Employees in Cherry Hill and throughout New Jersey have the right to a workplace free from unlawful harassment and discrimination. The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD) is one of the most comprehensive civil rights statutes in the country, protecting employees from bias-based harassment, discriminatory treatment, and retaliation in the workplace.
If you are experiencing harassment at work, understanding your rights under the NJLAD is the first step toward protecting yourself and holding your employer accountable.
The NJLAD prohibits discrimination and harassment in employment, housing, and places of public accommodation. In the workplace, it makes it unlawful for employers to make decisions, such as hiring, firing, promotion, compensation, or job assignments, based on protected characteristics.
Importantly, the NJLAD also prohibits bias-based workplace harassment, meaning harassing conduct directed at an employee because of a protected trait that is severe or pervasive enough to create a hostile or abusive work environment under the totality of the circumstances.
Employers may be held liable when they vest the harasser with the authority to control the working environment, or when they negligently fail to prevent or correct the harassment.
Workplace harassment is unlawful under the NJLAD when it is based on a protected characteristic. Protected categories include:
If harassment is tied to any of these characteristics, it may support a claim under the NJLAD.
A hostile work environment exists when an employee is subjected to conduct based on a protected characteristic that is severe or pervasive enough to alter the conditions of employment and create an intimidating, hostile, or abusive workplace.
Courts evaluate the totality of circumstances, including frequency, severity, and whether the conduct interferes with the employee’s work performance.
Examples may include:
Harassment may come from supervisors, coworkers, clients, customers, or vendors.
Quid pro quo harassment occurs when job benefits or employment decisions are conditioned on submission to sexual conduct.
Examples include:
This form of harassment is a direct abuse of authority and is strictly prohibited under NJLAD.
New Jersey employers have an affirmative duty to prevent and correct workplace harassment.
Liability may arise when:
Employers are expected to maintain anti-harassment policies, provide training, and ensure accessible reporting procedures.
The NJLAD strictly prohibits retaliation against employees who assert their rights.
Protected activities include reporting harassment, participating in investigations, or filing complaints.
Retaliation may include:
Time limits may apply:
Acting quickly is important to preserve your legal rights.
Workplace harassment can have lasting emotional and professional consequences. The NJLAD provides remedies that may include lost wages, emotional distress damages, attorneys’ fees, and, in some cases, punitive damages.
A qualified employment attorney can help evaluate your claim and pursue accountability under New Jersey law.
Conduct based on a protected trait that is severe or pervasive enough to create a hostile or abusive work environment.
Yes. A hostile work environment alone may support a claim even without termination or demotion.
Yes. Employers may be responsible if they negligently failed to prevent or correct the harassment.
Yes. The NJLAD prohibits employers from punishing employees for reporting harassment or participating in an investigation.
You do not have to endure a hostile or discriminatory workplace. A Cherry Hill harassment lawyer at Warden Law LLC is prepared to review your situation and explain your legal options under the NJLAD. Call 856-324-8266 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation. We are located in Cherry Hill, NJ.