The Law Offices of Richard M. Pescatore are located in both Vineland and Marlton, New Jersey. The firm has successfully achieved verdicts of one million dollars and more on behalf of its clients, together with multi-million dollar settlements.
The Law Offices of Richard M. Pescatore are located in both Vineland and Marlton, New Jersey. The firm has successfully achieved verdicts of one million dollars and more on behalf of its clients, together with multi-million dollar settlements.
State, county, municipal and school employees in New Jersey are protected by the Law Against Discrimination and the Conscientious Employee Protection Act. The same basic deadlines apply: two years under the NJLAD and one year under CEPA. Public jobs often add union, civil service or tenure procedures, which can run on their own clocks.
A public employee may have rights under a collective bargaining agreement, civil service rules or tenure laws, on top of the NJLAD and CEPA. Those processes have their own deadlines, which can be short. Using one path does not always pause another.
Jennifer M. Carlson, Esq. served as a Deputy Attorney General in the New Jersey Attorney General's Office, practicing employment litigation, so she has seen these cases from the government's side.
Discrimination and harassment by supervisors or coworkers.
Retaliation after a complaint.
Whistleblower claims after reporting conduct you reasonably believe is unlawful.
Find your union contract or civil service notice and check for deadlines.
Write down what happened, with dates and names.
Keep your personnel notices and evaluations.
Tell your union representative if you have one, and ask about grievance deadlines.
Talk to a lawyer about how the paths fit together.
Does the union handle this for me? A union can handle a grievance, but it may not cover an NJLAD or CEPA claim. You can have your own lawyer.
Do I need to file a notice of claim first? Not for an NJLAD claim. The Tort Claims Act notice rule does not apply to those claims. Other claims against a public entity can differ, so ask a lawyer early.
Can I speak out about problems at work? CEPA protects reporting that meets its terms. Other protections can apply to speech on public issues, and each case depends on its facts.
Call (856) 507-1000 or use the contact form. The firm has offices at 1055 East Landis Avenue, Vineland, NJ 08360, and 2 North Maple Avenue, Marlton, NJ 08053.
This page is general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Deadlines and outcomes depend on the facts of each case.
Last updated November 4, 2026.