Legal Question in Employment Law in New Jersey
Effective May 10, 2010, I received a letter offering employment from the Personnel Dept. for the Financial Analyst Position In Private Carrier Affairs. Prior to this offier, I have worked in the same company, but in another dept. for 18 years. Wehn I signed the offer dated May 10, 2010, my boss told me that i have to work two days a week in anoter department within the company without any additional compensation.
1 Answer from Attorneys
In general, employment in New Jersey is: At-Will. This means that an employer can hire, fire, change work assignments, promote/demote, change compensation and benefits, etc. at anytime, for good, bad or no reason, and without advanced notice. There are many exceptions to the rule. For example, it is illegal to base such decisions on an individual�s membership in a protected classification (i.e., illegal discrimination) or take such action in retaliation for an individual engaging in protected activity (e.g., �whistleblowing�) or his/her refusal to engage in illegal activity. Similarly, if an employer and employee have agreed to specific employment terms and conditions (i.e., entered into a contract), both parties must abide by the agreement or face a potential lawsuit. Of course, determining whether your circumstances fall within one of these or the many other exceptions to the At-Will rule will require much more discussion. Please feel free to contact me ASAP so that we may explore your options and protect your legal rights. 973-921-0600. Please visit my website - www.bgartenberg.com - or call me if you'd like to learn more about me or my practice. You can also find me on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Thank you.
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With best wishes,
Barry F. Gartenberg, Esq.