How can I file a workplace discrimination claim?

You can file a workplace discrimination claim through the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights or with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Our Franklin Lakes employment law attorney will guide you through the process, gather evidence, and hold your employer accountable for unlawful treatment.

Can I take legal action for wrongful termination in Franklin Lakes?

If you were fired for reasons that violate state or federal law, such as retaliation, discrimination, or whistleblowing, you have the right to pursue a legal claim. Our employment lawyer in Franklin Lakes will assess your situation and build a strong case to recover lost wages and achieve justice.

What legal options do I have if I face wage theft?

If your employer has failed to pay overtime, withheld wages, or misclassified your role to avoid paying you fairly, you may have grounds for a wage theft claim. Our Franklin Lakes employment law attorney can file a claim under New Jersey wage and hour laws to pursue the unpaid wages you're owed.

Employment Lawyer in Franklin Lakes, NJ

Standing With Franklin Lakes Employees, Not Their Employers

Franklin Lakes is a borough of corporate headquarters and senior professionals. With BD headquartered on Becton Drive and a workforce concentrated in management, finance, and healthcare, the disputes here run high-stakes: executive severance, non-competes, and discrimination or retaliation claims that put six-figure careers and reputations at risk.

We represent employees only, never employers, across Franklin Lakes and nearby Wyckoff, Oakland, and Ramsey. Choosing the right employment lawyer in Franklin Lakes means finding one who knows both this market and the law. From our Bergen County office, with more than 35 years in New Jersey and federal employment disputes, we offer clear analysis, candid risk assessment, and representation built to protect your income, reputation, and next position.

Why Employees Across Bergen County Rely on Our Firm

When a Franklin Lakes worker files an employment claim, it is heard at the Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack, minutes from our office at Court Plaza South. It is the same courthouse where we represent employees from Fort Lee and across the county, so we appear before those judges and opposing counsel regularly and know how these cases move locally. Our employment practice is led by Sara Jacobs:

She has decided employment disputes, not just argued them. Sara served as an independent arbitrator on employment cases and spent fourteen years as a Bergen County Superior Court arbitrator, so she reads a claim the way a fact-finder will.
Settlement and ADR depth. As former co-chair of the Bergen County ADR Committee, she works the negotiation and mediation terrain where most workplace claims actually resolve.
A women-owned firm with female employment attorneys, which matters to many clients bringing discrimination, harassment, or hostile work environment claims.
Employees only, never employers. We anticipate employer tactics because we work the other side of these disputes every day.
Documented outcomes in wrongful termination, severance, and employment contract matters, with direct attorney attention on every case.

Employment Law Matters We Handle

We represent employees in a range of workplace disputes, from the corporate offices clustered in Englewood Cliffs to small businesses across the county, tailoring strategy to the facts and available remedies under New Jersey and federal law.

Wrongful Termination and Retaliation

If you’ve been fired for asserting your rights, reporting misconduct, or refusing to participate in unlawful activity, that termination may violate state or federal law.

Workplace Discrimination

We handle claims involving discrimination based on race, gender, age, disability, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, and other protected characteristics.

Sexual Harassment & Hostile Work Environment

Employees have the right to work in an environment free from harassment, intimidation, and unlawful conduct. We pursue appropriate legal remedies when employers fail to address misconduct.

Wage & Hour Violations

If you have been denied overtime, misclassified, or not paid earned wages, we evaluate your rights under New Jersey wage laws and applicable federal standards.

Employment Contracts & Severance Agreements

Before signing a contract or severance package, it is critical to understand your rights. For the executives and professionals who make up much of the Franklin Lakes workforce, and nearby executive enclaves like Saddle River, non-compete clauses, equity and bonus terms, and separation agreements carry real long-term consequences. We review, negotiate, and advise on restrictive covenants, compensation terms, and separation agreements.

Whistleblower Claims

New Jersey’s Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA) protects employees who report unlawful or unethical conduct. We evaluate whether whistleblower protections apply to your case.

Understanding New Jersey Employment Laws

New Jersey is an at-will employment state, but employers still cannot fire, discipline, or pay workers unlawfully. Several state statutes protect you, and they are often broader than their federal counterparts:

New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD) – one of the nation’s most protective anti-discrimination laws, covering harassment and bias based on race, gender, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, and more.
Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA) – shields employees who report or refuse to take part in illegal or unethical conduct.
Diane B. Allen Equal Pay Act – bars unequal pay for substantially similar work and allows recovery of back pay.
New Jersey Wage and Hour Law – governs overtime, minimum wage, and employee misclassification.

Federal laws such as Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA, and the Fair Labor Standards Act may also apply. Because New Jersey’s statutes frequently offer broader remedies and longer filing windows than federal law, the strongest strategy often begins with your state-law claims.

How the Process Works

Employment claims carry strict state and federal filing deadlines, and once they pass, your right to recover can disappear. The sooner you act, the more options stay open. Here is how a case moves with us:

Confidential consultation – We review what happened and tell you candidly whether your rights may have been violated and whether a claim is worth pursuing.
Arbitrator-informed case evaluation – Because Sara Jacobs has sat as an arbitrator on employment disputes, we weigh your documents, communications, and pay records the way a fact-finder will, not the way that simply sounds encouraging.
A resolution-first strategy – Drawing on the firm’s deep negotiation and mediation experience, we map the most effective path, whether that is negotiation, an agency filing, or litigation.
Action – This may mean a demand letter, a severance negotiation, a filing with the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights or the EEOC, or a lawsuit.
Resolution – Most claims settle through negotiation or mediation. When they do not, we litigate at the Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack.

Before that first conversation, a few simple steps protect your claim:

Preserve emails, messages, and written communications
Keep copies of pay records and performance reviews
Document incidents, dates, and witnesses
Avoid signing any agreement, including a severance offer, before legal review

What Compensation May Be Available

Depending on the facts of your case, potential remedies may include:

Back pay and lost wages
Front pay
Unpaid overtime or earned compensation
Emotional distress damages
Attorneys’ fees and court costs where permitted
Punitive damages in appropriate cases

Results depend on the specific claims and evidence involved.

Fees and Cost Structure

Many cases are handled on a contingency basis, meaning fees are paid from any recovery. Contract reviews or severance negotiations may be billed hourly. The applicable structure is explained during your consultation.

Representing Employees Throughout Bergen County, NJ

In addition to Franklin Lakes, we represent employees throughout Bergen County, including Wyckoff, Ramsey, Mahwah, Oakland, Ridgewood, Paramus, and nearby communities. We handle matters involving both local and regional employers across northern New Jersey.

Client Testimonials from Past Clients

Employment Law Questions from Workers in Franklin Lakes and Bergen County

Do I need an employment lawyer based near Franklin Lakes, or can I hire one from anywhere?

You can hire any New Jersey attorney, but local counsel who regularly practices in the Bergen County courts and knows the area’s employers brings a real practical advantage, the same reason workers searching for an employment lawyer in Teaneck or other Bergen towns look close to home.

Can I bring a claim against a large corporate employer headquartered in Franklin Lakes?

Yes. Employee protections apply regardless of a company’s size or resources, and we regularly take on major corporate, healthcare, and financial employers.

How long do I have to file an employment claim in New Jersey?

It depends on the type of claim, and some deadlines are as short as a year, so it is best to have your situation reviewed promptly.

Do I have to quit my job before filing a discrimination or harassment claim?

No. You can pursue a claim while still employed, and it is illegal for your employer to retaliate against you for doing so.

Can I collect unemployment if I was wrongfully terminated in New Jersey?

Often yes. Being fired does not automatically disqualify you, and it is worth reviewing your eligibility alongside any wrongful termination claim.

Contact Our Legal Team Today

Call or Fill Out The Form Below to Schedule Your Consultation

Are you ready to get started on your case with a consultation? With over 35 years of experience, our attorneys are ready to fight for you. Reach out to us today to see what Cowen & Jacobs can do for you.

NOTICE: The use of the Internet or this form for communication with the firm or any individual member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form.

Other Legal Services We Provide

Representing Employees Throughout Bergen County

You Don’t Have to Handle Workplace Mistreatment Alone

Standing up to an employer is daunting, especially when it feels like it’s just you against a company with lawyers of its own. We will tell you honestly where you stand, what your options are, and what we would do next, so your decision is a confident one rather than a rushed one.