New Heldrich report: Measuring the Awareness and Opinions of NJ’s Earned Sick Leave Law and Family Leave Insurance Program

May 17, 2022

In 2019, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development asked the Heldrich Center to conduct a multi-year study of New Jersey’s Family Leave Insurance program (FLI), Earned Sick Leave law (ESL), and Temporary Disability Insurance program. The study was designed to provide information in two phases: first, about the public’s awareness and utilization of paid leave, and second, about the public’s awareness of and attitudes toward using ESL and FLI benefits. The Heldrich Center partnered with the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations’ Center for Women and Work and the Eagleton Institute of Politics Center for Public Interest Polling to support data collection and analysis. 

This report presents the results from the second phase of the study focusing on the public’s awareness of and opinions toward using FLI and ESL. It is based on a statewide survey asking questions about New Jersey’s FLI program and ESL law in Fall 2020, Spring 2021, and Fall 2021. The study period overlapped the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a policy-relevant time for understanding and using these leave programs in New Jersey, and having important implications for the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development to target its outreach plan to educate the public about these state programs. The authors of this report were Heldrich Center staff members Sean Simone, Ph.D., Director of Research and Evaluation; Jessica Starace, Research Associate; Marjory Palius, Ed.D., Research Project Manager; Kristine Joy Bacani, Research Project Assistant; and Brittney Donovan, Research Project Assistant.

Recent Posts

New Jersey State Policy Lab Celebrates 3rd Anniversary

By Elizabeth Cooner, Ed.D. As we celebrate three years since the inception of the New Jersey State Policy Lab (NJSPL), we are proud of the solid foundation of public policy research we have built. Working with more than 120 faculty members, 80 students, and experts at...

RAISE-24 Recap: Does News Media Spread Fear of AI?

Summary The final round for the RAISE-24 Informatics – Data Science competition was held Friday, April 19, 2024 at the Bloustein School. Hosted by the Master of Public Informatics (MPI) program, the inaugural competition challenge asked competitors “Does News Media...

NJ Unemployment Insurance Claims Dashboard Released

The New Jersey Statewide Data System has released the New Jersey Unemployment Insurance Claims Dashboard. This dashboard uses linked, longitudinal administrative data from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development and the New Jersey Office of the...

Susan Krum, 2024 Rose Teaching Excellence Award Recipient

The Bloustein School is pleased to announce that Susan Krum, Au.D., interim Executive Director of Health Administration & Associate Teaching Professor is the 2024 recipient of the Jerome G. Rose Excellence in Teaching Award. The award is presented annually to a...

Research Day 2024 Recap: Winners and Videos

The Bloustein School's 3rd Annual Research Day took place in person at the Gov. James J. Florio Special Events Forum on Friday, April 12th. The event was an opportunity for Bloustein students, faculty, and staff to showcase their research, receive feedback, and build...

Upcoming Events

Bloustein Honors Research Program Oral Thesis Defense

Bloustein School, Civic Square Building 33 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ, United States

The members of the 2023-24 Bloustein Honors Research Program cohort will be presenting their individual research projects in two formats.

Bloustein School Convocation

Jersey Mike's Arena 83 Rockefeller Road, Piscataway, NJ, United States

The formal BLOUSTEIN SCHOOL CONVOCATION ceremony will recognize each graduate individually with pomp and circumstance.  Students will cross the stage and have their names read as they are recognized. Seating is general […]