Human Resource Blog

New Jersey Disability During Unemployment (DDU)

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Q: Is it true that the New Jersey Temporary Disability Benefits program covers workers who are unemployed?

A worker can indeed collect New Jersey TDB or Temporary Disability Benefit payments while unemployed, in some cases. If a worker becomes disabled when they have been unemployed for less than two weeks, he or she can still collect benefits under the state or private TDB programs.

A worker who becomes disabled more than 14 days after their last day at work is still eligible for short-term disability benefits, under a separate program called Disability During Unemployment or DDU. Benefits under the DDU program are essentially unemployment claims.

It’s important to note that a worker CANNOT collect both disability payments AND unemployment at the same time. Disability provides benefits when one is unable to work. Unemployment provides benefits when one is able to work, but unable to find a job. Any attempt to “double-dip” or receive benefits under both at the same time, is fraud under New Jersey law.

If a worker becomes disabled while collecting unemployment benefits, it is vitally important that they immediately inform the unemployment office. Continuing to collect unemployment compensation while unable to work is against the law.

New Jersey is one of only 5 states in the union that mandate a short-term disability program. (The other states are Hawaii, Rhode Island, New York, and

California.)

The New Jersey Temporary Disability Benefits are commonly referred to as TDB. Under this program, a worker who is certified by a doctor as having a serious illness or condition that prevents him or her from working, can collect cash payments. Normally those payments are about 67% of the worker’s average weekly salary, for up to 26 weeks. To qualify, workers must have earned at least $143 per week for 20 of the previous 52 weeks. 

The New Jersey TDB program covers the vast majority of employers in the state. However, if an employer is not covered by the state unemployment insurance, they are also not required to participate in the state TDB program. A number of small employers in the agricultural industry, for example, fall into this category.