Koufos & Norgaard, LLC, handles employment discrimination cases against some of the largest corporations and agencies doing business in New Jersey. In fact, our firm provides legal counsel to the NAACP Metuchen-Edison Area Branch and its members in many discrimination matters. Our firm will assist you in filing discrimination charges with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency in chare of enforcing employment discrimination laws.
The EEOC enforces the following Federal laws:
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII): Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin: Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA): The Equal Pay Act protects both men and women who perform substantially equal work in the same establishment from sex-based wage discrimination;
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA): The ADEA applies to individuals who are 40 years of age or older;
Title I and Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA): These laws prohibit employment discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in both the private sector, and in state and local governments;
§501 and §505 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973: These laws prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities who work in the federal government;
Civil Rights Act of 1991: This law covers many aspects of discrimination and provides monetary damages in cases of intentional employment discrimination.
In addition, Koufos & Norgaard, LLC, handles:
Sexual Harassment: Sexual Harassment can come in many forms, so it is important for a victim to be aware of the context and substance of the sexually or gender-based comments or situations. Anyone who believes they are a victim of sexual harassment should immediately contact an attorney and make a diary of all of the events and acts that he or she believes are sexually based. They should also notify their immediate supervisor after making the diary. If the situation is not rectified, or if the employee is retaliated against he or she should notify their attorney to institute the proper protective procedures.
Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA): CEPA, commonly called the "Whistleblower Law", provides protection from retaliation for employees who (1) disclosed, or threatened to disclose, to a supervisor or public body an activity, a policy or practice of the whistleblower, or of another employer with which defendant has a business relationship, that the whistleblower reasonably believed to be in violation of a law, rule or regulation promulgated pursuant to law; OR (2) provided information or testimony to a public body conducting an investigation, hearing or inquiry into any violation of a law, rule or regulation promulgated pursuant to law, by the defendant or by another employer with which the defendant has a business relationship; OR (3) objected to or refused to participate in any activity, policy or practice which the whistleblower reasonably believed:
(a) is in violation of a law, a rule or regulation promulgated pursuant to law:
(b) is fraudulent or criminal; or
(c) is incompatible with a clear mandate of public policy concerning the public health, safety and welfare or protection of the environment.
There are rigid time requirements to file a charge of discrimination, so you should contact us immediately if you believe you have been the victim of employment discrimination. Our firm will prepare and file the charge for you. We will also guide you through the mediation and investigation stages of the process. If the EEOC determines that probable cause of employment discrimination exists, a conciliation hearing is scheduled. If the matter does not settle, EEOC will typically issue a "Right to Sue Letter." Once a Right to Sue Letter is issued, a formal Complaint in the United States District Court may be properly filed.
If you are not sure if you have a claim, contact us as soon as possible.
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