Filing a New Jersey employment law claim involves working closely with an attorney who specializes in handling cases that center around legal violations in the workplace.
Whether you face discrimination from your employer or have to deal with workplace safety issues, a New Jersey employment law attorney can help you build a strong enough case to win a claim in a state civil court.
Keeping accurate records of legal violations in the workplace like paycheck stubs and the timing of discriminatory acts can boost your employment law claim in the State of New Jersey.
What Does a New Jersey Employment Law Lawyer Do?
An employment law lawyer in New Jersey works with either an employer or employee in the resolution of a workplace claim. Employment attorneys help employees by ensuring fair treatment under state and federal employment statutes.
Employers benefit from the services of a lawyer because they receive sound legal advice before addressing a claim submitted to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Filing a claim with the EEOC requires employees to submit the proper paperwork within 180 days of the last violation of a workplace law. Failing to meet the deadline for filing a claim typically results in a court clerk dismissing a claim. A New Jersey employment law lawyer also represents clients during the hearing of a claim.
Legal counsel is especially important for claimants that seek a significant financial award for employment law violations. However, not all employment law claims end up inside a courtroom.
If you have to deal with an employment law violation, your attorney might suggest taking your case to mediation or trying to settle your claim by negotiating with your employer’s lawyers.
Your New Jersey employment law attorney is also an advocate for you to receive just compensation for suffering from workplace violations.
You might be eligible for one or more of the following types of financial awards:
- Back pay
- Benefits
- Bonuses
- Medical expenses
- Punitive damages
- Job reinstatement
What Types of Claims Does a New Jersey Employment Law Attorney Handle?
Employment attorneys represent clients on a wide variety of workplace issues.
- Sexual harassment
- Wrongful termination
- Workers’ compensation
- Workplace safety
- Wage theft
- Privacy rights
- Discrimination
- Retaliation
New Jersey law forbids employers from retaliating against workers for filing a claim about a workplace violation of a state employment statute.
For example, an employer that reduces the hours of a worker who filed a complaint of sexual harassment might have violated one of the state’s anti-retaliation laws. New Jersey also protects workers that provide testimony on the behalf of a co-worker who filed an employment law claim against the same employer.
Retaliation claims consist of two legal components that demonstrate an employer violated a New Jersey employment law statute.
- The employee engaged in a legally protected activity that the employer knew about
- The employer took illegal action against the employee for participating in the activity
How Much Does an Employment Law Attorney in New Jersey Cost?
A New Jersey employment law attorney might charge by the hour for legal services. The average cost of hourly legal fees in the state for employment law lawyers runs around $200.
Hourly fees make sense for employment law cases that require providing one legal service, such as meeting the deadline for filing an employment discrimination claim with the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights.
For most employment law cases in New Jersey, working with an attorney who charges on a contingency fee basis makes the most sense.
The average contingency fee rate charged by New Jersey employment law lawyers is 30 percent. A contingency fee arrangement means you do not have to pay any upfront legal fees to have your employment law claim reviewed at the state or federal level.
Some employment law attorneys in New Jersey waive the payment for court costs and other types of legal fees that clients pay to process employment law claims.
How Do I Find an Employment Law Attorney in New Jersey?
Finding the best employment lawyer in New Jersey to represent you against your employer requires thorough research. Refer to the New Jersey State Bar Association’s website to review the legal credentials of every attorney in the state that is licensed to practice employment law.
When you meet with the lawyers on your short list, make sure to ask questions about how each attorney handles employment law cases that involve your type of workplace issue. Many New Jersey employment law attorneys specialize in a particular type of employment law, such as workplace safety and sexual harassment.
