Civil Sex Assault Claims
Representing survivors of sexual assault outside the employment context under the New York Gender-Motivated Violence Act, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, and other state and federal statutes.
Employers are barred from using your genetic information or family medical history against you. This post explains the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, what employers cannot do, and how this protection matters as genetic testing becomes more common.
Most employees who work in New York City earn paid sick and safe leave they can use for illness, caregiving, or safety needs related to domestic violence. This post explains who is covered, how leave accrues, and what to do if your employer denies it.
The way you ask for a workplace accommodation can shape both the outcome and any future legal claim. This post walks through how to make a clear, documented request and how to handle an employer that drags its feet or refuses.
A severance agreement can include far more than a check. It often asks you to waive legal claims, agree to confidentiality, and accept restrictions on future work. This post explains the key terms to examine and why you should not sign under pressure.
Whether you are an employee or an independent contractor decides your rights to wages, overtime, and benefits. New Jersey uses the strict ABC test to make that call. This post explains the test and what to do if you have been misclassified.
Employers monitor email, devices, location, and productivity more than ever. This post explains what employers can legally track, where employee privacy rights begin, and how surveillance can intersect with discrimination and retaliation claims.
Medical leave often involves several overlapping laws at once. This post explains how the FMLA, the New Jersey Family Leave Act, and disability accommodation rules interact, and how to protect your job while you are out for a serious health condition.
Employees are protected from discrimination based on national origin, ancestry, and accent. This post explains what national origin discrimination covers, when English-only workplace rules are lawful, and how to respond to bias tied to where you or your family come from.
Workers with caregiving responsibilities sometimes face assumptions and bias that violate the law. This post explains how caregiver discrimination connects to sex, disability, and family leave protections, and what employees can do when caregiving costs them opportunities at work.
New Jersey has one of the strongest equal pay laws in the country. The Diane B. Allen Equal Pay Act bars pay disparities based on protected characteristics for substantially similar work and allows for significant damages. This post explains who is covered and how the law works.
A hostile work environment can be created by various factors, including persistent sexual jokes or comments, inappropriate touching, sexually explicit emails or messages, and the presence of sexually suggestive materials in the workplace. Any behavior that makes an employee feel uncomfortable, intimidated, or offended based on their gender or sexual orientation may contribute to a hostile environment.
Yes, sexual harassment can occur in any work-related setting, including off-site meetings, business trips, company events, and virtual work environments. Employers have a duty to ensure that their employees are protected from sexual harassment regardless of the location or circumstances.
If you witness sexual harassment happening to a coworker, it's important to offer support to the victim and encourage them to report the behavior to HR or management. You can also document the incident if possible and provide testimony or statements during any investigation. Standing up against sexual harassment helps create a safer and more respectful workplace for everyone.
Yes, third parties, including clients, customers, vendors, and contractors, can be held accountable for sexual harassment if their behavior creates a hostile work environment for employees. Employers have a responsibility to address and prevent sexual harassment from any source within the workplace, including external parties.
Individuals who have experienced sexual harassment can seek support from various resources, including employee assistance programs (EAPs), counseling services, support groups, and legal aid organizations. Many jurisdictions also have hotlines and helplines specifically for victims of sexual harassment where they can receive information and assistance.
In some cases, bystanders who witness sexual harassment but fail to intervene or report the behavior may also be held accountable, especially if they have a duty to act based on company policies or legal requirements. Encouraging bystander intervention and promoting a culture of accountability can help prevent sexual harassment and support victims.
Employers can promote a culture of respect and inclusion by providing comprehensive training on sexual harassment prevention, fostering open communication channels for reporting harassment, implementing clear policies and procedures for addressing complaints, and holding all employees accountable for their behavior. Creating a supportive and respectful work environment benefits everyone and reduces the risk of harassment.
If you experience retaliation for reporting sexual harassment, document the retaliatory actions, report them to HR or management, and seek legal advice from an experienced employment lawyer. Retaliation against employees for engaging in protected activities, such as reporting harassment, is illegal, and you have rights and protections under the law.
