Winter and spring are “flu season” throughout the U.S. and much of the world, and millions of people obtain flu vaccine shots in order to obtain some protection against the disease. Influenza, or the “flu,” can be a very serious disease. The health care industry has required employees to obtain…
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of “disability,” as defined by the statute, and requires them to provide “reasonable accommodations” to disabled employees and job applicants. 42 U.S.C. §§ 12102, 12112(b)(5)(A). The ADA’s definition of “disability” includes a wide…
The term “wage theft” refers to a broad range of unlawful employment practices that deprive employees of wages they have earned. This might include under-reporting of hours worked, underpayment for reported hours, illegitimate paycheck withholdings, requiring employees to work extra hours without pay, or even outright theft of tips. Employment…
A New Jersey federal judge approved a settlement in a lawsuit brought by Essex County corrections officers, alleging underpayment of overtime. Davis, et al. v. Essex County, No. 2:14-cv-01122, opinion (D.N.J., Dec. 1, 2015). The plaintiffs asserted causes of action under both the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), 29…
The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD), N.J. Rev. Stat. § 10:5-1 et seq., protects employees against multiple forms of discrimination by employers. It is one of the most expansive anti-discrimination laws in the country. The New Jersey Supreme Court heard oral arguments in early December 2015 in a case,…
A jury in a New Jersey superior court awarded $7.7 million in damages to a former prison official in her lawsuit alleging retaliation for cooperating with a federal extortion investigation. Easley v. N.J. Dept. of Corrections, et al., No. L-000094-13, complaint (N.J. Super. Ct., Burlington Co., Jan. 10, 2013). A…
A putative class action is alleging that an internet retailer conducts background checks of job applicants in violation of federal consumer protection law. Information about individuals’ credit history has become critically important for a wide range of purposes. Background checks for criminal history have long been common in the hiring process,…
Employment discrimination against a person based on pregnancy, medical conditions associated with pregnancy, or recent childbirth is prohibited under state and federal law. The question of whether employers are obligated to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers, or workers who have recently given birth, however, remains unsettled in many jurisdictions.…
A lawsuit filed earlier this year by a former hospital security supervisor alleges sexual harassment and pregnancy discrimination. Russo v. Robert Wood Johnson Health Sys., No. L-003497-15, complaint (N.J. Super. Ct., Middlesex Co., Jun. 16, 2015). New Jersey law specifically prohibits pregnancy discrimination, while federal law considers it a form…
The field of employment law extends beyond claims under statutes like the Fair Labor Standards Act or the New Jersey Wage and Hour Law. Employment law includes almost any legal issue involving an employer-employee relationship or almost any similar relationship. A pair of lawsuits between a pop singer and her…