Skip to Main Content
iacoimmigration    CENTER CITY MALL, 301 Main Street, Suite 401, Paterson, NJ 07505 info@iacoimmigration.org

Disability During Unemployment

Benefits for people who cannot work due to health or pregnancy/childbirth reasons, and who have not had a recent job and/or are receiving Unemployment Insurance.

About the program:

Disability During Unemployment combines the Temporary Disability and Unemployment Insurance programs.

You may be eligible for Disability During Unemployment if you are unable to work more than 14 days after your last day of covered employment in NJ, due to:

  • A physical or mental illness, injury (not work-related), or scheduled surgery.
  • A pregnancy and/or recovery from childbirth, or a serious related condition.
  • An underlying health condition that puts you at high risk for COVID-19, according to a health care provider.

Most New Jersey employees qualify

To be eligible in 2022, you must:

  • Have covered earnings in New Jersey of at least $12.000 total or $240 weekly for 20 total weeks in the 18 months prior to the start of your application; Y
  • Meet all Unemployment Insurance requirements, except that you are unable to work due to your health condition or recovery from pregnancy or childbirth.

You may have met the minimum income requirement if you were approved for unemployment leave or family leave while unemployed, if all wages on your claim were filed in New Jersey and are covered by Temporary Disability Insurance.

Receive up to 60% of your average salary up to $804/week in 2022

Benefits are paid for full calendar weeks, beginning on Sunday and ending on Saturday. If you have a claim for Unemployment Insurance or Family Leave During Unemployment within that benefit year, you will normally receive the same benefit percentage that you received on your previous claim. 

Receive up to 26 weeks of benefits

You can apply for unemployment disability benefits for up to 26 weeks in a 12-month period, provided that a health care provider certifies your inability to work.

If this is a transition from an Unemployment or Unemployment Family Leave claim, the maximum you can receive in total (Unemployment, Unemployment Family Leave, and Unemployment Disability) is 1.5 times the benefit maximum on your initial claim .

Example: Sarah was receiving Unemployment benefits and is now applying for Temporary Disability. Her Unemployment claim approval notice indicates a maximum benefit of $10,000. If Sarah is approved for Unemployment Disability, the most she can receive from Unemployment and Unemployment Disability combined is $15,000 (1.5 times the maximum benefit on her Unemployment claim).

Apply for benefits online at myleavebenefits.nj.gov/unemployed

You can start the online application process up to 60 days in advance and save it as a draft. When your period of disability begins, return to your draft within 14 days to certify and submit your application. If you apply after your period of disability begins, file your application within 30 days of your first day of disability. Once the completed application is received, it will take four to six weeks for the application to be approved and benefits to be paid.

Learn how it pays at myleavebenefits.nj.gov/unemployed

Back To Top