New Jersey Discrimination Complaint Retaliation Lawyer
You probably know that it is against the law for an employer to discriminate against you on the basis of certain characteristics, such as your race, gender, or pregnancy. Even with that knowledge, however, many workers are afraid to step forward and take legal action to put a stop to discriminatory conduct. The main reason for such reluctance is usually fear of retaliation–i.e., they will be fired or otherwise disciplined by their employer for bringing a complaint.
Federal and New Jersey state civil rights laws take this into account. That is why it is against the law for employers to engage in such retaliation. More to the point, the law protects employees who bring good faith complaints about possible workplace discrimination. So if your employer has taken adverse action against you for raising such issues in your workplace, you need to work with a qualified New Jersey discrimination complaint retaliation lawyer
Federal, New Jersey Laws Offer Strong Protections Against Employer Retaliation
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD) both forbid a wide range of discrimination in the workplace. These laws further protect employees from retaliation if an employee complains about discrimination. This includes any or all of the following:
- An employee is protected for opposing any practice or acts that are considered unlawful under Title VII, the LAD, or any similar anti-discrimination law.
- An employee is protected if they seek legal advice regarding their rights under the law; this includes sharing information with an attorney of their own choosing or a government agency, such as the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights.
- An employee is protected if they file a complaint, testify in an official proceeding, or otherwise provides assistance to a government investigation into possible workplace discrimination.
It is important to understand that “retaliation” in this context refers to any adverse action that an employer might take against an employee who has engaged in a protected activity. This means that if you complain about discrimination, your employer cannot:
- fire, demote, or reassign you;
- cutting your pay, benefits, or work hours;
- give you a bad performance review;
- subject you to bullying or harassment; or
- giving you a bad reference to another potential employer.
In short, if your employer responds to a discrimination complaint by trying to shift the blame onto you, that is against the law. And if you can prove the retaliatory acts in court, you may be entitled to a variety of monetary damages, including compensation for your out-of-pocket losses, reinstatement to your previous position with back pay, and even punitive damages if your employer’s conduct was especially egregious or outrageous.
New Jersey Retaliation Lawyers Serving Ocean, Monmouth & Middlesex County
The laws governing retaliation complaints often seem quite complicated for someone who has never had to deal with this issue before. Fortunately, you do not have to navigate this process on your own. Our skilled New Jersey retaliation for complaining about discrimination lawyers are here to help you at every stage of the process. So if your employer has illegally punished you for bringing a discrimination complaint, contact Poulos LoPiccolo PC today to schedule an initial consultation with a member of our team.
