Updated June 2026 Yes, an employer may sometimes reduce an employee’s pay going forward, but a pay cut can become illegal if it is retroactive, drops pay below minimum wage, violates a contract or wage agreement, affects overtime improperly, or is based on discrimination, retaliation, protected leave, whistleblowing, or another unlawful reason. If your employer…
Age discrimination occurs in the workplace when an employee or potential employee is treated differently due to age, and it adversely impacts their employment or employment opportunities. There may be legal recourse options for those that are facing such discrimination. However, first, it is helpful to know the signs of age discrimination and how to…
There are few federal laws that require employers to give employees leave of absence. However, many states have enacted their own laws that provide employees with additional leave rights. In June 2013, New Jersey joined 12 other states to implement leave laws for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. The result is the New…
Many employers rely on unpaid interns to operate their businesses. If you worked as an unpaid intern and were asked to do mundane tasks that were not educational in nature, you may be entitled to recover compensation. Corporations offer unpaid internships to recruit recent graduates and students. While the companies claim that they are paying…
A founding partner of Swartz Swidler, Richard Swartz is recognized as a leading employment law attorney in New Jersey. Richard has dedicated his career to fighting for the rights of workers who have suffered from discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and other violations of their rights. He has helped many clients to recover damages to pay for…
In New Jersey, employees who are separated from their jobs for a variety of reasons may be eligible for a continuation of coverage under the federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act or COBRA. However, this federal law only covers employers that have had 20 or more employees working for at least one-half of the previous…
Pre-employment drug testing is fairly common for employers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Some employers also have mandatory testing for their employees on a random basis. If you have been asked to take a drug test by your employer or your prospective employer, here is some information about the laws that apply from the attorneys…
Some workers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania are discriminated against by their coworkers because of their national origins. Under federal and state law, national origin discrimination in the workplace is illegal. Despite the legal prohibitions, this type of discrimination continues to be a problem at many companies. If you have been the victim of discrimination…
If you work for a company that has 50 or more employees within a 75-mile radius, you may be eligible to take leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. If you have worked for your employer for a minimum of 1,250 hours during the 12 months before the date that you need to take…
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, most workers in the U.S. are entitled to receive the federal minimum wage, which is currently set at $7.25 per hour. They are also entitled to receive overtime pay of time and one-half for each hour that is worked during a workweek beyond 40 hours. The law defines work…