New Jersey Employment Attorneys

State Anti-Discrimination Statute

LAD

New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD), N.J.S.A. § 10:5-1 et seq. 20+ protected classes — among the broadest — including race, sex (incl. pregnancy and breastfeeding), age, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, marital/civil-union/domestic-partnership status, military service, genetic info, atypical blood trait, source of lawful income.

Deadline to File Charge

2 years

2 years to file in Superior Court directly under N.J.S.A. § 2A:14-2 (Montells v. Haynes). Or 180 days to file with the NJ Division on Civil Rights (DCR). EEOC 300 days for federal claims.

At-Will Doctrine

At-will state

At-will state with public-policy exception (Pierce v. Ortho Pharmaceutical, 1980). CEPA (N.J.S.A. § 34:19-1) provides one of the broadest whistleblower protections. Workers' comp retaliation, jury duty, military service also protected.

Non-Compete Enforceability

Reasonableness test

Reasonableness test on time, geography, scope, protectable interest. NJ courts allow blue-pencil reformation. Healthcare professional non-competes restricted. Recent legislative proposals to ban non-competes have not yet passed.

Minimum Wage & Overtime

$15.13

New Jersey minimum wage $15.13/hour (2024) for most employers. Overtime under N.J.S.A. § 34:11-56a4 and FLSA. NJ Family Leave Insurance (FLI) — up to 12 weeks paid. NJ Earned Sick Leave Law (NJESLL) — 40 hours paid sick leave annually.

Typical attorney fee

33%

33%–40% contingency — no fee unless you win

The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD, N.J.S.A. § 10:5-1 et seq.) is among the broadest state anti-discrimination statutes, covering race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, civil-union status, domestic-partnership status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, genetic information, liability for service in the U.S. Armed Forces, sex (including pregnancy and breastfeeding), disability, familial status, nationality, source of lawful income, and source of lawful rental payment. LAD covers ALL employers (1+ employee). The 2-year statute of limitations runs from the discriminatory act; direct lawsuit in Superior Court is allowed without administrative exhaustion. The Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA, N.J.S.A. § 34:19-1) is one of the broadest whistleblower statutes in the country. New Jersey is at-will with a public-policy exception (Pierce v. Ortho Pharmaceutical). Non-competes are evaluated under reasonableness; New Jersey courts permit blue-pencil reformation. NJ minimum wage is $15.13/hour (most employers, 2024). NJ Paid Family Leave (NJ FLI) and Earned Sick Leave Law (NJESLL).