Employment Litigation

Sattiraju & Tharney, LLP has extensive experience litigating discrimination and harassment cases. Ravi Sattiraju, Esq. leads our employment law team. We have achieved very strong results for our clients in all phases, including pre-suit negotiation, litigation, trial and the appellate process. We work closely with our individual clients to develop and execute on a strategy

If you feel that you have been subject to illegal discrimination or harassment, please contact our firm for a free consultation.

Workplace discrimination and harassment has become an increasingly prevalent issue in recent years. New Jersey and other state and federal laws expressly forbid discrimination and harassment based on protected activities including:

Age discrimination is illegal whether employees are discriminated against for being older or younger. Older employees are far more likely to face age discrimination than it is for younger employees. Older workers are targeted during layoffs and face stereotypes about their potential, skill level and willingness to engage in hard work. Many employers make disparaging comments about workers ages, including jokes about retirement age.

Sattiraju & Tharney, LLP has extensive experience in handling age discrimination matters.

Race, ancestry and national origin discrimination can be expressed in a variety of ways. From overt bigotry and intimidation to more subtle forms of disparate treatment, Sattiraju & Tharney, LLP has expertise in a full spectrum of racial discrimination/harassment claims. We bring our strong expertise and resources to pursuing justice for our clients, as part of our overarching goal of eradicating the cancer of discrimination from the workplace.

The “Me Too” movement has shone a light on the ongoing struggles that women face in the workplace. Sattiraju & Tharney, LLP. From overt sexual demands and assaults to sexually humiliating comments to the pernicious glass ceiling, women face ongoing challenges in the workplace. We have represented women at every level, from senior executives to hourly laborers. We are committed to creating a workplace where women are fully able to pursue their talents and reach their full career potential.

Under New Jersey law, workers are protected from discrimination or harassment based on their affectional or sexual orientation, which includes heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality. Ravi Sattiraju, Esq. proudly served as lead counsel in a perceived sexual orientation hostile work environment claim that resulted in a $22.6 million verdict, which was the largest verdict in the history of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination.

Disability discrimination is a sad reality in the workplace. Employers often do not understand or do not respect that employees are entitled to broad protections under the law for disabilities (as that term is very broadly defined under the law). Employees are entitled to protections including reasonable accommodations for disabilities, job protected leave under federal and state law, and freedom from disability discrimination.

Sattiraju & Tharney, LLP has extensive experience in representing workers in disability discrimination claims. We are prepared to advocate for you so that you can focus on your health and career.

Religious discrimination violates both state and federal anti-discrimination law. In addition, employers in New Jersey are required to provide reasonable religious accommodations. Workers should not have to forego practicing their chosen faith when a reasonable accommodation is available.

New Jersey and federal law provide a wide array of protection for pregnant employees, as well as new parents. Many employers do not fully understand or respect the full legal rights of pregnant women. New Jersey law further prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis that they are associated with someone with a legally protected characteristic, including a disability, which protects workers who must care for disabled family members. In addition, the law prohibits discrimination against workers as a result of their martial status.

Under New Jersey Family Leave Act and the federal Family & Medical Leave Act, qualified workers are entitled to leave for their own medical condition or that of a family member. These laws prohibit employers from interfering with employees’ rights to take legally protected leave. Courts have interpreted that to bar employers from taking adverse employment actions (such as termination, suspension, or the denial of promotions or raises) against employees because they requested or took family leave.

Sattiraju & Tharney, LLP has strong expertise in this area of the law and welcomes the opportunity to ensure that you are receiving your full rights under the law.

The brave men and women of our military enjoy protection under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination. There are also federal laws, such as USERRA, which protect the workplace rights of reservists and military members who require leave to deploy for active duty. It is the great honor of our firm to represent our active and retired military in their employment related issues.

New Jersey employees that complain about their employer’s illegal conduct, or exercise other legally protected rights, have strong protection under New Jersey’s Conscientious Employee Protection Act, the Law Against Discrimination and other laws. It is unlawful for employers to take adverse actions such as firing, demoting, disciplining, refusing to promote or harassing these individuals.

Sattiraju & Tharney, LLP strongly feels that whistleblowers play a crucial and heroic role in our society. We have a strong record of successfully litigating retaliation cases through trial and through appeal. We also have experience representing employees in whistleblower cases in other states.

Please contact Sattiraju & Tharney, LLP if you feel that you have been retaliated against for engaging in protected activity.

Sattiraju & Tharney, LLP will review your severance packages and ensure that your legal rights are protected. We will also work with you to determine whether there is any basis to pursue negotiations for an enhanced severance package. Ravi Sattiraju’s experience as an in-house employment attorney and management attorney is invaluable as the firm provides this important service during this stressful time for our clients.

Ravi Sattiraju, Esq. leads Sattiraju & Tharney, LLP’s Wage & Hour Litigation team. The firm has litigated wage and hour litigation matters in numerous states and has gotten significant results for our clients and class members.

The firm focuses strongly upon independent contractor misclassification cases under the New Jersey Wage & Hour Law and Wage Payment Law’s ABC Test. Exploitive employers misclassify workers as independent contractors in order to strip workers of their legal rights, including their right to be paid at an overtime rate when they work over 40 hours per week. Companies that engage in these illegal tactics often make illegal deductions from the compensation of workers. Other illegal tactics that are designed to strip workers of their earned compensation include:

• Failing to pay tipped employees as required under the law.
• Requiring employees to work off-the-clock
• Failure to compensate an employee for work-related activities, such as mandatory training sessions.
• Forcing an employee to work through his or her designated break time or while he or she is “off the clock.”

Sadly, many workers do not realize that they are misclassified. Our firm is dedicated to educating exploited workers on their legal rights and fighting to recover their unpaid and stolen wages.

We are deeply proud that state and federal courts have repeatedly appointed Ravi Sattiraju, Esq. to serve as class counsel to represent groups of workers that are pursuing claims in a class action. Mr. Sattiraju has obtained numerous favorable settlements on behalf of his clients.

Mr. Sattiraju has litigated numerous wage and hour litigation matters and has established important precedent in this area. Mr. Sattiraju has also litigated class actions outside of New Jersey and has co-counseled with some of the best Wage and Hour attorneys in the country.

Sattiraju & Tharney have focused on litigating claims against certain industries on behalf of misclassified workers, including the following:

Many truck drivers work over 12 backbreaking hours a day delivering products to customers. Many of these drivers (and their helpers) are misclassified as independent contractors by the companies that pay them. These workers should be treated as employees under New Jersey (and other state) law, which entitles them to receive overtime when they over 40 hours per week. The law also protects these workers from illegal deductions taken from their compensation.

Sattiraju & Tharney, LLP has extensive experience litigating against logistics companies and retailers that take advantage of hardworking delivery drivers and helpers. We have settled numerous class actions on behalf of delivery drivers and helpers and are currently litigating numerous other cases in New York and New Jersey.

Please contact us if you are a driver or helper that has been misclassified as an independent contractor.

Are you a real estate agent that has sold a home in New Jersey in the last six years?

Were deductions made from your pay by the real estate agency you worked for?

If you answered yes to both of these questions, you may have been misclassified as an employee and underpaid.

Misclassification of employees as independent contractors is a serious problem. Many businesses in New Jersey have chosen to misclassify their employees to reduce operating expenses and shift them to their workers.

The New Jersey Wages Payment Law offers protections for employees who have been misclassified and underpaid. The law allows affected individuals to file a claim within six year for unpaid wages.