Employment Law Attorneys Fighting Marital Status Discrimination

Employment laws in New Jersey, New York, and New York City prohibit discrimination on the basis of marital status. That means your employer cannot use the fact that you are married, single, divorced, or widowed as a basis to fire you, demote you, pass you up for a promotion, or otherwise discriminate against you. Similarly, if you apply for a new job in New Jersey or New York, it is illegal for the company to hire someone else simply because of your marital status.

Marital status discrimination is often based on stereotypes. For example, when making hiring decisions and work assignments, a supervisor might assume a single parent will not work as hard, is not as dependable, or is less available to work overtime than an employee who is married or single. However, it can be a violation of your employment law rights if your boss makes a decision based on an assumption due to your marital status and not based on the facts.

Likewise, it is unlawful for a company to refuse to hire you because you are living with someone to whom you are not married. Although your boss might claim you are “living in sin,” the fact that you are not legally married to the person with whom you are living rarely, if ever, has anything to do with your qualifications for the job. It certainly should not be the basis for employment decisions.

Employment Law Attorneys Fighting Marital Status Discrimination

New Jersey and New York City law do not only prohibit marital status discrimination. They also prohibit domestic partnership status discrimination. In addition, New Jersey law prohibits Civil Union status discrimination. That means employers in New Jersey, Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island cannot discriminate against employees or job candidates because they are (or are not) in a same-sex domestic partnership. New Jersey employers also cannot discriminate against employees because they are in a Civil Union.

Contact an Employment Discrimination Lawyer

The Nirenberg Law Firm is dedicated to representing New Jersey and New York employees in all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment cases, including when it is based on marital status, domestic partnership status, and civil union status. Contact us online, or call us at either 201 487-2700 or 212 398-7100 for more information about how we can help you.