From the New Jersey Star-Ledger:

Lawmakers will put…[a] paid family leave bill back on the table tomorrow, when a Trenton hearing considers whether to expand New Jersey’s temporary disability insurance program to pay six weeks of publicly funded wages to workers who take time off from their jobs to care for families.

One of the most interesting developments in New Jersey is an apparent split in the business community, with the Employers Association of New Jersey in support of the bill. Perhaps they’ve started listening to their members? As one small business owner interviewed in the article points out:

“This is a way for a small business to provide a benefit that is reserved almost exclusively to large corporations,” he said. “If workers need time off to care for their families, at least they will get some pay.”

Another key to the bill’s support seems to be the personal experiences of both Senate President Richard Codey and Governor Jon Corzine, who have recently come to understand that family leave insurance is just the kind of thing you need when life takes an unexpected turn.

California’s paid family leave program also had some business support when signed into law – and that state’s 3-plus years of experience with the program has made it quite apparent that paid family leave is a boon, not a burden, for business and families alike.

So, what might happen in Washington State this year? Time will tell…