New Jersey Discriminatory Discharge Lawyer
Employment is normally considered “at-will” in New Jersey. This means that absent any sort of written employment agreement, your employer is typically free to fire you for any reason, or even without giving a reason. But there are a number of exceptions to this at-will rule. Notably, an employer cannot fire you based on certain legally protected characteristics, such as sex, race, age, national origin, religion, disability, or sexual orientation.
If you believe that you have been wrongfully terminated from your job it is important that you seek out legal advice from a skilled New Jersey discriminatory discharge lawyer. At Poulos LoPiccolo PC we represent individuals who were illegally fired because they were targets of discriminatory conduct–or in many cases, because they stood up against such conduct. We can help you seek monetary compensation and other forms of damages from a former employer who has wronged you.
Discriminatory Discharge Takes Many Forms
Discriminatory discharge cases take many forms. It is also important to note that many employers are smart enough to at least try and cover their tracks. That is, few employers will openly state they are discharging you for a discriminatory or illegal reason. With that in mind, here are some of the more common discriminatory discharge scenarios we see in our practice:
- You were fired based on a legally protected personal characteristic. For example, you were discharged because your employer did not like members of your racial or ethnic group.
- You were singled out for discharge based on your membership in a specific group when other employees in a similar situation were not also discharged–i.e., a company discharged a Black employee for violating an employment rule that white employees frequently broke without penalty.
- You were the victim of discriminatory harassment or bullying at work and were fired when you complained to management about it.
- You were fired after requesting a reasonable accommodation for your disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- You were fired because you are an older worker and the company decided it would be cheaper to bring in a younger worker to take your place.
- You were forced to quit your job because your employer created a hostile work environment based on a legally protected characteristic. For instance, a female employee repeatedly subject to sexual harassment leaves after management fails to take her complaints seriously.
If you can prove a discriminatory discharge case, your former employer can be required to compensate you for lost pay and benefits, as well as the emotional stress and pain and suffering that you endured as a result of being wrongfully terminated. In some cases you may even be able to get your old job back if that is what you wish.
Experienced Discriminatory Discharge Lawyers Serving Ocean, Monmouth & Middlesex County
Discriminatory discharges are often challenging to prove because employers often hide behind some legal-sounding pretext to justify their decision to let you go. That is why it is in your best interest to work with a skilled New Jersey discriminatory discharge lawyer. Contact Poulos LoPiccolo PC today to schedule an initial consultation with a member of our team.
