Can Your Employer Make You Work Before Clocking In or After Clocking Out? Off-the-Clock Pay Rights
Learn when pre-shift, post-shift, after-hours, and meal-break work must be paid under federal, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania wage law.
Should I Sign My Severance Agreement? 5 Things Every NJ/PA Employee Must Check First
Quick Answer Should I sign my severance agreement? Do not decide based only on the payment amount. Before signing a severance agreement, check what you are actually receiving, what legal claims you are releasing, what restrictions will continue after your employment ends, how the agreement may affect unemployment and benefits, and what signing or revocation…
Swartz Swidler Secures Approval of $18 Million Werner Truck Driver Wage Settlement
OMAHA, Neb. — July 24, 2026. A federal judge has granted final approval to an $18,000,000 class action settlement resolving long-running wage claims brought by nearly 100,000 current and former Werner Enterprises truck drivers. Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon of the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska approved the settlement…
Can New Jersey Rideshare Drivers Collect Unemployment After Being Deactivated?
If you drove for a rideshare or delivery app in New Jersey and the company cut you off without a good reason, you may be entitled to unemployment benefits, even though the app called you an independent contractor and sent you a 1099. Many drivers assume the “contractor” label closes the door. In New Jersey,…
What Lyft’s $19.4 Million Misclassification Payment Means for New Jersey Rideshare Drivers
In September 2025, the New Jersey Department of Labor and the Office of the Attorney General announced that Lyft had submitted more than $19.4 million to the state after an audit found the company improperly classified over 100,000 drivers as independent contractors between 2014 and 2017. Lyft contested the audit for years. It paid anyway.…
Am I Owed Unpaid Overtime if I’m Salaried in NJ or PA?
Published by: Swartz Swidler LLC Last updated: 06/08/2026 Jurisdiction note: This article is for employees in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and South Jersey. Overtime rights can depend on federal law, state law, job duties, pay structure, employer coverage, and the facts of the work performed. This article is for general informational purposes only and is…
Can My Employer Change My Pay Without Notice in NJ?
If your paycheck was suddenly smaller than expected, you’re not alone. Searches for “employer reduced my pay NJ” usually come from workers facing immediate financial stress. A sudden pay cut affects rent, mortgage payments, childcare, and basic living expenses. The key issue is this: Can an employer legally reduce your pay in New Jersey without…
Truck Drivers and Overtime Pay: Are You Being Paid Legally?
If you’re a truck driver working 50, 60, or even 70 hours a week, you may be asking: Am I legally entitled to overtime pay? Many drivers are told they are “exempt.” Others are paid by the mile or per diem and never see time-and-a-half — no matter how many hours they work. The truth…
Unpaid Overtime in Pennsylvania: Who Qualifies Under the FLSA?
If you’re working more than 40 hours a week and not getting time-and-a-half pay, something may be wrong. Many employees in Pennsylvania are told they’re “salaried” or “managers,” so they don’t qualify for overtime. That’s not always true. Employers often misclassify workers to avoid paying overtime wages. At Swartz Swidler, LLC, our attorneys have handled…
What Is Wage Theft in New Jersey? Signs Your Employer May Be Breaking the Law
What Is Wage Theft in New Jersey? Wage theft happens when an employer fails to pay workers the wages they are legally owed. In New Jersey, this can include unpaid overtime, minimum wage violations, illegal deductions, misclassification, or forcing employees to work off the clock. Under New Jersey law, wage theft is illegal. Workers have…