New Jersey Temporary Disability Insurance: Up to $1,119 Weekly in 2026

New Jersey Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) is an ongoing wage-replacement program for workers who have to stop working because of a physical or mental health condition, illness, injury, pregnancy-related disability, or another disability that is not caused by their job. The program is administered through the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Division of Temporary Disability and Family Leave Insurance.

For 2026 claims, an eligible claimant can receive 85% of their average weekly wage, subject to a maximum of $1,119 per week. A healthcare provider certifies how long the claimant needs to recover, and benefits can be paid for up to 26 weeks. This is not a fixed annual grant with one closing date. People apply when a qualifying disability begins, so the front matter correctly lists the deadline as rolling. The important timing rule is different: after the first day of disability, the claimant generally has 30 days to file. A late application must include a reason for the delay, and benefits may be reduced or denied.

At a Glance

What the Program Pays

The state calculates an average weekly wage from the claimant’s reported base-year earnings and the number of base weeks in that period. It then pays 85% of that average weekly wage, up to the maximum rate for the year. For 2026, the maximum weekly rate is $1,119. The cap matters for higher earners: someone whose calculated 85% rate is above $1,119 will receive no more than the annual maximum.

The amount is not simply 85% of the claimant’s current take-home pay. The state reviews wage information reported by the employer for the five completed quarters before the week the disability began. The first four of those quarters form the regular base year. Earnings in that base year determine both the weekly rate and the maximum amount available during the life of the claim. A recent raise, a change in hours, or a job change can therefore affect the calculation in ways that are not obvious from the latest pay stub.

There is also a waiting week. The first seven consecutive days of disability are generally unpaid. Benefits begin on the eighth day. The first week can be paid later if the disability lasts at least three consecutive weeks and the employer did not pay the claimant for that week. This rule is separate from the 30-day deadline to submit the application, so a claimant should not wait for the waiting week to pass before filing.

The healthcare provider’s certification controls the period of medical disability, subject to the program’s rules and the maximum duration. A claimant may be asked to provide continuing medical information if the original certification does not cover the full period needed. TDI is a cash benefit; it should not be confused with Family Leave Insurance, which is generally for bonding with a child or caring for a family member.

Who May Qualify in 2026

The official New Jersey guidance says that a worker may be eligible if they paid into the state TDI plan through employment, or are covered by an employer’s approved private plan, and meet the minimum gross earnings requirements. Most New Jersey employers must provide TDI coverage, but the exact plan matters. Check pay stubs or ask the employer which plan covers the job before submitting a claim. If the employer uses a private plan, the employer or private carrier provides the filing instructions rather than the state-plan application route.

For a 2026 claim, the minimum earnings test is either:

• Work in at least 20 weeks while earning at least $310 per week; or
• Earn a combined total of at least $15,500 during the four-quarter base year.

The claimant does not need to satisfy both tests. The state reviews the reported wages for the relevant base year and may use alternate base-year rules when the regular base year does not establish a valid claim. That means a recent gap in work or a job change should prompt a closer review, not an automatic assumption that the person is ineligible.

The medical requirement is equally important. The claimant must have a physical or mental health condition or another disability that prevents them from working, and a healthcare provider must certify the period they cannot work. The condition normally must be unrelated to the job. A broken ankle from a weekend accident, a serious illness, recovery after surgery, or a pregnancy-related disability can fit the program when the provider certifies the inability to work and the wage requirements are met.

The official list also identifies categories that may not be covered by the state plan, including federal government employees, out-of-state employees, faith-based organization workers, properly classified independent contractors, and some local-government workers because coverage can be optional for local government, including school district employees. These categories need a coverage check rather than a guess. A person who works in New Jersey may be eligible even if they live elsewhere, but someone who works outside New Jersey is not treated the same way as a New Jersey worker merely because they reside in the state.

If the disability arose from the job, workers’ compensation is normally the first system to contact. The state page explains a limited path for a work-related disability when the workers’ compensation carrier denies or stops benefits, including a formal claim petition and an agreement to reimburse TDI if workers’ compensation is later awarded. That is a different situation from an ordinary non-work-related TDI claim and may require legal advice.

When to Apply

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis because each claim is tied to the worker’s own disability period. A claimant cannot file a normal claim before the first day of disability. The official FAQ says the application must be filed within 30 days after that first day. If the state receives it later, the claimant must explain why it was late; the delay can reduce or eliminate benefits.

For a planned medical procedure or pregnancy claim, the online system may allow an application to be started in advance. A draft is not the same thing as a filed claim. The applicant must follow the online system’s instructions and complete the required confirmations within its stated windows, then certify and file after the leave begins. Someone whose disability has already started should treat the 30-day rule as the operative deadline and submit as soon as the required information is available.

The seven-day waiting week does not change the filing deadline. Someone expecting a six-week recovery should not wait until the second week, or until a payment is due, to begin. Filing promptly also gives the healthcare provider time to complete the medical portion and gives the state time to ask about missing information.

What to Gather Before Filing

The claimant’s portion of the application requires more than a diagnosis. Prepare the following information before opening the online form or completing the paper DS-1 application:

• Social Security number, date of birth, address, phone number, and other contact information.
• The date the disability began and the date the claimant stopped working.
• Contact information for the medical provider who treated the claimant within 10 days of the first day they were unable to work.
• Dates of emergency or urgent-care treatment and any hospitalizations.
• Dates worked for employers during the last 18 months, along with employer contact information and the addresses where the work was performed.
• Dates of paid time off or other benefits received after the last day worked.
• The expected recovery and return-to-work date, or the actual recovery and return-to-work date if the claimant has already returned.

The provider must submit a medical certification confirming the period the claimant is unable to work. A short note that merely says the patient is ill may not supply the information the form requests. The provider’s certification should address the disabling condition and the period of inability to work in the format required by the application. The claimant is responsible for making sure the provider’s part is submitted; the state does not automatically notify the provider simply because the claimant started an application.

For an online claim, completing the claimant portion produces a unique Online Form ID and instructions for the healthcare provider. Save or print those instructions and give them to the provider promptly. If the claimant does not have a printer at the time of filing, the official page says the instructions can be retrieved during the stated access window through the claim documents area. Keep a copy of the confirmation, the dates reported, and every message sent to or received from the agency.

How to Apply

The fastest route is the state’s secure online application linked from the official TDI page. Create an account if necessary, read the introductory terms, start the application, and complete every claimant section. After the claimant’s part is complete, print or save the provider instructions with the unique Online Form ID. Send those instructions to the healthcare provider and confirm that the provider has submitted the medical certification.

A paper option is also available. Download the Temporary Disability Insurance Application, form DS-1, from the New Jersey application page. The completed form can be mailed to the Division of Temporary Disability Insurance at P.O. Box 387, Trenton, NJ 08625-0387, or faxed to 609-984-4138. Read the form instructions carefully, sign and date the paper application, and make sure the medical provider’s information is sent as required. The official application page notes that only online applications provide an immediate confirmation of receipt.

Choose one submission route and keep it consistent. If you apply online, do not also mail or fax a duplicate application, because duplicate submissions can delay processing. For a paper submission, retain a complete copy and proof of mailing or fax transmission. Include the Social Security number on correspondence as directed by the state, but do not put sensitive personal information into public comments or an unsecured message.

After filing, monitor the online claim status or the mail associated with the claim. Applications are handled in the order received, but missing claimant or provider information slows review. Respond to requests promptly. If the state requests a correction to a date, employer detail, or medical certification, compare the request with the copy of the submitted claim before replying so that the record stays consistent.

State Plan, Private Plan, and Job Questions

The state page distinguishes between the state TDI plan and an approved private plan. Payroll deductions are a useful clue, but they are not a substitute for asking the employer which plan applies. A worker covered by a private plan must follow that plan’s claim process. A worker covered by the state plan uses the New Jersey Division of Temporary Disability Insurance application route.

TDI eligibility and job protection are related but separate questions. Receiving cash benefits does not answer every question about leave, reinstatement, scheduling, or job protection. The official New Jersey benefits site directs workers to separate job-protection information, and an employer may also explain whether federal or state protections apply. Tell the employer about the medical leave and check the applicable protection rules rather than assuming the benefit decision settles the employment question.

Pregnancy-related disability is handled through the TDI rules when a provider certifies that the worker is disabled and unable to work. Leave to bond with a healthy new child is generally a Family Leave Insurance question, not a TDI claim. A worker should identify whether the claim is for their own medical inability to work or for family care before choosing the application.

Practical Checklist

Before submitting, confirm that:

1. The condition prevents work and is not normally work-related.
2. The employer’s state or private plan has been identified.
3. The 2026 earnings test is met, or the claimant has reviewed the alternate-base-year possibility.
4. The first day of disability and the last day worked are recorded consistently.
5. The claim is being filed within 30 days of the first day of disability.
6. The claimant’s contact, employment, treatment, paid-time-off, and expected-return information is complete.
7. The healthcare provider has the instructions and Online Form ID, or the paper medical portion is being submitted as required.
8. A copy of the application and proof of submission have been saved.
9. The claimant will check for requests from the agency after filing.

New Jersey TDI is an ongoing benefit rather than a once-a-year opportunity. The current 2026 figures are specific: up to 85% of the calculated average weekly wage, a maximum of $1,119 per week, and up to 26 weeks when the medical certification and other requirements support the claim. Because wage thresholds and maximum rates can change, confirm the figures on the official New Jersey page before relying on them for a future claim.

Official Application Page

Start with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s official page for workers who are sick, injured, or recovering from surgery: https://www.nj.gov/labor/myleavebenefits/worker/tdi/index.shtml. It links to the secure online application, claim access, paper instructions, provider guidance, current benefit calculations, and related job-protection information.