New Jersey has only one EEOC area office within the state. This is located in Newark. The nearest EEOC District Office is in New York. In-office visits are not possible at the moment because of the pandemic, but either office can still be contacted by phone or email for advice. An intake appointment can also still be scheduled through the online Public Portal and interviews made by telephone.
The Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) is a federal agency that oversees all federal anti-discrimination laws as they apply to employment. These laws include Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). The EEOC investigates and acts on legitimate claims by employees who work for employers with 15 or more employees.
Employees who wish to make a complaint or file a claim but work in smaller workplaces may be able to use a state fair employment practices agency (FEPA). In New Jersey this would be the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights,
You have 300 days from the date an incident of discrimination took place to file a complaint with the EEOC in New Jersey. If you work in a smaller workplace (fewer than 15 employees) the state agency, the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights imposes a 180 day limit on claims of discrimination filed. The time limit is from the date on which the act of discrimination took place.
EEOC Office Information in New Jersey - Newark Area Office
Two Gateway Center
- 283-299 Market Street
- Suite 1703
- Newark, NJ 07102
- Phone: 1-800-669-4000
- Fax: 973-645-4524
- TTY: 1-800-669-6820
- ASL Video Phone: 844-234-5122
- Director: John Waldinger
- Regional Attorney: Jeffrey Burstein
Office Hours: Open 8 to 4.30 p.m. Monday to Friday for telephone contact only at present because of Covid-19 restrictions. Intake hours are from 8.30 to 3 p.m. when appointments have been made in advance.
New York District Office
- 33 Whitehall Street, 5th Floor
- New York, NY 10004
- Phone: 1-800-669-4000
- Fax: 212-336-3790
- TTY: 1-800-669-6820
- ASL Video Phone: 844-234-5122
- Director: Judy Keenan
- Regional Attorney: Jeffrey Burstein
Office Hours: From 9 a.m.to 3 p.m. for telephone appointments made through the Public Portal. There are no walk-ins available at the moment because of Covid-19 restrictions.
State Employment Laws:
New Jersey has similar laws to the federal government regarding discrimination at work. The state’s Law Against Discrimination (LAD) was one of the first and most comprehensive of state anti-discrimination laws in the country.
Discrimination at work because of an employee’s age, gender, sexual orientation, color, religion, ethnicity or disability is illegal. Any type of sexual harassment at work, such as unsolicited emails, phone calls, physical contact, innuendo, etc., is regarded as a form of sex discrimination and is also illegal.
Employees, especially those who work in smaller workplaces, can file a charge of discrimination with the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights if they experience being discriminated against.
Conclusion:
It can be intimidating going through the process of filing a charge of discrimination against your employer. It can help to have an employment law attorney work with you through this process.
The attorney knows the state and federal laws thoroughly and can help you prepare your case against your employer. The EEOC, or state FEPA, will normally attempt to investigate the complaint.
If the EEOC then decides you have grounds to file a lawsuit against your employer in a civil court, the attorney can help prepare a convincing case on your behalf.
