Don’t Put Up With Discrimination

Discrimination is illegal. Numerous federal and state laws protect workers against discrimination in the workplace. Unfortunately, employees continue to be discriminated against on a daily basis.

For more than 30 years, attorney Lawrence N. Lavigne has been standing up for the rights of employees. If you have been discriminated against at work, we will put the law on your side.

What Does The Law Say?

There are several federal laws and a New Jersey state law that prohibit discrimination in the workplace:

  • The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD) is broader than federal laws, making it illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, gender, marital status, religion, place of national origin or age, disability or perceived disability, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression.
  • Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin.
  • The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination based on disability – mental, physical or emotional – and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to disabled employees.
  • The Pregnancy Discrimination Act makes it illegal to discriminate on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions.
  • The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) prohibits discrimination against employees based on age.

Is This Discrimination?

Discrimination can be difficult to define. Sometimes discrimination is obvious and blatant, such as refusing to hire someone or firing someone because of age, race, gender, sexual orientation or other protected characteristics. Treating individuals differently on the basis of their inclusion in a protected class is also discrimination.

Other times, discrimination is more subtle. Sometimes, employees are subject to hostile work environments because of certain protected characteristics. An employment policy that appears, on its face, to be nondiscriminatory may be illegal if, when it is applied, it has an adverse impact on a protected group. For example, all of the employees over the age of 40 were “laid off.”

Be Aware Of Reverse Discrimination
Even if you are a member of a majority in terms of characteristics, if your are discriminated against by an employer or management that are in the minority, you may have an action to bring.

    How Can I Get Help?

    If you have been discriminated against at work, we can help. Call us at 908-349-1066 or send us an email to schedule a consultation. Our lawyer will sit down with you, review the facts of your situation and advise you of your legal rights. Our office is in Union, New Jersey. Consultations are free. Se habla español.