Now that New Jersey’s Paid Sick Leave Act has gone into effect, the great unknown among employment lawyers is how much enforcement activity the new law will generate.

The law, which took effect on Oct. 29, requires employers to provide up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year to full- and part-time workers. The law permits the use of paid sick time when an employee or a family member is sick, to attend to routine medical care, or to attend a child’s school-related meeting or event. Employers who fail to comply with the law are subject to fines and administrative penalties, and civil actions.