New Jersey Employment Contract Dispute Lawyer
Employment is normally “at-will” in New Jersey. This means that your employer can fire you at any time with or without cause, subject to certain restrictions imposed by federal and state laws. Likewise, you are free to leave your job at any point without owing your employer anything.
In many cases, however, the employer and employee will agree to a written employment contract spelling out the rights and responsibilities of each side. As with any such contract, disagreements may later arise over the application or enforceability of such agreements. If you are involved in such a disagreement with a current or former employer and need assistance from a qualified New Jersey employment contract dispute lawyer, the team at Poulos LoPiccolo PC is here to help.
What Does Your Employment Agreement Cover?
The typical employment contract will outline the terms of an employee’s job, including their duties, compensation, benefits, severance pay, and so forth. Some common disputes that arise from such employment contracts include:
- Non-compete clauses. Employers will often insist on language in employment contracts that restrict an employee’s ability to work for a competitor after the employment relationship ends. Such restrictive terms are enforceable in New Jersey provided they are reasonable in scope and duration.
- Non-disclosure clauses. This refers to contractual language where the employee agrees not to disclose any confidential or proprietary business information that the employee learns in the course of their employment.
- Job duration. An employment contract usually contains a specified term, i.e., how long the contract will last. This means that if the employer decides to get rid of an employee with a one-year contract after just a couple of months, the employer may still have to pay the employee the remainder of any compensation due.
- Severance pay. The employer and employee may agree on the terms of any severance pay when the employment relationship ends. This may include certain conditions for receiving severance, such as the employee’s promise not to sue the employer for wrongful termination.
- Discipline and grounds for termination. An employment agreement can spell out the specific reasons or “grounds” for an employer to fire the employee for cause.
Many employment contracts also contain language regarding how to resolve any disputes. For instance, the agreement may require the parties to submit to mediation or binding arbitration. Even absent such requirements, it may still be in the best interests of both sides to sit down and negotiate a settlement rather than fighting it out in court.
New Jersey Contract Dispute Lawyers Serving Ocean, Monmouth & Middlesex County
An employment contract is not supposed to be a one-way street that only favors your employer’s interests. Such agreements also afford you with valuable legal and financial protections. And you should never hesitate to assert your contractual rights, especially if you believe that your current or former employer has acted unfairly.
So if you need advice or representation from a skilled New Jersey employment contract dispute lawyer, contact Poulos LoPiccolo PC today to schedule an initial consultation.
