New Jersey Workplace Discrimination Lawyer
Charles Z. Schalk is an experienced New Jersey workplace discrimination attorney. With the knowledge and expertise needed to handle all types of discrimination—from race to sex to age to sexual orientation to disability status—we are here to protect your rights. If you or your family member was the victim of discrimination in the workplace, please do not hesitate to contact us today for a confidential consultation with a top-tier New Jersey employment lawyer.
Workers are Protected Against Discrimination Under Federal and State Law
Workplace discrimination refers to the unfair or prejudicial treatment of individuals based on a legally protected characteristic(s). Common examples include such as race, gender, age, religion, disability, and/or sexual orientation. Workers in New Jersey may be protected against discriminatory practices in the workplace under:
We Handle All Types of Workplace Discrimination Claims in New Jersey
There are few things more frustrating, even enraging than being subject to discrimination by an employer. No legally protected characteristic should be used to deny you a job opportunity, a promotion, a raise, or better working conditions. Every employee in New Jersey deserves fair and equitable opportunities. Charles handles the full range of job discrimination cases. Along with other types of cases, our top rated New Jersey discrimination lawyer has experience with:
- Race: Race discrimination occurs when an individual is treated unfavorably because of their race or characteristics associated with race (such as hair texture, skin color, or facial features). It can affect hiring, promotions, job assignments, salaries, and other issues.
- Sex: Sex discrimination involves treating someone (an applicant or employee) unfavorably because of their sex or gender. While women are disproportionate victims of sex-based discrimination, men also have the right to bring such a claim.
- Sexual Orientation: Sexual orientation discrimination refers to unfair treatment based on an individual’s real or perceived sexual orientation—whether they identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or heterosexual. LGBTQ employees deserve equitable opportunities.
- Age: Age discrimination entails treating an applicant or employee less favorably because of their age—specifically targeting individuals who are 40 years old or older. Contact our New Jersey age discrimination attorney for a confidential consultation.
- Disability: Disability discrimination occurs when an employer or other entity covered by the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD) and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), or similar laws, treats a qualified individual unfavorably because they have a disability.
- Pregnancy: Pregnancy discrimination involves treating a woman (an applicant or employee) unfavorably because of pregnancy, childbirth, or a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth.
- Religion: Religious discrimination occurs when employees or applicants are treated unfavorably because of their religious beliefs, practices, or because they lack certain religious beliefs. An employee must have a bona fide, good faith religious belief to be protected by the law.
You Have the Right to Report Discrimination in Violation of the Law
You have the legal right to report any acts of discrimination in the workplace that violate federal or state laws, without fear of retaliation. It is illegal for employers to retaliate against employees who file a discrimination complaint or participate in an investigation regarding such claims. This protection ensures that you can speak up against unfair treatment based on race, gender, age, or other protected characteristics, and seek justice and remediation without risking your employment or facing adverse consequences. If you were unlawfully retaliated against for reporting discrimination, contact our workplace discrimination lawyer in New Jersey for immediate help.
How to Prove Discrimination: Connect Discriminatory Animus to Adverse Action
To prove discrimination in the workplace, it is crucial to establish a clear connection between discriminatory animus and an adverse employment action. Discriminatory animus refers to the prejudiced attitudes or intentions against an employee based on protected characteristics such as race, sex, age, or disability. An adverse action could be any negative employment decision, such as termination, demotion, or denial of a promotion.
An experienced discrimination attorney in New Jersey can comprehensively investigate your case and help you gather all of the evidence needed to prove 1) You were subject to unfavorable employment action and 2) That happened because of a protected characteristic. Evidence is key. Direct evidence includes explicit statements or actions that clearly indicate bias, such as derogatory comments or emails directly related to the adverse action. On the other hand, circumstantial evidence might involve showing that similarly situated employees not sharing your characteristic were treated more favorably under similar circumstances.
Why Employees Rely On New Jersey Discrimination Attorney Charles Z. Schalk
Every employee deserves an opportunity to be assessed on their own merits—not on unfair stereotypes. A proud member of the New Jersey Association for Justice and the National Employment Lawyers Association, Charles Schalk is committed to delivering justice to clients. Attorney Schalk takes a proactive, personalized approach to each and every case. Along with other things, our New Jersey workplace discrimination lawyer is ready to:
- Listen to what you have to say and answer questions about your rights/options;
- Investigate the incident—gathering the evidence you need to prove discrimination
- Represent you and advise you in any settlement negotiations with your employer; and
- Develop a comprehensive strategy designed to help you get the best possible outcome.
Contact Our New Jersey Discrimination Attorneys Today
Charles is a New Jersey workplace discrimination lawyer with a commitment to proactive, justice-focused legal advocacy. If you have any questions about a workplace discrimination claim, we are here to help. Contact us today for a completely confidential initial appointment. We represent employees in workplace discrimination cases throughout all of New Jersey.
“Mr. Schalk obviously obtained a very successful verdict in a very very difficult case. This Court had an opportunity to observe Mr. Schalk throughout the trial. He certainly performed at an extremely high level . . . And to obtain the verdict that he did is a rare case . . . I feel very strongly that Mr. Schalk’s work in this case was at a very high level, a superior level and that if the 100 percent enhancement of the lodestar is in the rare case this would be the rare case in which Mr. Schalk would be entitled to that.”*”
