When you have an employment dispute and want to get legal advice, knowing what to ask a prospective attorney is important. Many lawyers offer free consultations, so you can make a shortlist of attorneys to speak with to make a better-informed decision. Below are some questions the attorneys at Swartz Swidler think you should ask
Rumors in the workplace are a constant issue. When rumors and gossip about an employee are spread, they can harm the victim’s reputation and potentially lead to an unfair job loss. Salacious rumors and gossip in the workplace can quickly spread and have unforeseen consequences both for the victim and the employer. When employers take
Gender bias directed towards women has been an issue for hundreds of years. In the workplace, gender discrimination has been a known issue since women began working outside of the home. Women who have tried to build successful careers have had to deal with less opportunity for advancement, lower wages, and unfair perceptions that they
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer employees have faced workplace discrimination for decades based on their sexuality. This type of discrimination is harmful and illegal. Discrimination based on sexual orientation has been illegal in New Jersey since 1991, and the state amended the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination in 2006 to also prohibit discrimination based
Workplace sexual harassment has both hidden and overt costs for both businesses and harassment victims. While most workplaces have policies in place to prevent sexual harassment from occurring on the job, it remains a pervasive problem at companies across New Jersey and the U.S. The costs of sexual harassment should encourage businesses to do more
Under the federal Equal Pay Act, employers in New Jersey are required to pay men and women who have substantially similar jobs equally. This law covers all types of compensation, including salaries, stock options, insurance benefits, commissions, and bonuses. However, many employers fail to pay male and female employees equally, and women continue to earn
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act or ADEA prohibits discrimination against workers over 40 based on their ages for employers with 20 or more employees. In New Jersey, the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination or NJLAD provides more expansive protection to workers against age discrimination and protects adult workers of all ages. Despite the existence
Under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act or FMLA, eligible employees who work for covered employers have the right to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for several reasons. The primary reasons why people take FMLA leave are to deal with their own serious medical issues or to care for their
Sexual harassment in the workplace is an illegal form of discrimination. Unfortunately, however, many people are the victims of sexual harassment in the workplace, and some people are scared to file complaints with their companies when it occurs. To put an end to sexual harassment in your workplace, you will need to file an internal
Many employers in New Jersey conduct background checks on their applicants, and some also perform background checks on their existing employees annually. While an employer has the right to check the backgrounds of its employees and applicants to see whether they have criminal histories, there are limits to doing so. Because of the fact that