Employment Law Agencies

While it usually is a good idea to hire an employment lawyer to evaluate your legal claims and help you decide the best course of action to protect your legal rights, there are times when a lawyer might recommend that you file a claim with a state or federal agency.

There are many agencies that handle employment law claims in New Jersey and New York. Most of these agencies investigate claims, attempt to help the parties resolve their disputes, and make determinations or rulings when the parties cannot reach an amicable resolution.

Although you can file a claim with any of these agencies without hiring an attorney, we highly recommend you consult with an experienced employment lawyer before you do so. In some situations, you may be better off hiring a lawyer to help you navigate through the agency. In other circumstances, you may be better off hiring an attorney to help you negotiate a severance package or settlement without filing a legal claim, or to represent you in litigation, arbitration or mediation.

If you would like to speak to an employment lawyer, please contact us online or call us at (201) 777-2250 to schedule an initial consultation.

Below is a list of some of the most important employment law agencies and the primary legal claims they cover. While we did not list it each time, most (if not all) of these agencies also handle related retaliation claims.

Federal Employment Law Agencies

United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”)

• Title VII: Discrimination and harassment based on sex, race, color, national origin and religion.
• Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”): Disability discrimination and harassment.
• Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”): Age discrimination and harassment.

United States Department of Labor (“DOL”)

• Family & Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”): Time off for pregnancy or adoption, to care for a new child, your own serious health condition or an immediate family member’s serious health condition, or for qualified reasons relating to a family member in the military.
• Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”): Wage and hour claims (overtime and minimum wage).

United States Occupational Safety & Health Administration (“OSHA”)

• Occupational Health & Safety Act (“OSHA”): Workplace health and safety.

New Jersey Employment Law Agencies

New Jersey Division on Civil Rights (“DCR”)

• New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (“LAD”): Discrimination and harassment because of race, creed, color, national origin, age, ancestry, nationality, marital status, domestic partnership/civil union status, sex/gender, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, disability, military service, sexual orientation, atypical cellular or blood trait, or genetic information.
• New Jersey Family Leave Act (“NJFLA”): Time off to care for a new child, or an immediate family member’s serious health condition.

New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (“NJDOL”)

• Unemployment Compensation Law: Unemployment insurance benefits.
• New Jersey Wage and Hour Law: Overtime and minimum wage.
• New Jersey Temporary Disability Benefits Law: Short term disability insurance (“SDI”) benefits.
• New Jersey Paid Family Leave Law: Payments during covered family leaves.

New York State Employment Law Agencies

New York State Division of Human Rights (“NYSDHR”)

• New York Human Rights Act: Discrimination because of age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, disability, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status, or status as a victim of domestic violence.

New York State Department of Labor (“NYDOL”)

• New York State Minimum Wage Act: Minimum wage and overtime pay.
• New York Unemployment Insurance Law: Unemployment insurance benefits.
• New York State Disability Benefits Law: Short term disability insurance benefits.

New York City Employment Law Agency

New York City Commission on Human Rights (“NYCCHR”)

• New York City Human Rights Law (“NYCHRL”): Discrimination and harassment based on race, creed, color, age, national origin, alienage, citizenship, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, marital status, partnership status, arrest or conviction record, status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking or sex offenses, and unemployment status.

Still have a question? We invite you to contact Rabner Baumgart Ben-Asher & Nirenberg, P.C. Our telephone number is (201) 777-2250.