The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a law that requires employers with at least 50 employees to provide up to 12 weeks per year of time off for employees facing certain situations. In addition, if you work for an employer with 50 or more employees in New Jersey, you are also protected by our state Family and Medical Leave Act. It is important to note that time taken under the NJ FMLA is unpaid, however, the NJ Paid Leave Insurance may provide partial payments f

According to a report published at NJ.com, a Monmouth County man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for proving false property appraisals in a mortgage scheme that involved nine people. In addition, he will be required to pay $1.5 million in restitution. The group fraudulently purchased 15 properties in Elizabeth, New Jersey by concealing the source of down payments, altering deeds, submitting fraudulent applications to mortgage lenders, used fake bank accoun

Discrimination in the workplace is regretfully common in the United States. In fact, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), there were nearly 90,000 charges of employment discrimination filed in 2015. Fortunately for workers, federal and state law prohibit employment discrimination and confer significant legal rights to employees who have been the victims of discrimination. It is important for employees to keep in mind that not every instance of off

With several years of litigation experience and expertise in discrimination, retaliation, and civil rights violations, I was able to successfully win a groundbreaking jury verdict for my client, that will send a message to public agencies and servants that political corruption and discrimination will not be tolerated. My client, a former custodian for the Elizabeth School District, sued the Elizabeth Board of Education, claiming he was fired in retaliation for filing a worke

The Case In a recent retaliation case, I represented a client who had received unfair treatment after reporting a superior. My client, a sergeant for the Plainfield Police Department, was demoted in 2010, a year after reporting what he believed was an attempt by public safety director, to meet with a prostitute. The sergeant found a three-page email printout in a police car that showed the police director solicited prostitution during work hours. My client reported the emai

Following an accident, many people want to hurry up and file a personal injury claim to get their settlement or award check as soon as possible. However, severe injuries often require long-lasting medical treatment, so the costs of an injury can potentially continue for years or indefinitely. In addition, injuries can often keep people out of work much longer than they originally had expected. Many injured victims who have already received a settlement call our office wonderi

Many people have heard of the “One Bite Rule” when it comes to owner liability for dog bites. One Bite laws do not hold a dog owner liable for the losses of bite victims if they did not know or had no reason to know that their dog had the propensity to bite. Once the dog bites the first time, owners are put on notice and held responsible for any subsequent bites. The existence of these laws results in many dog owners believing they get one “free” bite before they face any typ

Employment discrimination can occur just as easily in the public sector as it can at private companies. Though discrimination can take place at any time, it often occurs during the hiring or promotion process. Less qualified applicants may be hired or promoted due to bias in the department. Such discrimination is unlawful in New Jersey when it is based on any of the following factors: Race Color Nationality National origin Ancestry Creed Sex (including childbirth and pregnanc

So you’re an employer and you’ve received an anonymous complaint. It could be from a member of the public, or from one of your employees speaking anonymously about a coworker. It may give you little to go on, and provide no information on how to follow up for more information or to even resolve the issue. What are you supposed to do with that? In a workplace where tensions run high and certain competitive types might even stoop to backstabbing to get that next promotion or r

New Jersey Wage Discrimination Laws For many Americans, talking about your salary in the workplace can be an uncomfortable experience at best—but at worst; it can jeopardize your position within the company. If an employer takes actions against an employee for merely discussing their wages and preparing to fight for a higher salary, this can be seen as illegal in the eyes of the law, according to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). In recent years, this has become a particul

It’s almost impossible these days to go through life without a smartphone, and employees in the workplace are no exception. Even in cases where they have a work issued cell phone, the ubiquitous nature of one’s personal phone causes some tension between employers and their employees when used in the workspace. Here is a look at some of the major issues faced by employees using their phones at work and what the legal precedent is about these types of cases. One major complain

One of the scariest words in a homeowners’ vocabulary is foreclosure, the possibility that you might lose your house and be forced to move out of everything you’ve worked and strived for. If you’re struggling with paying off your mortgage, this can be a very real fear. New Jersey is among the highest in the state for bank foreclosure, and few signs point to the market getting any better. However, just because you’ve missed a payment or two doesn’t mean that all hope is lost.

A mortgage lender cannot simply take your property, no matter how late you may be on your payments. Instead, New Jersey law requires that mortgage lenders follow specific procedures in order to lawfully foreclose on a property. As part of the process, property owners have the right to fight back against the foreclosure by raising any legal defenses that may apply in their case. The following are only some ways that an attorney can help you defend against a foreclosure. Proce

We are living in a world few could have imagined 50 years ago. Picture a scene from Mad Men: A busy Manhattan office flowing with white males. They all dressed the same, grew up the same way, and saw the world more or less alike. In this twenty-first century, that is no longer the case. The world has evolved and the workplace must reflect that. We are at the beginning of a new millennium where speech is extremely important. So as employers, humans, friends, or strangers, we

Federal and State laws require employers to provide their employees with a safe workplace that is free from harassment and unfair treatment. However, discrimination in the workplace occurs in many situations, but it isn’t always overt. Subtle discriminatory actions are common and it can be hard to prove. Employees often sense something is not right but don’t want to point it out. The environment already feels hostile and you don’t want to make enemies at work. But, are you be

New Jersey law provides protections for employees who sustain work-related injuries or illnesses. Most employers must carry workers' compensation insurance and, when an employee is injured on the job, they can make a claim to receive benefits for medical treatment, wage replacement, and disability payments. The workers' compensation process can be complex, however, and not every injured worker automatically receives the proper benefits to which they are entitled. While some

Both the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA) and the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provide the opportunity for employees to take unpaid leave for certain medical and family reasons for up to 12 weeks per years without fear of losing their jobs. While these two laws do have some differences, they largely provide the same protections for employees. However, there are some mistakes that employees can make that may jeopardize their ability to use FMLA time and leave

In these frigid winter months, we have seen an uptick of cases where pedestrians have slipped and fallen on ice, resulting in serious associated slip and fall injuries. These injuries have also increased the number of questions we’ve received about the liability of homeowners, small businesses, or the government when it comes to the property or sidewalks where individuals have fallen and become injured. Here’s a quick overview on how these cases are handled. Sidewalk immunit

Drivers encounter many different winter driving hazards throughout New Jersey. The winter months often bring snow, ice, and sleet, which can cover the roads and lead to a significant number of serious auto accidents each year. There are many steps that drivers in NJ can take to reduce the risk of serious car collisions and injuries. The following are a few tips for when you are facing winter driving hazards: Maintain your vehicle – it is hard to predict when winter weather w

Title 59, known as the New Jersey Tort Claims Act, is the controlling authority for how to proceed in an action for personal injury against a public entity. If you were injured on public property or by a public entity or public employee, you MUST file a Notice of Tort Claim against that entity. A Notice of Tort Claim is simply a form that either the injured party or his representative can fill out. It asks for basic information that includes, but is not limited to: name, add