New Jersey Wage & Hour Lawyer

There are certain basic minimum standards that all New Jersey employers must follow when it comes to compensating their employees. Specifically, the New Jersey Wage and Hour Law sets a statewide minimum wage and includes other key provisions for protecting workers. An employer who violates these rules is subject not only to state action, but also a potential lawsuit from an aggrieved employee.

If your employer is not meeting their legal obligations towards you, it is imperative that you speak with a qualified New Jersey wage & hour lawyer as soon as possible. The team at Poulos LoPiccolo PC is here to help. Wage theft is a very real problem and you do not need to accept your employer’s excuses for lack of compliance.

Asserting Your Rights to Minimum Wage and Overtime Under New Jersey Law

Both federal and state laws regulate basic working conditions like the minimum wage and overtime. New Jersey standards are often stricter than their federal counterparts. For example, as of 2022 the minimum wage in New Jersey is $13 per hour, which is nearly double the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

The New Jersey Wage and Hour Law further regulates which employees may be “exempt” from minimum wage requirements. Typically, executive, administrative, and professional workers, as well as outside salespeople, are considered exempt. But there are specific rules for each of these categories, and if your employer deliberately misclassifies you as exempt, that is itself a violation of the law.

Non-exempt workers are not only entitled to receive the minimum wage. They must receive overtime pay–150 percent of their standard hourly rate-for every hour worked past 40 in a given workweek. Your employer must also provide you, and every other existing and new employee, with proper notice of your rights under the Wage and Hour Law.

If your employer has failed to pay you the proper wages, including overtime, you have the right to file a claim with the New Jersey Department of Labor. You can also file a civil lawsuit against the employer in state court. In a successful wage and hour violation lawsuit, a court can order your employer to pay you double the amount of withheld wages owed to you as liquidated damages, in addition to any back pay and legal fees that you incur. The state can also pursue potential fines–and even jail time–against employers who intentionally violate the Wage and Hour law.