COVID-19 has pushed the American healthcare system to its limits. Fortunately, the New Jersey workers' compensation system offers benefits to some workers who likely contracted the virus as part of their employment. In July 2019, Governor Phil Murphy signed into law...
Year: 2020
Can your employer make you pay for a loss?
We all make mistakes on the job. No business can expect their employees to be perfect. If someone makes enough mistakes, of course, they could find themselves out of a job.What if you made one mistake, and your employer is able to put a price tag on the loss? What if...
New Jersey lawsuit against McDonald’s is one of many
A woman who worked at a McDonald's in Farmingdale, New Jersey, has filed a lawsuit against the fast-food giant. She says that after reporting unsanitary and unsafe conditions that were "endemic to the workplace," she was called racist, sexist and other derogatory...
Were you retaliated against for reporting a coworker?
You had been doing a great job at work. You just received a raise, and you had been promoted to a higher position. Things were going great, other than the coworker who wouldn't leave you alone.Something that you weren't expecting was to make an allegation of sexual...
Understanding your rights under tip pooling
If you work in a restaurant, coffeehouse, bakery or deli, your employer might require that everyone pool their tips. In many places where people are served one at a time at a counter, like in a Starbucks or sandwich shop, there may be a big jar on the counter where...
Is it illegal for your boss to make you work ‘off the clock?’
Your boss has a habit of telling you he needs you to stay an extra half hour or more to "finish up" whatever you're working on, but he tells you to clock out at 5:00 because the company has cracked down on overtime pay. Maybe your boss tells you at 4:55 p.m. on Friday...
Can you keep a former employer from giving a bad reference?
You didn't leave your job on good terms with your employer. In fact, you were terminated. You have to list your former employer on your resume and applications since you were there for years. However, you're concerned about what your old boss will say when he's called...
Employment protections for domestic violence, stalking victims
Victims of violence or other kinds of abuse by a spouse or romantic partner may not realize that they may be entitled to protection against employment discrimination under the law. However, they may be – specifically, under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964...
Can a shift change be retaliation?
You probably know that it's unlawful to retaliate against an employee for filing a human resources complaint or taking steps to communicate their concerns. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for employees to face retaliation after doing so.Retaliation is the most common...
Didn’t get your overtime? That’s a problem to address
You worked overtime for the last three weeks, but when you got your paycheck, you were surprised to see that some of the overtime wasn't listed. You have to clock in manually each day, and you made sure that all your time stamps were written down and printed out, so...