STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE POLICY FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYERS

APPENDIX  

Statewide Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-572-SAFE (7233).

Guide to Services for Victims of Domestic Violence

NJ Division on Women Department of Children and Families

50 East State Street PO Box 729 Trenton, NJ 08625-0729 Phone: (609) 888-7164

Web: https://www.nj.gov/dcf/women/  

New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence

1670 Whitehorse-Hamilton Square Road • Trenton, New Jersey 08690-3541

24HR Helpline: 800-572-7233 / DV Legal Helpline: 844-403-2111 / VP: 609-434-3838 info@njcedv.org Training Institute https://www.njcedv.org/  

The New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence (NJCEDV) is a statewide coalition of domestic violence service programs and concerned individuals whose purpose and mission is to end domestic violence in New Jersey. NJCEDV performs its work through advocacy for survivors of domestic violence; collaboration with state agencies and its member programs; education and training; and technical assistance for its members and the community.

Futures Without Violence

FUTURES has been providing groundbreaking programs, policies, and campaigns that empower individuals and organizations working to end violence against women and children around the world. https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/  

Washington, DC Office
1320 19th St. NW
Suite 401
Washington, D.C. 20036
Phone: (202) 595-7382 
Fax: (202) 499-6757

New Jersey SAFE Act

The State of New Jersey Policy on Discrimination in the Workplace. Under this policy, forms of employment discrimination or harassment based upon the following protected categories are prohibited and will not be tolerated: race, creed, color, national origin, nationality, ancestry, age, sex/gender (including pregnancy), marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership status, familial status, religion, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, genetic information, liability for service in the Armed Forces of the United States, or disability. https://www.nj.gov/csc/about/divisions/eeo/laws.shtml

The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (N.J.S.A. 10:5-12) (LAD) makes it unlawful to subject people to differential treatment based on race, creed, color, national origin, nationality, ancestry, age, sex (including pregnancy), familial status, marital status, domestic partnership or civil union status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, genetic information, liability for military service, and mental or physical disability, perceived disability, and AIDS and HIV status. The LAD prohibits unlawful discrimination in employment, housing, places of public accommodation, credit and business contracts. Not all of the foregoing prohibited bases for discrimination are protected in all of these areas of activity. For example, familial status is only protected with respect to housing. The Division has promulgated regulations that explain that a place of public accommodation must make reasonable modifications to its policies, practices or procedures to ensure that people with disabilities have access to public places. The regulations also explain that under the LAD, these reasonable accommodations may include actions such as providing auxilliary aides and making physical changes to ensure paths of travel. The Application of Title VII and the ADA to Applicants or Employees Who Experience Domestic or Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking: Questions and Answers https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/questions-and-answers-application-title-vii-and-ada-applicants-or-employees-who

New Jersey SAFE Act
The New Jersey Security and Financial Empowerment Act (“NJ SAFE Act”), P.L. 2013, c.82, provides that certain employees are eligible to receive an unpaid leave of absence, for a period not to exceed 20 days in a 12-month period, to address circumstances resulting from domestic violence or a sexually violent offense. To be eligible, the employee must have worked at least 1,000 hours during the immediately preceding 12-month period. Further, the employee must have worked for an employer in the State that employs 25 or more employees for each working day during each of 20 or more calendar workweeks in the then-current or immediately preceding calendar year.

Leave under the NJ SAFE Act may be taken by an employee who is a victim of domestic violence, as that term is defined in N.J.S.A. 2C:25-19, or a victim of a sexually violent offense, as that term is defined in N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.6. Leave may also be taken by an employee whose child, parent, spouse, domestic partner, or civil union partner is a victim of domestic violence or a sexually violent offense.

Leave under the NJ SAFE Act may be taken for the purpose of engaging in any of the following activities as they relate to an incident of domestic violence or a sexually violent offense:

(1)Seeking medical attention for, or recovering from, physical or psychological injuriescaused by domestic or sexual violence to the employee or the employee’s child, parent,spouse, domestic partner or civil union partner

(2)Obtaining services from a victim services organization for the employee or theemployee’s child, parent, spouse, domestic partner, or civil union partner

(3)Obtaining psychological or other counseling for the employee or the employee’s child,parent, spouse, domestic partner or civil union partner

(4)Participating in safety planning, temporarily or permanently relocating, or taking otheractions to increase the safety from future domestic violence or sexual violence or toensure the economic security of the employee or the employee’s child, parent, spouse,domestic partner or civil union partner

(5)Seeking legal assistance or remedies to ensure the health and safety of the employee orthe employee’s child, parent, spouse, domestic partner, or civil union partner, includingpreparing for or participating in any civil or criminal legal proceeding related to or derivedfrom domestic violence or sexual violence; or

(6)Attending, participating in or preparing for a criminal or civil court proceedingrelating to an incident of domestic or sexual violence of which the employee or theemployee’s child, parent, spouse, domestic partner, or civil union partner, was avictim.

Leave under the NJ SAFE Act must be used in the 12-month period immediately following an instance of domestic violence or a sexually violent offense. The unpaid leave may be taken intermittently in intervals of no less than one day. The unpaid leave shall run concurrently with any paid vacation leave, personal leave, or medical or sick leave that the employee elects to use or which the employer requires the employee to use during any part of the 20-day period of unpaid leave. If the employee requests leave for a reason covered by both the NJ SAFE Act and the Family Leave Act, N.J.S.A. 34:11B-1 et seq., or the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, 20 U.S.C. 2601 et seq., the leave shall count simultaneously against the employee’s entitlement under each respective law.

Employees eligible to take leave under the NJ SAFE Act must, if the necessity for the leave is foreseeable, provide the employer with written notice of the need for the leave. The employee must provide the employer with written notice as far in advance as reasonable and practicable under the circumstances. The employer has the right to require the employee to provide the employer with documentation of the domestic violence or sexually violent offense that is the basis for the leave. The employer must retain any documentation provided to it in this manner in the strictest confidentiality, unless the disclosure is voluntarily authorized in writing by the employee or is authorized by a federal or State law, rule or regulation.

The NJ SAFE Act also prohibits an employer from discharging, harassing or otherwise discriminating or retaliating or threatening to discharge, harass or otherwise discriminate against an employee with respect to the compensation, terms, conditions or privileges of employment on the basis that the employee took or requested any leave that the employee was entitled to under the NJ SAFE Act, or on the basis that the employee refused to authorize the release of information deemed confidential under the NJ SAFE Act. To obtain relief for a violation of the NJ SAFE Act, an aggrieved person must file a private cause of action in the Superior Court within one year of the date of the alleged violation. AD-289 (9/13)

The Department of Children and Families Office of Domestic Violence Services (ODVS) funds 23 domestic violence programs and the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence. There is at least one DCF-funded domestic violence program in each of New Jersey’s 21 counties. The Office of Domestic Violence Services funds domestic violence services that serve the needs of victims in every county. Services for survivors, victims, and their families include emergency shelters, 24-hour hotlines, counseling, children’s services, and financial, housing and legal advocacy.

Through displaced homemaker programs, the Office of Support, Employment, and Training helps individuals gain or upgrade their skills for today’s work force and become economically self-sufficient. Individuals can attend short term educational or training programs.

DOW Services 

• Funds, monitors, and evaluates programs for the advancement of women
• Develops new programs to serve women
• Refers women to direct service providers
• Provides information on women's issue to the public
• Provides technical assistance to agencies representing women
• Represents women on boards, commissions, councils, committees, and task forces andprovides input and recommendations on issues pertaining to the Division's Mission

Other Programs in New Jersey through the Division on Women Office of Domestic Violence Services

To find domestic violence resources by county, click on the related link to view DFCP/DOW's Community Program Directory. For more information, contact DOW at DOW@dcf.state.nj.us or at 609-888-7164.

http://www.nj.gov/dcf/women/domestic/  

Legal Services

Legal Services of New Jersey and Central Jersey Legal Services New Jersey Legal Services assists victims who cannot afford legal advice and/or representation. Assistance includes referral, advice, brief assistance, preparation of a letter or routine legal document, extended representation, and technical assistance. The program also offers training to domestic violence legal advocates, programs, attorneys and others. Legal Services of New Jersey Domestic Violence Representation Project: (888)LSNJ-LAW (888) 576-5529Central Jersey Legal Services (908) 354-4340Website: www.LSNJLawHotline.org

Culturally Specific Services

Bolo Behen (Speak Sister) Bolo Behen works with different faith-based leaders throughout Hudson County, collaborating with leaders of temples, mosques, Islamic centers, Gurudwaras, and more. Bolo Behen facilitates groups called Community Chai where women can come and express their problems and concerns openly, comfortably, and without fear. People listen to each other’s story and offer support. Services are based on a holistic approach that addresses the large range of client needs. Using culturally and linguistically appropriate methods, Bolo Behen builds trust with clients and creates an environment where South Asian women feel safe, respected, and understood. 24/7 Bilingual Hotline: (201) 795-5757 

Project S.A.R.A.H (Stop Abusive Relationships at Home) Project S.A.R.A.H. is a program that works to overcome cultural, legal, and religious barriers confronting victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Project S.A.R.A.H. operates within an environment that is sensitive to a victim’s cultural and religious needs, serving as a bridge between abuse victims in the Orthodox community and support systems and resources. Project S.A.R.A.H. works closely with rabbis and rebbetzins, kallah teachers and mikvah attendants, camp directors and school administrators, parents, and the general public to keep the community safe for everyone. The program provides therapeutic interventions that enable victims to process the often unspeakable trauma they experienced and restore them toward fully functional and productive lives. Project S.A.R.A.H. connects victims and survivors with a broad array of services, including pro bono legal consultations, evaluations, individual and group therapy, psychiatric services, as well as emotional, financial and vocational support. Confidential Hotline: (973) 777-7638.

Special Initiatives

Address Confidentiality Program The New Jersey Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) assists individuals who, as a result of domestic violence, have relocated for their safety. This program limits the access to personal information that would reveal the new location of an ACP participant. ACP provides eligible victims of domestic violence with a substitute address that has no connection to their actual location. This substitute mailing address may be used when creating a new record with state or local government agencies.

New Jersey Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) Hotline 1 (877) 218-9133 Toll Free-Non-Emergency The New Jersey Address Confidentiality Program Hotline provides services including – but not limited to – access to domestic violence information and referral services, including application procedures, and advocacy.

State of New Jersey

Department of Law and Public Safety

Office of the Attorney General

NJ State Police Victim Services Unit:

The Victim Services Unit will coordinate with State, County, and Municipal agencies to develop and implement domestic violence and sexual violence training programs, and continue to effectively work with road troopers to enhance training on the proper handling of these types of crimes.

https://www.njsp.org/division/operations/domestic-violence-info.shtml