Sherri A. Affrunti

Firm/Organization: Reed Smith LLP

Latest Articles

New Jersey Employers: The State Paid Sick Leave Law Is Now In Effect – Are You Ready?

October 29, 2018

The New Jersey Paid Sick Leave Act takes effect today, October 29, 2018. Just in time for flu season. If you are a New Jersey employer or an employer with employees in New Jersey, regardless of size or employee number, you are now required by law to provide one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked – up to 40 hours in a benefit year – to all employees (including part-time and seasonal)…

Employment Law Watch

New Jersey Federal Judge Finds Medical Marijuana User Cannot Compel Employer to Waive Employment Drug Testing Requirements

By Sherri A. Affrunti & Melissa M. Ferrara

August 22, 2018

The United States District Court of New Jersey recently dismissed an employee’s disability discrimination, failure to accommodate and retaliation claims, holding that neither the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD) nor the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act (CUMMA) required the employer to waive its drug testing requirements. In Cotto v. Ardagh Glass Packing, Inc., No. 18-1037, employee-plaintiff Daniel Cotto Jr. sustained an injury at work while operating a fork lift. Consistent with its…

Employment Law Watch

Gov. Christie Vetoes Proposed Equal Pay Act Again as ‘Business Unfriendly’

By Sherri A. Affrunti & Mary R. Bates

May 5, 2016

On May 2, 2016, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, for the second time, issued a conditional veto of proposed legislation that would bar gender-based pay discrimination, saying in part that the Bill would go too far beyond federal standards and make New Jersey “very business unfriendly.” In an effort to address and remediate gender-pay gaps in the state, the New Jersey Senate introduced and passed Senate Bill No. 992 (the “Bill”) in February 2016. The Bill…

Employment Law Watch

Objective Basis Needed for Psychological Fitness for Duty Exam

By Sherri A. Affrunti & Raeann Traficante

March 18, 2016

In a case of first impression in New Jersey, the Appellate Division cautioned that employers may only require an employee to undergo a mental health fitness-for-duty examination in limited circumstances. Relying heavily on the EEOC’s Enforcement Guidance, the Court held that such examinations are only permitted when an employer “has a reasonable belief, based on objective evidence, that: (1) an employee’s ability to perform essential job functions will be impaired by a medical condition; or…

Employment Law Watch

Paid Sick Leave Bill Clears New Jersey Senate Again

By Sherri A. Affrunti

March 10, 2016

The New Jersey Senate has again approved a bill, S-799, that requires New Jersey employers to provide paid sick leave to workers in the state for: (a) the diagnosis, care, or treatment of, or recovery from, an employee’s mental or physical illness, injury or other adverse health condition, or for preventative medical care for the employee (b) care for a family member during diagnosis, care or treatment of, or recovery from, the family member’s…

Employment Law Watch

It’s Not a ‘Game’: The Need for Employers to Clearly Address Ownership of Social Media Brand Pages

By Sherri A. Affrunti

September 24, 2014

This post was also written by Matthew Y. Kane. A recent district court case should remind companies of the importance of setting forth clear social media guidelines with their employees, which, among other things, make clear that webpages – such as Facebook brand pages – are owned by the company. In the case, the plaintiff, Stacey Mattocks, ran an un-official Facebook Fan Page (the “Page”) focused on a television show called the “Game.” After the…

Employment Law Watch

New Jersey’s Gender Equity Notice: Posting & Distribution Requirements Go Into Effect January 6, 2014

By Sherri A. Affrunti & Valerie E. Brown

January 3, 2014

New Jersey employers are reminded that, beginning January 6, 2014, they are required to conspicuously post a copy of the State’s new Gender Equity Notice (the “Notice”) in the workplace, distribute the Notice to current employees, and thereafter provide written copies of the Notice at the time of hire, annually to all employees, and otherwise upon request. Signed acknowledgements of the Notice must be obtained, in writing or by electronic verification, from each employee within 30…

Employment Law Watch

New Mandatory Posting Required for Distribution by New Jersey Employers

By Don A. Innamorato & Sherri A. Affrunti

November 18, 2011

The NJ DOL has published the new mandatory notice that, by December 7, 2011, must be posted in a conspicuous location and distributed to all existing employees who work in New Jersey. In addition, ALL new employees hired in New Jersey on November 7, 2011 or after must be immediately provided with a copy of this notice. Accordingly, it is recommended to include this notice immediately in all new hire packets, and to post it…

Employment Law Watch

New Legislation Modifying New York Law Governing Use of Criminal Background Checks in Employment Taking Effect; Posting Date February 1, 2009

By Sherri A. Affrunti & E. David Krulewicz

January 30, 2009

Responding in part to a 2007 study which found that New York employees were largely unfamiliar with State laws regulating an employer’s use of past convictions for employment-related decisions and in support of the State’s goal to prevent discrimination on the basis of criminal records, the New York Legislature recently amended the State’s general business and labor laws to require employers to disseminate and post notice to job applicants and employees of their rights with…

Employment Law Watch

New Jersey Legislature Passes Paid Family Leave Benefits Legislation

By Sherri A. Affrunti & Meghan O. Offer

April 14, 2008

Provided that the bill is signed into law by Governor Corzine, New Jersey employees will be entitled effective July 1, 2009 to collect up to six weeks of paid family temporary disability leave benefits during any 12-month period (42 days for “intermittent leave”) when caring for children, spouses, domestic or civil union partners, or parents with serious health conditions, or to be with their newborns or newly adopted children during the first 12 months following…

Sherri A. Affrunti

New Jersey Employers: The State Paid Sick Leave Law Is Now In Effect – Are You Ready?

New Jersey Federal Judge Finds Medical Marijuana User Cannot Compel Employer to Waive Employment Drug Testing Requirements

Gov. Christie Vetoes Proposed Equal Pay Act Again as ‘Business Unfriendly’

Objective Basis Needed for Psychological Fitness for Duty Exam

Paid Sick Leave Bill Clears New Jersey Senate Again

It’s Not a ‘Game’: The Need for Employers to Clearly Address Ownership of Social Media Brand Pages

New Jersey’s Gender Equity Notice: Posting & Distribution Requirements Go Into Effect January 6, 2014

New Mandatory Posting Required for Distribution by New Jersey Employers

New Legislation Modifying New York Law Governing Use of Criminal Background Checks in Employment Taking Effect; Posting Date February 1, 2009

New Jersey Legislature Passes Paid Family Leave Benefits Legislation

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