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TRENTON
– Attorney General Paula T. Dow and
Division on Civil Rights Director Craig Sashihara
announced today the launch of a statewide
initiative designed to promote awareness among
veterans and active military personnel of
their rights under the New Jersey Law Against
Discrimination (LAD), as well as their recourse
if they believe those rights have been violated.
The
initiative was conceived as a means of helping
those who have served in the military and
-- upon returning to civilian life –
encountered discrimination in the workplace
and elsewhere.
“This
is one way of giving back to those who have
given so much,” said Attorney General
Dow. “Many people understand that
discrimination based on gender, race or
religion is illegal. Through this initiative,
we intend to spread the word that discrimination
against someone simply because he or she
is a member of the military and has answered
the call to duty – or might end up
answering that call to serve – is
just as illegal.”
“Men
and women in the military devote themselves
to protecting us,” said Director Sashihara.
“The least we can do is ensure that
they’re not treated unfairly in their
civilian jobs, in their attempts to obtain
housing for their families, or in their
efforts to gain access to places of public
accommodation. No one should be penalized
for serving his or her country.”
Working in conjunction with the American
Legion of New Jersey and other stakeholders,
the Division recently held the first of
what will be a series of public forums for
military veterans at the American Legion
Post in Lawrenceville. Additional public
forums at other locations, as well as other
events and activities focused on veterans’
rights, will be held throughout 2012.
Sashihara explained that one concern underlying
the outreach effort is that discrimination
against military personnel may go unreported
due to a lack of awareness of the protections
afforded by the law. For example, he noted,
some military members may not realize that
an employee cannot be fired, demoted or
removed from promotional consideration simply
because they are absent from work fulfilling
their service obligations.
As
part of the planning effort leading up to
the veterans’ initiative, representatives
of the Division on Civil Rights worked closely
with American Legion Past State Commander
Bob Looby and other Legion officials.
Division representatives also discussed
the proposed initiative with veterans during
roundtable meetings held earlier this year
at American Legion posts in Toms River and
Woodbury.
In
addition to the American Legion, other partners
in the veterans’ outreach initiative
include the New Jersey Department of Military
and Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC),
which can provide veterans with information
and assistance pertaining to federal anti-discrimination
law.
Director
Sashihara thanked Division on Civil Rights
Assistant Director Phillip Freeman, who
heads the Division’s Bureau of Prevention,
Outreach and Public Education, for his work
on the veterans’ initiative.
Anyone seeking to file a formal discrimination
complaint can do so by visiting one of the
Division’s four regional offices located
in Atlantic City, Camden, Trenton and Newark.
For additional information, visit the Division’s
Web site at: www.NJCivilRights.org
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