Summary of New Jersey Sexual Harassment Law – Company Liability

By Thomas McKinney
Partner

To determine whether a Company will be liable for sexual harassment under New Jersey Law, a jury will evaluate three issues:

Whether the alleged conduct actually occurred;
Whether the conduct was sexual harassing (was the conduct “severe” or “pervasive” enough to make a reasonable woman believe that the conditions of employment were altered and the working environment was intimidating, hostile or abusive.)
Whether the Company should be held liable for any alleged emotional distress damages plaintiff may have suffered.
This inquiry requires that one of the following three theories are met: (i) whether the Company knew or should have known about the sexual harassment and failed to take prompt and adequate remedial action; (ii) whether the supervisor abused authority delegated to him by the Company; or (iii) whether the Company was negligent by failing to prevent the harassment (no well-publicized and enforced anti-harassment policies, no effective formal and informal complaint structures, no anti-harassment training programs; or no sexual harassment monitoring mechanisms)

A Company will be held strictly liable for any equitable damages if the sexual harassment was performed by a supervisor.

This is a general overview.  If you have any questions regarding each issue, please contact us to discuss.  We will provide additional information in future blog entries regarding each issue.

March 19, 2010 – Tom McKinney – Castronovo & McKinney – Sexual Harassment Attorneys

About the Author
Tom McKinney is an experienced NJ Employment Lawyer in all major areas of labor and employment law, including discrimination, harassment, overtime violations, wage and hour claims, sexual harassment, wrongful discharge, Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, LAD, FLSA, and all other employment law claims. Tom is admitted to practice in the States of New Jersey and New York, United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Southern District of New York, District of New Jersey, and United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Prior to forming the firm, Tom practiced at Gibbons P.C. in Newark, NJ. If you have any questions regarding this article, contact Tom here today.