Business Law

Published on: January 29, 2020

New Jersey Bans Discrimination Based on Hair Styles

People Of Uganda, People, Sad, Emotional
The Wrestling Incident

During an incident on December 19, 2018, a referee required an African American wrestler at Buena Regional High School choose between cutting his dreadlocks or forfeiting his wrestling match. Rather than forfeit the match, the wrestler chose to cut his hair. Because the incident had indicia of being racially motivated, or at least having a racially disparate impact, and allegations of racism by the same referee had previously been made, the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights (DCR) and the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (known as NJSIAA, the Association self-regulates high school sports in New Jersey) begin a joint investigation. The NJSIAA eventually suspended the referee for two years.

The New Jersey Division of Civil Rights’ Guidance

Published on: December 16, 2019

Timing as Circumstantial Evidence of Retaliation in Employment Law Cases

by Maurice W. McLaughlin

Whistleblower, Clock, Read, Hours
When facing claims of retaliation for reports on objections about discrimination under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination or Title VII of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 (or for whistleblowing under New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act), courts are often faced with the situation where there is no direct evidence in the form of an admission, document, email or tape recording. Therefore, when examining whether an employer took an action because of retaliation, employees are often forced to rely upon circumstantial evidence. One of the strongest types of circumstantial evidence in cases where the employee alleges she was retaliated against because of her objections about discrimination is the amount of time which elapsed between the objection and the employer’s adverse action. However, this is not the sole element which courts will consider – nothing happens in a vacuum.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit recently examined just such a situation in a case about Title VII retaliation allegation in the case of Jessica Harrison-Harper v. Nike, Inc., d/b/a/ Converse, Inc. (The Third Circuit hears Federal appeals from the courts of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and the United States Virgin Islands).

In that case, Jessica Harrison-Harper was an employee of Nike and manager at a Converse retail store. She was hired in July 2014. During the first several months of her employment numerous complaints were received about Harisson-Harper. For example, a customer complained about her refusal to accept the return of a pair of shoes bought at the store. Nike received multiple complaints about Harrison-Harper from her employees about her mismanagement and demeanor, and also from a neighboring Nike store. There was a complaint that Harrison-Harper violated a family discount policy. She was counseled regarding failure to document employee time and attendance issues, and about her plan to rehire an employee she had previously fired for calling a subordinate a “bitch.”

Published on: December 4, 2019

Appellate Division Continues Trend of Limiting Enforceability of Arbitration Clauses in Residential New Jersey Construction Contracts

by Maurice W. McLaughlin

New Home, Construction, For Sale, Buy
In October 2019, the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey issued an opinion in the case of Becker v. Ollie Solcum & Son, Inc., examining the enforceability of an arbitration clause in a construction project. The decision continued the trend in New Jersey of limiting enforcement of arbitration agreements, particularly where one party is a customer.

The case arose from a dispute over a residential construction project. Robert and Catherine Becker entered into a contract with Ollie Slocum & Son, Inc. (“Slocum”) to build a new home for them for $1,850,000. Under the contract, the project was to be completed in no more than 52 weeks after excavation work started. Substantial completion was actually about one and a half years late. The Beckers sued Slocum in the Law Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey over the delay and alleged construction defects including water penetration and deterioration of the outdoor decking, siding, and finishing.

The contract, which contained a clause requiring arbitration of disputes, stated:

Published on: December 3, 2019

Third Circuit Court of Appeals Rules that Some Third-Party Payments to Employees are Properly Included in the Calculation of Overtime Rates

by Maurice W. McLaughlin

American, Bills, Business, Cheque
In the case of Secretary of United States Department of Labor vs. Bristol Excavating, Inc., the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, recently issued an important, precedential opinion on when payments by third-parties need to be included by employers in the calculation of their employees’ overtime pay rates.

Bristol Excavating, Inc. (Bristol) is a small excavation contractor. Bristol was a subcontract for Talisman Energy, Inc., a large producer of natural gas. Bristol provided Talisman with equipment, labor and services at Talisman’s drilling sites. Bristol’s employees often worked more than 40 hours per week, and Bristol paid them “overtime,” or one and a half times the regular hourly rate which Bristol normally paid them (“time and a half”) for all the hours they worked over 40 hours in one week.

Talisman offered workers at its sites – not just its own employees – separate bonuses rewarding them for safety, efficiency and productively measured by completion of work. Bristol’s employees asked Bristol if they could participate. Bristol agreed, and also agreed to do the administrative work. This administrative work included paying the bonuses through Bristol’s payroll, and taking out all applicable tax withholdings. Bristol did not include these bonuses in its calculation for overtime pay for its employees because it was not Bristol’s money with which the employees were being paid.

Published on: November 19, 2019

Equal Pay Act

by Pauline M.K. Young

Refugees, Economic Migrants

Governor Murphy signed New Jersey’s Equal Pay Act into law in 2018. The NJEPA takes a necessary step in making pay discrepancies in the workplace more transparent with the hopes that this will address the pay differential between white men minorities, and women. Essentially, it bars any penalty to any employee for requesting or disclosing information regarding any employee’s job title, rate of compensation, benefits, race, gender, ethnicity, or other protected characteristic when the purpose of the inquiry or disclosure to investigate the possibility of discriminatory treatment. (While the NJEPA was originally intended to address inequitable pay for women, it was expanded to cover all protected classes of people.)

This allows for employees to obtain information which previously (and even now) is largely safeguarded by employers as “private” in order to determine whether they are being discriminated against based upon a protected classification. Any employer “policy” which forbids discussing compensation in the workplace could be considered void by the law.

The NJEPA amended New Jersey’s Laws Against Discrimination to enable the use of the protections of that statute. The NJEPA also specifically makes it unlawful to pay employees in protected classes a different rate of compensation when performing substantially similar work considering skill, effort, and responsibilities. Differentials may still exist when based on seniority, merit, education, productivity, experience, and other legitimate business reasons. The Act also allows expands upon the LAD’s typical 2-year statute of limitations by setting forth that limitation period restarts each time the employee receives unequal compensation resulting from a discriminatory decision or practice. The employee may also recover up to 6 years of back pay as a result of a violation by the employer. Additionally, the employee may receive treble damages – meaning that they may recover three times the monetary damages awarded as a result of the pay discrepancy.

Published on: November 11, 2019

Chancery Division Issues Ruling on Valuation of Limited Liability Companies Under the New Jersey Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act

by Maurice W. McLaughlin

One of the most difficult questions in New Jersey Business law concerning the retirement of a business owner is determining the value of the laptop-3175111__340-300x200 owner’s share of the business which the remaining owners must pay to buy out his share. This can be difficult even if the departure itself is on good terms. The method and amount of the valuation can cause vicious disputes even among friendly partners. The Chancery Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey in Bergen County recently issued a published decision on this problem in the context of a limited liability company.

Background

In that case, Namerow v. Pediatricare Associates, LLC, four pediatricians were members (owners) of a medical practice named Pediatricare Associates, LLC. The Amended Operating Agreement which governed valuation of the business upon member retirements provided that:

Published on: November 4, 2019

Restraining Orders and Other Injunctive Relief in New Jersey Business Law Cases

by Maurice W. McLaughlin

Injunctive Relief

Injunctive relief is an order by a court requiring a party to cease an act, condition or behavior. It is a powerful tool in New Jersey business law civil cases. An order for injunctive relief is typically referred to as an “injunction.” A temporary injunction is granted only after a hearing, and a permanent injunction is granted after the case has been completed. A temporary restraining order may be granted prior to a hearing in emergency situations.

Where to File

Published on: October 22, 2019

Equitable Damages in New Jersey Business Law Disputes for Breach of Contract

by Maurice W. McLaughlin

agreement-3476369__340-300x217
Types of Contract Damages

In New Jersey business law disputes, there are two broad categories of damages, legal damages and equitable damages.

Briefly, legal damages, or remedies in law, are money damages. Legal damages are for harms which can be compensated by the payment of money by the party which breached the contract. In New Jersey contract law, punitive damages are not allowed. Likewise, attorneys fees cannot be recovered unless the contract provider for it. Compensatory damages, which are the amount of money needed to make the innocent party whole, may be awarded when they can be proved. In business disputes these are often lost profits, but may also include other damages such as diminution of value of property.

Published on: October 9, 2019

Third Circuit Upholds Jury Verdict Finding Age Discrimination Under New Jersey Law Against Discrimination

by Maurice W. McLaughlin

New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination has rightly been called one of the strongest employee protection laws in the nation. This is true both because of the broad range of inherent characteristics which it protects from discrimination, and the strong legal protections and remedies it provides. In short, the Law Against Discrimination prohibits employers from discriminating against employees because of a wide range of inherent qualities which make them who they are. It likewise prohibits harassment because any of these characteristics as well. These protected characteristics include race, creed, color, national origin, nationality, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy and sexual harassment), 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, including AIDS and HIV related illnesses. It also prohibits discrimination or harassment because of an employee’s age.

The Andujar Case

The Third Circuit Court of Appeals, which hears appeals from the federal district courts in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and the United States Virgin Islands, recently issued an instructive opinion in the appeal of an age discrimination verdict under the Law Against Discrimination in the case of Santos Andujar versus General Nutrition Corporation.

Published on: September 22, 2019

Understanding the Various Types of New Jersey Liquor Licenses

by Jennifer C. Meusel

In New Jersey, you cannot sell alcohol unless you have a license issued by the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. New Jersey issues many types of licenses which broadly fall within three general categories: Manufacturing Licenses, Retail Licenses, and Wholesale Licenses. Each license is attached to the “Licensed Premises,” and any change in the location or size or configuration of the Licensed Premises requires a place to place transfer application to be filed and approved before changes to the Licensed Premises can be completed. This transfer application is substantially the same as the process for transfer of ownership of the license. While the majority of licenses issued by the State of New Jersey fall into the Retail Licenses category, Manufacturing Licenses (designated as Class A licenses) include Brewery, Winery and Distillery Licenses which are a growing category. Wholesale Licenses (designated as Class B licenses) apply to wholesale distribution of alcoholic beverages to retail licensees.

The Retail Licenses (designated as Class C licenses) are issued to bars, restaurants, and liquor stores. There are 11 different types of New Jersey Liquor Licenses which fall within the Retail License categories:

Plenary Retail Consumption License (identified by license number 33): This license permits the liquor license holder to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption at the licensed premises, and the sale of packaged goods for consumption off premises, the sale of packaged goods must take place in the public barroom. This license counts toward the municipality’s population restriction which allows 1 license per 3,000 residents of a municipality based upon the most recent census data.