Wage and hour claims dealing with overtime requirements are among the most contentious in employment law litigation. The United States Supreme Court recently issued a decision exempting one narrow class of employees (“service advisors” at automobile dealerships) from coverage. While the specific effect of the ruling is limited, the reasoning…
Articles Posted in Labor and Employment
Appellate Division Rules on New Jersey Employment Discrimination Law in the Age of Telecommuting
In 1945, New Jersey’s Legislature enacted the Law Against Discrimination. It has been repeatedly revised to increase its inclusion and scope. However, its goal remains the same today as it was in 1945: “nothing less than the eradication of the cancer of discrimination in the workplace.” The Law Against…
Tenure Rights of Part-Time New Jersey Teachers
One of the areas which counterintuitively generates among the most questions in New Jersey employment law is teachers’ tenure. Although teacher tenure dates back over a century, tenure is still an area of the law which generates much controversy and litigation. The Appellate Division of New Jersey’s Superior Court recently…
Restrictive Covenants in Employment Agreements and Business Law
What is a Restrictive Covenant? A restrictive covenant is a contractual agreement in which one party receives something of value in exchange for a promise not to engage in a particular type of behavior. Restrictive covenants can bind people or businesses. What Types of Restrictive Covenants Are There? There…
Mandatory Pay for Breaks Under the Fair Labor Standard Act
The Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) is a federal statute enacted in 1938 with the goal of setting national minimum requirements for employee compensation. It covers areas such as minimum wage and overtime, among other things. On February 9, 2017, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals was the first United…
When Does the Statute of Limitations on Harassment Begin: The Continuing Violation Doctrine
By enacting the Law Against Discrimination, New Jersey has provided its workers with some of the strongest anti-discrimination laws in the United States. New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination protects against employment discrimination, including harassment, because of these protected categories race creed color national origin nationality ancestry age sex pregnancy familial…
The United States Supreme Court Issues Major Decision on Tolling of Statute of Limitations in Employment Cases Under Supplemental Jurisdiction
The United States Supreme Court issued a major decision on tolling the statute of limitations on state law claims while the case is in federal court which has significant impact on New Jersey employment litigation. In the case of Artis v. District of Columbia, the Supreme Court answered a major…
Third Circuit Issues Important Decision on Religious Discrimination in Employment
Both New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination and the Federal Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 expressly prohibit employers from discriminating against employees because of their religious practices if they can be reasonably accommodated. In many cases the most difficult question is whether an accommodation which the employer…
Potential Roadblock for Certain Whistleblower Claims
In the case of DiFiore v. CSL Behring, LLC, a former pharmaceutical employee brought an action in the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against her former employer for retaliation in the form of a wrongful, constructive discharge. In that case, the employee specifically brought claims under the…
United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals Extends Winters Doctrine, Further Limiting New Jersey Government Employees’ Right to Appeal Wrongful Employment Decisions
Our employment lawyers represent many honorable New Jersey employees in disputes with their governmental employers. The Winters Doctrine As I wrote in a previous post, in 2012 the New Jersey Supreme Court created a serious hurdle for public employees. In the case of Winters v. North Hudson Regional Fire…