New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJ LAD)

The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD), codified at N.J. Rev. Stat. § 10:5-1 et seq., establishes a broad anti-discrimination framework across employment, housing, public accommodations, and other public settings. The statute begins with declarations of legislative findings and policy in § 10:5-3, affirming that discriminatory practices “threaten the institutions and foundations of a free democratic State.” Section 10:5-3.1 addresses discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions and mandates reasonable accommodations for affected workers. Section 10:5-12 defines unlawful employment practices, prohibiting discrimination in hiring, terms, conditions, and privileges of employment based on protected characteristics, including sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership status, and others. The LAD also provides for a private right of action in Superior Court or through the Division on Civil Rights, enables compensatory and punitive damages without a statutory cap, and allows individual liability for aiding and abetting discrimination. 

Topics

• Employment discrimination
• Gender discrimination

Geographical location

• North America
• United States
• New Jersey

Keywords

• civil rights
• disability rights
• discrimination in the workplace
• anti-discrimination law

Year

• 1945

External URL

• New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJ LAD)

Type

• Legislation

Jurisdiction

• New Jersey