Leave During Unemploymentclaim does not exist, additional information must be gathered and it may take approximately three to four weeks to issue a determination.

If You Are Not Collecting Unemployment or Family Leave During Unemployment Benefits:

Questionnaire Packet: If your first day of disabilitydoes not fall within the benefit year of an existing Unemployment orFamily Leave During Unemployment claim, we may need to ask you additional questions that are required by Unemployment law. This may include why you stopped working, if you own a business, if you work for a school, or are a student. We also provide the application for dependency benefits and a form to complete to withhold10% of your benefits for federal income taxes. The sooner you complete and return this packet the sooner your claim can be reviewed.

If You're Applying for Temporary Disability After Receiving Unemployment or Family Leave During Unemployment Benefits:

If you have received a Direct Deposit into yourbank account for an existing Unemployment or Family Leave During Unemployment claim within 28 days of the start of your disability, your Direct Deposit information will carry over to your DDU claim.

If you are not signed up for Direct Deposit and already have a debit card from a previous Temporary Disability, Family Leave, or Unemployment Insurance claim, we will use that same card to pay benefits for new claims. If you can’t find your card,contact Money Network/My Banking Directdirectlyfor a replacement.

If You Did Not Collect Unemployment or Family Leave During Unemployment Benefits:

Benefit payments are most commonly issued todebit cards sent to you by Money Network/My Banking Direct. Money Network/My Banking Direct will mail your prepaid debit card in a plain envelope which may look like junk mail, so check allyour mail carefully. If you already have a debit card from a prior claim (within the last four years), we will use that same card to pay benefits for new claims. If you can’t find your card,contact Money Network/My Banking Direct directly for a replacement. Temporary Disability does not offer Direct Deposit. However, you can arrange for your benefits to be automatically transferred from your debit card account to your personal checking or savings account by contacting Money Network/My Banking Direct.

• Once your claim has been determined eligible, payments are usuallyissued on a weekly basis. However, there are times during your claim where yourpayment may cover a period of more than one week.
• Disability During Unemployment benefits are paid in full weeks only. A full week runs from Sunday through Saturday.
• No federal income tax is withheld from your benefits unless you request this deduction when applying online or by mail.
• You may receive benefits until you recover, return to work, exhaust your maximum benefit entitlement, or the benefit year of your claim expires.We will periodically require medical certification throughout that time to confirm you are still disabled and still under a doctor’s care.

After you start receiving Disability During Unemployment Insurance, we may ask you to provide us with proof of your continuing disability to keep receiving benefits.

A form called Claim for Continued Benefitsis mailed to you before your last authorized benefit payment. Additional benefits will not be approved until the completed form is received. If you lost or never received the form, you can download it here.

Be sure that your Social Security number is listed on each page. Return your completed forms to:

Disability During Unemployment
P.O. Box 956
Trenton, NJ 08625-0956

or FAX to: 609-292-9209

DisabilityDuring Unemployment benefits areNOTpayable for:

• any period that is less than seven consecutive days.
• any period you are not under medical care. You must be under the care of a legally licensed physician, dentist, podiatrist, chiropractor, optometrist, psychologist, certified nurse midwife, or advanced practice nurse.
• any period that you receive Unemployment Insurance benefits, Family Leave Insurance benefits, any benefits from a disability or cash sickness program or similar law of New Jersey or any other state or the federal government.
• any period when you receive full salary or paid time off.
• any period during which you perform any work for remuneration or profit.
• any period during which you would be disqualified under the Unemployment Compensation Law for voluntarily quitting your job, termination due to misconduct or gross misconduct, refusal of suitable work, or fraud.
• work related disabilities. However, if your disability is work related and your employer's workers' compensation carrier denies you benefits or if the workers' compensation carrier stops benefit payments, you may file a claim with theDivision of Temporary Disability and Family Leave Insurance.
• any period of disability due to willfully and intentionally self-inflicted injury, or injury sustained in the perpetration by the claimant of a criminal act under the New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice.
• any period you are out of work due to a labor dispute at your place of work.

Disability During Unemployment benefits under are not taxable for New Jersey state income tax purposes.However, benefits are subject to federal income tax. You may voluntarily request to have 10% of your weekly benefits withheld. If you are interested inhaving federal income tax withheld from your weekly benefits, contact Disability During Unemployment in writing at:

Disability During Unemployment
P.O. Box 956
Trenton, NJ 08625-0956

After the end of each calendar year, Form 1099-G will be available in our online system for you todownloadand use when filing your federal income tax return. This form lists the total New Jersey State Disability During Unemployment benefits received that calendar year. This information is also sent to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

If you disagree with any written determination you receive from the Division of Temporary Disability and Family Leave Insurance, you may file an appeal. Each determination contains a written statement concerning your appeal rights.

Your appeal must be received or postmarked within seven days after delivery or ten days after the date of the mailing of the determination, except an appeal from a Demand for Refund. Any appeal from a Demand for Refund must be received or postmarked within 20 calendar days after delivery of the notice or 24 days after the mailing date of the notice.

When an appeal is filed, you will be notified by mail of the date and time of an appeals hearing. Be sure to be available at the phone whose number you provided on your claim. If you will not be available during your scheduled hearing, you must notify the appeals office as soon as possible so your hearing can be rescheduled.

Your telephone interview with an Appeal Tribunal examiner will not cost you anything. It is not necessary tohave an attorney present during the hearing, but you can be represented by an attorney or any other person you choose. You will be notified of the results of the hearing by mail.

During the course of your disability, you may be required to submit to a physical examination by a state-appointed physician. The examination is a routine procedure of this agency to insure that disability insurance benefits are being paid properly and do not affect the relationship between you and your doctor.

There is no charge to you for this examination and the results of the examination will be kept confidential. You will be referred to a doctor located as close as possible to your home.

Important:Your disability benefits may be terminated if you are scheduled for an examination and do not report.

A Claim for Continued Benefits is mailed to you when additional medical certification is required to evaluate your claim for continued benefits. Download this form if your Claim for Continued Benefits was not received, was misplaced, or was destroyed. Additional benefits will not be approved until the completed form is received.

Be sure that your Social Security number is listed on each page. Return your completed forms to:Disability During Unemployment
P.O. Box 956
Trenton, NJ 08625-0956 or FAX to: 609-292-9209.

Note: Disability During Unemployment is a state administered benefit program, thereforefederal Unemployment extensions do not apply.

When we receive an application that is referred to Disability During Unemployment, we often only have the information needed to comply with the Temporary Disability benefits law and not the Unemployment Insurance law. In these cases, we send a questionnaire withadditional criteria needed for Unemployment, such as the reason for separation from work, if you wish to claim dependency benefits, and if you received any sick, vacation, or other paid time off after your last day of work. Be sure to complete and return the entire questionnaire so that we may review your claim for eligibility. If you areclaiming DDU benefits immediately afterreceivingUnemployment,we already have this information from your Unemployment claim.

Missing Medical Information
The Temporary Disability benefit application consists of your partalong with your healthcare provider's part. When completing the application online, be sure to provide your healthcare provider with your unique form ID number (provided after submitting your statement). They will use this number to submit their part to us online. It is your responsibility to provide them with your form ID number and it isn'tautomatically sent to them. If completing the paper benefit application, you must complete Parts A and B and have your healthcare provider complete Part C-Medical Certificate. If we do not receive a medical statement either online or through the paper application, we will send you additional paperwork to complete causing a delay or temporary denial of your benefits.

The longest a claimant can collect when combining benefits from one program to another (Unemployment/Disability During Unemployment and Family Leave During Unemployment) is capped at a maximum of 39 benefit weeks. But not everyone is entitled to 39 weeks if it is more than one and one-half times your maximum benefit amount.

Maximum Benefit Amount=the number of weeks you worked (up to 26 weeks) during the base yearperiod multiplied by your weekly benefit rate. Since it is based on your employment before the claim began, everyone's maximum benefit amount and duration is unique to their individual claim.