New Jersey Employment Law Statutes

Many different New Jersey employment laws protect the rights of employee. We have described some of the most important of these laws below.

The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination ("LAD") prohibits employers from discriminating against or harassing employees based on their age, color, disability, sex, marital status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion (creed), sexual orientation, ancestry, and veteran or military status. It also makes it unlawful for employers to retaliate against employees because they objected about something that they reasonably believe was unlawful discrimination or harassment.

New Jersey's whistleblower law, the Conscientious Employee Protection Act ("CEPA"), prohibits employers from retaliating against employees because they disclosed, objected to, or refused to participate in an activity the employee reasonably believes is criminal, illegal, fraudulent, or violates a clear mandate of public policy regarding public health, safety, welfare or the environment. CEPA also protects licensed and certified medical professionals from retaliation because they disclosed, objected to, or refused to participate in an activity they reasonably believe constitutes improper quality of patient care.

The Family Leave Act ("NJFLA") is a New Jersey employment law statute that entitles eligible employees to legally-protected time off from work to bond with a newly born or adopted child, or to care for a child, spouse, civil union partner, or parent who has a serious health condition.

New Jersey's Wage & Hour Law ("WHL") entitles most non-exempt employees to be paid at least minimum wage, as well as a time-and-a-half overtime premium for each hour they work above 40 hours in a work week.

The Wage Payment Law ("WPL") is a New Jersey employment law that requires employers to pay employees their wages on time, at least twice per month, limits the types of deductions employers can take from their wages, and creates a claim to recover unpaid wages.

The New Jersey Civil Rights Act ("CRA") provides a legal remedy to employees, and in particular employees who work for the state, federal or local government, whose employers have violated their rights under the United States Constitution, the New Jersey Constitution, and other New Jersey laws.

New Jersey's Unemployment Compensation Law entitles eligible employees who have lost their jobs to receive insurance benefits equal to a portion of their salary for up to 6 months while they seek another job.

The Millville Dallas Airmotive Plant Job Loss Notification Act, more commonly known as the New Jersey WARN Act, applies to certain employees who lose their jobs as part of a mass layoff or plant closing. Specifically, employers that have at least 100 full-time employees must provide those employees at least 90 days of notice before they terminate their employment. In addition, employers must pay those employees one week of severance per year of service if they worked at a facility with at least 50 employees.

The Security and Financial Empowerment ("SAFE") Act entitles eligible employees to take up to 20 days of legally protected time off from work per year for medical or psychiatric treatment, counseling, legal assistance, or to prepare for or attend court proceedings necessary because the employee or his or her child, parent, spouse, domestic partner or civil union partner was the victim of domestic abuse or sexual violence. It also prohibits employers from discriminating against employees because they took protected time off from work.

Other Employment Statutes in New Jersey:

• Earned Sick Leave Law
• Family Leave Insurance Law
• Temporary Disability Benefits Law
• Workers' Compensation Law
• Emergency Responders Employment Protection Act
• Opportunity to Compete Act ("Ban the Box" law)
• Smoke-Free Air Act
• Public Employee Occupational Safety and Health Act ("PEOSHA")