A recent unpublished opinion from the New Jersey Appellate Division holds that employees cannot waive in advance their right to recover punitive damages under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (“LAD”). Milagros Roman worked for Bergen Logistics LLC as a human resources generalist. She claims that her immediate boss, Human…
New Jersey Employment Lawyer Blog
Judge Grants Tax Gross-Up in Discrimination Lawsuit
In a recent opinion, a federal judge ruled that nine retired Jersey City Police Sergeants who prevailed in their employment discrimination and retaliation lawsuits should have their economic damages awards increased to offset the negative tax consequences of receiving a lump sum payment rather than receiving higher salaries and pensions…
Slight Delay to Promotion Not Legally Actionable Discrimination
In a recent opinion, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that an employer’s failure to promote an employee was not legally actionable discrimination where the employer promoted the same individual to the same job approximately one month later. Evon Grossberg worked for the Hudson County Department of Social Services…
Court Finds Bullying Could Violate Employee Handbook
Under New Jersey law it is unlawful for an employer to harass an employee because she belongs to a legally-protected category, such as because of her gender, age, race or disability. But the law does not necessarily prohibit a boss from bullying or indiscriminately harassing other employees. Nonetheless, earlier this…
New Jersey Anti-Discrimination Law Prohibits Firing Employee for Refusing to Sign Arbitration Agreement
Arbitration is widely considered to be less favorable to employees and more favorable to businesses than jury trials. As a result, many employers require their employees to sign arbitration agreements as a condition of getting hired or keeping their jobs. In other words, employers try to force employees to give…
New Jersey’s Whistleblower Law Prohibits Retaliatory Transfer to Less Desirable Job
New Jersey’s Appellate Division recently recognized that a transfer to a less desirable job can be actionable retaliation in violation of the state’s whistleblower law, the Conscientious Employee Protection Act (“CEPA”). Jeffrey Scozzafava worked as a detective in the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office as an instructor and trainer in the…
Are Telecommuters Protected by the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination?
The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (“LAD”) prohibits discrimination in the workplace. But does it protect employees who work for New Jersey companies remotely, such as telecommuters? A recent ruling by New Jersey’s Appellate Division makes it clear that an employee does not have to physically live or work in…
New Jersey Enacts New Sick Leave Law
New Sick Leave Requirements Earlier this month, Governor Phil Murphy signed an important new employment law that requires employers to provide paid sick leave to their employees. Specifically, New Jersey’s new paid sick leave law requires employers to provide most employees one hour of paid sick leave for every 30…
New Jersey Enacts Stronger Equal Pay Law
Governor Murphy signed into law on April 24, 2018 a law known as the Diane B. Allen Equal Pay Act. It amends the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (“LAD”) to expand and strengthen the rights of employees to be paid equally for their work without regard to their gender, pregnancy,…
Supreme Court Allows More Time to Refile Cases in State Court
Last week, the United States Supreme Court issued an interesting ruling in an employment law case that impacts the statute of limitations. By way of background, when a case is filed in (or removed to) federal court based on the fact that the plaintiff has asserted a federal claim, the…