Payroll for NJ small businesses
Payroll that's right, and the new NJ leave rules covered
Since July 17, 2026, New Jersey's Family Leave Act covers employers with 15 or more employees, down from 30, and employees qualify after 3 months and 250 hours. If you just crossed that line, here's the help.
What changed in 2026
- Who's covered: employers with 15 or more employees (was 30).
- Who's eligible: employees with 3 months and 250 hours (was 12 months and 1,000 hours).
- What it means: job-protected leave, notices, documentation, and reinstatement to the same or an equivalent job for employees on family leave insurance or disability benefits.
Two more 2026 and 2027 changes
- RetireReady NJ: the state retirement savings program now applies to employers with 10 or more employees (it was 25), unless you offer your own plan. Penalties start after a first-year warning. (ASPPA) Check RetireReady NJ for your registration date.
- Minimum wage on January 1, 2027: $16.48 an hour for most employers, $16.25 for employers with fewer than 6 employees and seasonal employers, and $6.61 cash wage for tipped workers. (NJ Department of Labor) We update pay rates before the first 2027 payroll.
Source: summary of the 2026 amendments. Your employment attorney advises on how the law applies to you.
What we do
- Set up payroll with an established payroll provider that files the federal and New Jersey payroll taxes
- Run payroll on your schedule and check each run before it's paid
- Keep employee hours and dates so leave eligibility is easy to see
- Track leave taken, return dates and the paperwork, in one place
- Reconcile payroll to your books every month
- Get year-end W-2s and 1099s right
- Register with RetireReady NJ, or document your exemption
What stays with your attorney
Your leave policy, handbook language and any decision about a specific employee. We keep the records and the payroll accurate; we don't give employment law advice.
Questions
Does the NJ Family Leave Act apply to my business?
Since July 17, 2026, it covers employers with 15 or more employees. Ask your employment attorney how it applies to you.
Do you replace my payroll company?
No. We set up or work with an established payroll provider, and we run and check payroll, track hours and leave, and keep it matched to your books.
How is it priced?
Monthly, by number of employees and pay frequency, in a written scope before we start.