New Jersey Employment Law Attorneys

Richardson & Galella

142B Emerson Street
Woodbury, New Jersey 08096
USA

(856) 579-7045

(856) 579-7051

www.employmentlaw-nj.com

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Law Firm Overview Free Consultation

At Richardson & Galella, our employment lawyers provide legal counsel to both workers and employers throughout New Jersey. From our offices in Woodbury, we provide experienced representation in state and federal employment law matters as well as other areas including: wage and hour, civil rights, and estates.

Engaging an attorney may be one of the most important decisions you can make. Selecting the right one for your case is critical. When choosing an attorney, keep these thoughts in mind:

We try cases. Most attorneys have very limited experience in front of a jury. By contrast, we have no fear of taking a case to a decision. Our adversaries know that we are willing to take a case all the way and not bail out with an easy settlement.

We have sued the IRS on behalf of a client - and forced a settlement. Few firms can say that they have taken on this most powerful agency and wrestled money out of them. We have no fear of them.

Attorneys hire us to represent them. For the last 10 years, lawyers and law firms have retained us to protect them in a variety of cases, displaying respect for us and confidence in us that is immeasurable.

We have the highest possible rating from the only nationwide attorney rating firm, Martindale-Hubbell.

No rookie will work on your file. The common practice in a law firm is for a partner to sign up the client and then shuffle the actual work off to a young associate. That will not happen with us. Every case will be handled by a seasoned, effective legal veteran.

Practice Areas

Additional Practice Areas: Severance Package; Harassment; The Federal Family Medical Leave Act; The Americans with Disabilities Act; The New Jersey Family Leave Act; The New Jersey Minimum Wage Law; The Equal Pay Law for New Jersey; Non-Compete and Employment Agreements; Employee Handbooks and Related Documentation; Employment Training; Disciplinary Actions involving Public Employees; Recreational Vehicle Accidents; Dog Bites; Professional License Disputes.

Practice Areas Description

- Defense of Employment Claims

The firm’s prime area of practice is defending employers in employment disputes. We have a hard-earned reputation for providing a tough, cost-effective defense of management in a wide range of matters. We have successfully dealt with cases in administrative settings, Superior Court of New Jersey and U.S. District Court. The firm has substantial and successful experience in handling cases involving:

. New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act
. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
. The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination
. The New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act (Whistleblower Act)
. The Federal Family Medical Leave Act
. The Fair Labor Standards Act
. The Americans with Disabilities Act
. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
. The New Jersey Family Leave Act
. The New Jersey Minimum Wage Law
. The Equal Pay Law for New Jersey
. Federal Civil Rights (Sections 1981 through 1988 of Title 42, U.S. Code)
. The Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
. Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act
. Disciplinary Actions involving public employees

- Non-Litigation Services

Today's employers and managers operate in a minefield of complex state and federal laws. And, it is a minefield that is constantly changing. The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination factors, on average, in 200 published and unpublished federal and state cases per year. This has resulted in a flood of employment litigation, with the number of employment cases nationwide tripling since the turn of the century. To businesses, we offer help in maneuvering through the minefield in the following ways:

• Non-Compete and Employment Agreements

For most employers, knowledge is the most important asset of all: Knowledge of the market, business processes, customer or client wants and needs and much more. To be successful, a business must share its knowledge base with its employees, even at the risk that this knowledge can leak out when an employee departs. We can't promise to plug the knowledge leak, but through well-crafted non-compete and employment agreements, we can limit the damage.

• Advice and Counseling

Employers often need to pick up the telephone and get a quick answer to important employment questions. Our quality counseling is an effective tool in preventing or mitigating problems that otherwise could lead to litigation.

• Discrimination and Harassment Investigations

Employers are under a legal obligation to promptly, thoroughly and professionally investigate claims of harassment and discrimination. Our attorneys know what the issues are and therefore know the questions to ask so that the investigations we conduct are thorough, responsive, efficient, and effective.

• Employee Handbooks and Related Documentation

A well-crafted employee handbook is not only useful to employees; it is an effective tool for an employer. A well-written handbook can be effective in barring employee lawsuits. However, there is no "one size fits all" form of handbook. Working carefully with employers, we can effectively and efficiently craft an employment handbook.

• Training

We can provide training on employment issues both to managers and to employees. Education can be the best preventative medicine.

- Severance Package Services

When you leave a company, you may be offered a severance agreement, separation agreement, severance package or severance pay. This document may be one of the most important you will ever sign. Be aware that a severance agreement could prohibit you from working in your field, bringing clients with you to your new company or prevent you from ever filing a lawsuit against the company. Therefore, it is important that an employment attorney review the terms of the severance agreement.

- Sexual Harassment

The New Jersey sexual harassment lawyers of Richardson & Galella know the law regarding sexual harassment and have experience representing both management and employees in sexual harassment claims arising under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination and Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act. Whether you are a victim of sexual harassment or an employer facing allegations of sexual harassment or failing to alleviate sexual harassment by employees, our attorneys have the knowledge and experience to aggressively advocate on your behalf.

- Harassment

The New Jersey harassment lawyers of Richardson & Galella know what is at stake in harassment cases. For victims, a hostile work environment can be highly stressful and it can feel like there is nowhere to turn. For employers, in addition to the immediate financial consequences of having to pay a large judgment or settlement, allegations of on-the-job harassment and discrimination can have a devastating impact on their reputations and their businesses. For both employers and employees, our lawyers have the experience and knowledge to aggressively defend their interests.

- Discrimination

Employment law—employment discrimination specifically—is a rapidly developing legal field. Both state and federal courts are constantly reinterpreting the relevant statutes. Regulatory agencies such as the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Division on Civil Rights of the Office of the Attorney General of New Jersey are frequently updating the regulations that further interpret and clarify these statutes. A New Jersey discrimination lawyer must stay constantly up-to-date on these issues in order to effectively represent his or her clients.

- Overtime Claims

If you are working more than 40 hours per week without extra pay, your employer may be in violation of a federal overtime law known as the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The FLSA states that employers must pay eligible employees time-and-a-half their regular rate for every hour worked over 40 in a single workweek. When an employer denies a worker overtime pay and violates the FLSA, the employee may be able to recover everything he is owed - and maybe twice as much - through a lawsuit.

- Whistleblowers

Whistleblowers are heroes. It is too easy and too tempting to look the other way when the employer dumps illegal toxic waste or allows sexual harassment in the workplace. Standing up can be hard, but it’s the right thing to do. And the law can protect you. In New Jersey, whistleblowers are protected under the Conscientious Employee Protection Act or CEPA, and federal law. Employers are prohibited from punishing whistleblowers in the following ways:

. Firing or demoting;
. Laying off;
. Denying benefits, overtime pay or a well-earned promotion;
. Threatening or harassing the whistleblower;
. Cutting pay or work hours;
. Reassigning the whistleblower to a less lucrative position.

- Invasion of Privacy

New Jersey common law provides strong protection for the rights of individuals to privacy.

In New Jersey, the tort of invasion of privacy encompasses four distinct kinds of invasion of four different interests of the plaintiff. They include:

(1) intrusion (e.g., intrusion on plaintiff's physical solitude or seclusion, as by invading his or her home, illegally searching, eavesdropping or prying into personal affairs);

(2) public disclosure of private facts (e.g., making public private information about plaintiff);

(3) placing plaintiff in a false light in the public eye (which need not be defamatory, but must be something that would be objectionable to the ordinary reasonable person); and

(4) appropriation, for the defendant's benefit, of the plaintiff's name or likeness.

- Civil Rights

Lawyers in the firm prosecute and defend claims of civil rights violations, primarily in federal court, but occasionally in state court as well:

. Fourth Amendment (search);
. Fourth Amendment (excess force);
. Fourth Amendment (search);
. 14th Amendment Procedural Due Process;
. 14th Amendment Substantive Due Process;
. First Amendment (religion);
. First Amendment (speech);
. First Amendment (association);
. First Amendment (political);
. Unconstitutional taking.

- Wills & Estates Litigation

If you think that you have been unfairly cut out of a will or denied your rightful portion of an estate, or if you are an executor facing allegations of malfeasance, we may be able to help you. Our services include:

. Contested wills;
. Undue influence in the creation or amendment of wills;
. Illegal conveyance of estate property;
. Improper sale or distribution of estate property;
. Trust litigation;
. Alleged malfeasance by executors and trustees;
. Inadequate distribution of trust funds.

- Personal Injury

At the law firm of Richardson & Galella, our Gloucester County attorneys understand the pressure that personal injury victims face. That is why we strive to be responsive and compassionate to our clients. Our staff of dedicated attorneys negotiates with insurance companies and other responsible parties to ensure our clients receive prompt and fair compensation, allowing them to maintain financial security in the wake of their injuries.

- Dog Bites

At the law firm of Richardson & Galella, we understand the serious consequences of a dog bite injury. Dog bites can cause substantial medical expenses, missed work, severe pain, disfigurement, and psychological consequences. If you suffer a dog bite injury, you should not have to bear the expense caused by the negligence of a dog owner. A dog bite lawyer in Gloucester County can help you recover just compensation for your dog bite injury.

- Nursing Home Abuse and Negligence

If you have a loved one who suffered abuse in a nursing home, Gloucester County nursing home negligence and abuse attorney may be able to secure substantial compensation on their behalf. Because of the egregious nature of elder abuse, a Gloucester County nursing home negligence and abuse lawyer can often secure large amounts of punitive damages in addition to normal damages such as medical bills and pain and suffering. These financial resources can help give your loved one the best possible quality of life and ensure he or she is never again the victim of abuse or neglect.

- Professional License Disputes

We represent New Jersey dentists, physicians, nurses, and other licensed professionals in cases involving professional licensing issues, administrative matters, and other issues, including civil RICO (racketeering) claims. Our professional license defense attorneys are skilled at representing professionals at all stages of licensure matters. These include:

. Physician Licensing & Medical License Defense;
. Nurse Licensing & Nursing License Defense;
. Dentist Licensing & Dental License Defense;
. Chiropractor Licensing and Chiropractor’s License Defense;
. Medical Staff Privileges;
. Medicare/Medicaid/Network Exclusions and Terminations;
. Hospital Privileges;
. Peer Review Actions;
. Drug and Alcohol-Related Proceedings;
. State Office Administrative Hearings;
. License Restoration.

- Malpractice Defense

In most cases, a malpractice insurance policy will provide a defense to claims of malpractice. For example, we are on the approved defense counsel list for the Princeton Insurance Co. and The Dentists Insurance Co. Not all claims are covered by these policies and, in those instances, we can provide defense to claims against licensed professionals.