South Jersey Employment Law Attorney
A very small percentage of employees have personal employment contracts with their employer. Another small percentage of employees have union protection with their employer. The vast majority of employees are at-will employees. The rights of these at-will employees are much more limited. However, employment lawyers know that in certain circumstances, even at-will employees have statutory rights against their employer.
How an Employment Attorney Can Help
Our employment attorneys know that one such statutory protection comes from New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination, which protects employees from discrimination, harassment, hostile work environment, and retaliation based upon “protected categories” recognized by law. Those protected categories include race, creed, color, national origin, nationality, ancestry, age, sex (including pregnancy), familial status, marital status, domestic partnership or civil union status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, genetic information, liability for military service, and mental or physical disability, perceived disability, and AIDS and HIV status.
Another source of statutory protection for employees used by employment lawyers comes from New Jersey’s Conscientious Employee Protection Act which prohibits retaliation or other adverse employment action based upon whistleblowing. Whistleblowing means that the employee either disclosed, objected to, or refused to participate in an activity the employee reasonably believed to be: (1) a violation of a law, a rule promulgated by law, or regulation promulgated by law; (2) fraudulent or criminal; or (3) incompatible with a clear mandate of public policy concerning the public health, safety, or welfare or protection of the environment.
Other statutory protections are afforded by federal law. Our employment attorneys are familiar with these protections. If you believe you have been the victim of discrimination, harassment, hostile work environment, or retaliation in the workplace, please schedule an appointment with our employment attorneys.