New Jersey Employment Attorneys

Published on: January 10, 2024

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Protections Under New Jersey Employment Law

New Jersey Employment Law Protections for Pregnant Employees

New Jersey employment law, as well as Federal employment law, prohibits discrimination against employees because of pregnancy, requires employees to reasonably accommodate employees’ pregnancy, bars retaliation against employees who request accommodations for pregnancy or object to the treatment of pregnant employees, and bars coercion of pregnant employees from being required to accept kids-300x225 unreasonable or no accommodations or take leave unless medically necessary.

Under New Jersey employment law, the primary statutory protection for pregnant employees is the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination. The main provision of the Law Against Discrimination protecting pregnant employees is N.J.S.A. 10:5-12. This provision makes it illegal “For an employer, because of… pregnancy or breastfeeding… to refuse to hire or employ or to bar or to discharge from employment or to discriminate against an individual in compensation or in the terms, conditions or provisions of employment.” This has been held to also bar harassing an employee because of protected traits, such as pregnancy. These provisions also apply to unions and employment agencies.

Published on: January 1, 2024

New Jersey Employment Law Decision Explains that Teacher Cannot Wait Until After Conclusion of Certificate Revocation Proceedings to Seek Reimbursement from Board of Education

by Maurice W. McLaughlin

One of the most difficult New Jersey employment law issues confronted by government employees is that they are sometimes drawn into legal action because of actions taken in the course of their employment. Defending such charges can cause significant expense and supreme-administrative-court-3565618_960_720-300x200 hardship to government employees. For teachers, administrators and other public education employees, however, there are two laws which provide for payment of the employee’s attorneys fees and litigation expenses by their board of education in certain criminal, quasi-criminal, administrative and civil legal actions. The Appellate Division examined the question of when an employee must notify their employer and request payment under the two different statutes in a case where the New Jersey State Board of Examiners sought to revoke an employee’s teaching certificate in the case of Maria Azzaro v. the Board of Education of the City of Trenton.

Background: The Order to Show Cause and Administrative Litigation

Maria Azzaro worked for the Trenton Board of Education. The New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Fiscal Accountability and Compliance alleged that while Azzaro was a vice-principal at Trenton Central High School improper practices occurred including misassignment of students, giving students credits for classes they did not attend or attended only sporadically, that certain classes did not meet Department requirements, and that transcripts were falsified so that students could matriculate. As a result, in 2007, the New Jersey Department of Education, State Board of Examiners served Azzaro with an Order to Show Cause seeking revocation or suspension of her teaching certificate because she allegedly knew of or participated in these practices.

Published on: October 18, 2023

New Jersey Wage and Hour Decision Demonstrates Power of Recordkeeping – And the Perils of the Lack of It

by Maurice W. McLaughlin

New Jersey employment law requires that employees must be paid at regular intervals, at least twice per month. The proposition that employees should be paid for the time that they work does not seem to be illogical. However, litigation over non-payment of wages is all too us-supreme-court-300x200 common. The New Jersey Appellate Division recently addressed one of the laws behind this issue in the case of Veronica Villalobos v. Beast Coast Moving Limited Liability Company.

Background

Veronica Vilalobos and Joe Esquijarosa brought suit against their employer, Beast Coast Moving Limited Liability Company, for violation of the New Jersey Wage Payment Law, in the Law Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey, sitting in Bergen County.

Published on: October 13, 2023

New Jersey Employment Law Decision Examines Use of the Rule of Three in Civil Service List Bypass Appeals.

by Maurice W. McLaughlin

The Appellate Division of New Jersey’s Superior Court recently examined the use of the “Rule of Three” in New Jersey civil service list bypass appeals in the case of In the Matter of Antonio Salters, Fire Fighter, Township of Hillside.

Background

Salters applied to become a firefighter for the Township of Hillside, New Jersey. He passed the examination and ranked fourth out of forty eligible candidates on an open competitive employment list. Thirteen candidates on the list were ultimately hired, but the Township exercised the “Rule of Three” to skip Salter on the list. Salter appealed his bypass to the New Jersey Civil Service Commission.

Published on: September 28, 2023

Can an Employer Rescind a Job Offer Under New Jersey Employment Law?

by Maurice W. McLaughlin

It’s a nightmare scenario for an employee. She has a good job, but has received the opportunity of a lifetime. She quits her job, moves to a new city, and gets ready to start her new position. Then, just before she starts, the prospective employer calls and says, “Oops, we’ve changed our minds. Sorry….” Now she’s in a new city and maybe a new state, with a new lease or mortgage, and no job. Does the law provide her contract-1464917__340-300x200 with any remedy? Fortunately, New Jersey employment law does provide relief under certain conditions.

Breach of Contract

The employee is in the best position if she received an employment contract. If she has a written contract, she has the full range of remedies for breach of contract. This does not mean that the prospective employer does not have defenses – there may be a perfectly good reason for rescinding the offer. For example, the offer could be for an attorney who was disbarred or a doctor who lost her license to practice medicine. However, there is a good chance that the contract will provide the employee with a remedy in court.

Published on: September 12, 2023

Effect of Criminal Charges on New Jersey Public Employment

by Maurice W. McLaughlin

Under New Jersey employment law, criminal charges can have a significant impact on government employment beyond the penalties carried by the criminal charges themselves. paterson-pd-andrew-300x211 These effects impact both civil service and non-civil service employees.

Suspensions While Criminal Charges Are Pending

First, a public employee may be suspended while criminal charges are pending.

Published on: August 17, 2023

Supreme Court Decision Indicates That Application of the Joint Employer Doctrine in New Jersey Employment Law Cases is Question for Jury

by Maurice W. McLaughlin

New Jersey employment law recognizes the concept of “joint employers.” Under this legal doctrine, an employee can have two employers even though he only gets paid by one. The doctrine provides that when more than one entity acts as a person’s employer, both are jointly

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responsible for complying with employee protection laws such as the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination and the Conscientious Employee Protection Act (known as CEPA or the New Jersey Whistleblower Law).

The Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey explained in the case of Pukowsky v. Caruso that the following factors are to be considered when determining whether the joint employer doctrine should cause a person or business to be a joint employer of an employee for employment law purposes.

Published on: June 21, 2023

Update on Sanjuan v. School District of West New York Case: NJ Supreme Court Grants Certiorari in Education Employment Case

by Maurice W. McLaughlin

UPDATE: This post was originally published on January 3, 2023. On May 22, 2023, the Supreme Court of New Jersey granted a writ of certiorari, meaning it will review the Appellate Division’s opinion in this case. The original post is below. Stand by for more.

ORIGINAL POST:

In many areas of New Jersey employment law, the scope of an arbitrator’s powers is a significant question. This is particularly true in the adjudication of tenure charges against New Jersey teachers and principals. The Appellate Division of New Jersey’s Superior Court squarely addressed this issue in the recently published decision in the case of Sanjuan v. School District of West New York.

Published on: May 28, 2023

Layoff Rights Under New Jersey Civil Service Law

by Maurice W. McLaughlin

New Jersey civil service law provides significant protection for employees serving in civil service jurisdictions which other employees, even other government employees who are not in us-supreme-court-300x200 the civil service system, do not enjoy.

Layoffs. A layoff is the cessation of a permanent employee’s employment for economic reasons or efficiency, triggering the rights and procedures provided by New Jersey civil service law to those affected by layoffs. Demotions for reasons of economy, efficiency or related reasons are also treated as layoffs. Demotions in the form of reduction in hours are also layoffs. A civil service employee is entitled to all applicable civil service due process protections if her position does not meet the definition of a layoff. Layoffs cannot be used as discipline. Whether her position is abolished or not, if she is affected by a layoff the Civil Service System gives her significant protections if she is subjected to any employment action for other than economy or efficiency outside a layoff plan approved by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission.

Pre-Layoff Actions, Alternatives. An employer must try to avoid layoffs, and if that is not possible then to lessen the extent and impact by using pre-layoff actions. Before instituting layoffs, voluntary or involuntary, the employer must consult with the union for the affected employees. Examples of voluntary alternatives include leaves of absence without pay while keeping seniority; furloughs; reduction of work hours; job sharing; and providing optional temporary demotional titles.

Published on: May 3, 2023

New Jersey Civil Service Resignations and Job Abandonment Appeals

by Maurice W. McLaughlin

How a New Jersey Civil Service employee’s separation from service is characterized, either “in good standing” or “not in good standing,” has significant consequences, particularly on the employee’s ability to obtain future government employment, and may even effect her employment in the private sector. Moreover, if the employee is council-of-state-535721__340-300x103 found to have abandoned her position she may be involuntarily terminated. Thus, the right to appeal these characterizations is important.

When a Resignation is Considered to be in Good Standing

Obviously, civil service employees want their separations to be considered in good standing, which will allow them to be reemployed. This will also allow them to answer that they resigned in good standing when asked at job interviews even for private sector jobs. For a resignation to be considered “in good standing” the requirements under New Jersey civil service law are that the employee actually was in good standing when she resigned and that she gave her employer at least 14 days notice, either verbally or in writing (the employer may consent to shorter notice which would allow the resignation to be in good standing despite a shorter notice period). The resignation is considered accepted when the notice is received by the employer. The employer may allow an employee to rescind her resignation prior to the employee’s last day.