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© 2015 Legal Services of New Jersey
Cuáles Son Sus Derechos Legales: La versión en español la encontrará al reverso
Looking Out
For Your Legal Rights
®
March 2015
Volume 34, Number 2
If you need more time to
prepare for your
final restraining order
hearing, you may ask the
court for an adjournment
(later court date). Page 1
Can I file for divorce if
my spouse has a domestic
violence restraining order
against me? Page 5
It is against the law for an
employer to ask you
about your criminal record up to and during the
initial employment interview. Page 10
If you are trying to get
welfare, SNAP (food
stamps), Medicaid, or
other assistance, there
are some things you
should know. Page 11
Cuáles Son Sus
Derechos Legales
La versión en
español la encontrará
al reverso.
Published by Legal Services of New Jersey
When You Need More Time:
How to Obtain an Adjournment
(Later Court Date) for Your Final
Restraining Order Hearing
AS YOUR COURT date approaches for your final re-
straining order (FRO) hearing, you may find that you
are not ready to proceed with a trial. You may ask for
an adjournment (later court date) if you need more
time to prepare your case, speak with an attorney, or
otherwise are unable to make that date and time. This
is called requesting an adjournment of your case. You
may request an adjournment of your case either on or
before your court date. Typically, domestic violence
hearings are postponed for one to two weeks. In some
cases, adjournments may be shorter or longer.
If you need more time to prepare for your
final restraining order hearing, you may ask the court
for an adjournment (later court date).
During the time between hearings, your temporary
restraining order remains in place. This means that
the defendant is prohibited from contacting you or
coming near you, your home, or your workplace. The
defendant is also prohibited from contacting people
who are listed as protected parties on your complaint,
such as children or family members. During this time,
Continued on page 2
New Jersey’s Community Legal Education Newsletter
© 2015 Legal Services of New Jersey
continued from page 1
telephone number on your county’s
Family Division web page. Some counties allow adjournment requests to be
taken directly over the phone while others will ask that you fax/mail in a written
Making an Adjournment Request
request. If your county asks for a letter,
Before Your Court Date
be sure to verify the name, fax number,
If you know before your court date
and address of the court staff to whose
that you will need more time to prepare
attention you should send your request.
your case or to speak with an attorney,
Many people do not have fax mayou can ask the court to give you a later
chines at home, but there are locations
court date. You should call your county’s
where fax machines are available to the
domestic violence unit and let them
public. Public libraries, post offices, and
know you would like a later court date.
office supply stores often have fax maTo find the number for your county’s dochines that may be used for a nominal
mestic violence unit, go to
fee. There is also computer software
www.njcourtsonline.org.
available that can
On the drop-down
allow you to fax
Glossary
navigation bar, go to Adjournment: When the court post- from your home
“courts” and select pones your case to a later date.
computer if you
your county. You will Continuance Order: An order issued by have a scanner. If
be directed to the web the court that postpones your trial to you do not have acpage of your county a later date.
cess to a fax macourt house. Then, se- Docket Number: The number assigned chine, call your
lect “Family Division.” to your case by the court. Example: county’s domestic
You can locate the Do- FV-12-345-15.
violence unit and
mestic Violence Unit’s
tell them that you
the defendant can be criminally
charged for violating the restraining order. Report any violations to the police.
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights®
About Looking Out
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights is published 10 times a
year by Legal Services of New Jersey. If you are a Legal
Services client, you can pick up a copy at your local Legal Services office. You may also read Looking Out on
our website at www.lsnjlaw.org.
Subscriptions
Subscriptions are $20 a year. For more information,
please email [email protected].
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Comments
If you have any suggestions or comments about Looking
Out, we would like to hear from you. Please send all correspondence to:
Editor, Looking Out
Legal Services of New Jersey
P.O. Box 1357
Edison, NJ 08818-1357
[email protected]
This newsletter is for general information only. If you
have a legal problem, you should see a lawyer.
A portion of the cost of this publication was supported
by funds provided by the IOLTA Fund of the Bar of
New Jersey.
© 2015 Legal Services of New Jersey
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights is a federally registered trademark of Legal Services of New Jersey.
2
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / March 2015
© 2015 Legal Services of New Jersey
will make a written request by regular
mail. You may also hand deliver the
written request.
In your written adjournment request,
include the name of your case, the
docket number, and your scheduled
trial date. Tell the court the reason for
your adjournment request, such as illness, because you are seeking counsel,
or because your witnesses are unavailable. Be sure to let the court know of any
dates in the upcoming month when you
are unavailable.
Submit your request to the court as
early as possible. Be sure to call and follow up on an adjournment request before your trial date. If you do not receive
a phone call or written notification from
the court that your matter has been adjourned, you should attend court on
your original date. It is possible that you
will still have to appear on the court date
and make the request in person even if
you have made a request before your
court date.
Making an Adjournment Request on
Your Court Date
If you were unable to obtain an adjournment before your trial date, you
will need to make your request to the
court in person. Be sure to attend court
on the date and time indicated on the
fourth page of your temporary restraining order. When you arrive to court on
the date and time in your temporary restraining order, you will wait outside of
the courtroom where you have been assigned. A sheriff’s officer or court staff
person will check in each person who
has court on that date. You should provide the court with a reason for your adjournment request, such as to obtain an
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / March 2015
It is possible that you will still have to appear
on the court date and make the request in
person even if you have made a request before your court date.
attorney, because you need additional
time to prepare, or to allow for the appearance of witnesses. Some courts will
provide you with a continuance order
immediately without making an appearance in the courtroom. Other courts
may require you to appear in front of the
judge to make your request. If you are
called in front of the judge, you will
need to repeat your request and the reason that you would like a later court
date. To help with scheduling, advise
the court of any days in the upcoming
weeks that you cannot attend court. The
judge will then decide whether to grant
your adjournment request. Adjournment requests can sometimes be denied. This may happen if there have
been multiple postponements. In case
this happens, come to court as prepared
for trial as possible. If your request is
granted, wait for the court staff to
provide you with a copy of your
continuance order before you leave the
court house.
Adjournment and Additional Relief
If you request an adjournment at the
court house, you may ask the court to
give you additional relief, including
3
© 2015 Legal Services of New Jersey
Tell the court of concerns about your safety or the safety of your
children if the defendant asks to return to the home or modify
custody provisions of the original restraining order.
financial relief or return of property. If
there is something that you need before
the next court date, you can ask the
court to order that relief in your temporary restraining order. Note that the
court will only consider requests for
emergency relief to maintain the status
quo during the period between trial
dates. The court will hear requests for
emergency financial relief, payment of
bills, and return of personal property.
Financial relief can include an emergent order for spousal or child support,
or the payment of expenses, like utility
bills or ongoing payment of the rent or
mortgage. You can also request the return of clothing, important personal
property, like checkbooks or passports,
or the return of possession of a car that
yo u u s e d b e fo r e the te mp o r ar y
restraining order was entered.
You should limit your requests to
items that cannot wait until your return
court date. You may ask for relief for
non-emergent issues—such as the payment of medical bills arising from the
abuse or the return of furniture—on
your new hearing date if you obtain a final restraining order.
It is also possible for the defendant in
your matter to make requests to return
to the home to get personal belongings
or to have parenting time with your
shared children. You have the right to
object to these requests if you are concerned about defendant’s presence in
the home or his interaction with your
children. If the court decides to allow
4
the defendant to return home to gather
personal belongings, it will also order a
police escort. Tell the court of concerns
about your safety or the safety of your
children if the defendant asks to return to the home or modify custody provisions of the original restraining order.
Preparing for Your New Trial Date
Begin to prepare for your trial once
you have obtained an adjournment and
are assigned a new hearing date. If you
asked for an adjournment to get an attorney, take steps to find one. Getting legal help can take time. It is important
that you seek assistance as soon as possible. Contact people you wish to testify
on your behalf and find out when they
are available. Consider whether police
officers or other witnesses require a subpoena. Gather police reports, pictures,
medical records, texts, emails, and other
relevant evidence to support your case.
For more information about domestic violence laws in New Jersey, please
visit our website, www.lsnjlaw.org. This
site also includes links to videos explaining the temporary and final restraining
order process. If you have questions or
need legal help, call LSNJLAWSM, Legal
Services of New Jersey’s statewide,
toll-free legal hotline, at 1-888LSNJ-LAW (1-888-576-5529), Monday
through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5:30
p.m. Go to www.lsnjlawhotline.org to apr
ply for help online.
By Victoria Nicholson, Staff Attorney,
LSNJ Domestic Violence Representation Project
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / March 2015
© 2015 Legal Services of New Jersey
Divorce and Domestic Violence Restraining Orders
How to Serve a Divorce Complaint on a Spouse Who Has a
Domestic Violence Restraining Order Against You
A NEW JERSEY CASE was recently pub-
legislative intent to block anyone, victim
lished that discusses this issue. In a case
or defendant, from seeking a divorce
1
named J.C. v. M.C. , a court talked
against the other party.”
about:
However, you should be very careful
l The requirement that a divorce
to avoid filing papers with the court that
complaint be served or delivered
may be viewed as harassing the spouse
to the other spouse in the way
who has a restraining order against you.
spelled out in the court rules. This
Litigation that is not needed to resolve a
is called service of process or serving
genuine legal issue may be viewed by the
the divorce complaint.
courts as frivolous or repetitive. “Frivol The restrictions in a domestic violous” means a case that has no legitimate
lence restraining order that may
legal issue. This can stem from a case
prevent seeking information
that is filed after the issue was already deabout the current location of the
cided by a court. A frivolous case is one
person found to be a victim of dothat a judge has no legal authority to demestic violence.
cide. For example, asking the court to
l An alternative way to serve the distop your spouse from dating someone
vorce papers without violating the
else is not supported by any law and
restraining order.
would be considered frivolous.
Preparing a divorce complaint reCan I file for divorce if my spouse has
quires you to describe facts about genua domestic violence restraining order
ine legal issues. False, mean-spirited, or
against me?
unnecessarily hurtful statements may be
Yes. The filing of a diviewed by the court as havorce complaint or other
rassing the spouse who
court actions does not,
has a restraining order
by itself, violate a domesagainst you. It is best to
tic violence restraining
stick to the facts and avoid
order. Either party has a
what may be seen as
right to access the court
name-calling in your
to terminate a marriage.
papers.
The court in J.C. v. M.C.
If you file papers with
said, “[n]othing in the
the court that are viewed
domestic violence act
as harassing, you can be
even remotely reflects a
charged with violating the
Be careful to avoid filing papers
restraining order. If the
with the court that may be viewed
1. The cite to this case is 438
court finds that abusive
as harassing the spouse who has a
N.J. Super. 325 (Ch. Div. 2013).
restraining order against you.
litigation tactics are being
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / March 2015
5
© 2015 Legal Services of New Jersey
Divorce in
New Jersey—A
Self-Help
Guide provides the information
and forms
you need to
file for divorce on your
own.
used, it can impose sanctions and even
require that future court papers be reviewed by a judge before they can be
sent to the other party.2
How do I file for divorce?
Legal Services of New Jersey (LSNJ)
has published a self-help guide on filing
for divorce. You can find out more about
the procedure for filing a divorce and
related legal issues on the Family and
Relationships section of our website,
www.lsnjlaw.org. You can find a link to
LSNJ’s Divorce in New Jersey—A Self-Help
Guide, under Top Searches on
www.lsnjlaw.org. You can order a digital
PDF of the guide with all of the forms at
https://checkout.lsnj.org.
What is service of process?
If you have filed a divorce complaint,
or any legal action, you are required to
make sure that the other party is given a
copy of the divorce complaint and related legal papers. This is called “serving” the other party or “service of
process,” and court rules require that it
be done in a specific way. The court
2. Parish v. Parish, 412 N.J. Super. 39 (App. Div. 2010).
6
rules also require you to provide evidence to the court that you completed
service in accordance with those rules.
Personal service, that is hand delivery, is considered the best form of service and should be done by the sheriff’s
office. If the other party has an attorney,
you may serve him or her by mailing the
papers to that attorney. Some other ways
to complete service are described below.
Is it OK to serve a divorce complaint
on my spouse who has a
domestic violence restraining order
against me?
Yes, if you do it the right way. The J.C.
v. M.C. case says, “[s]o long as the [divorce] complaint is served by a legally
designated and appropriate third person such as a sheriff’s officer, deputized
process server, or other legally approved
third person, rather than by the domestic violence defendant personally, such
action does not violate the terms and
spirit of the [Prevention of Domestic Violence] Act.” (emphasis added). This
means that if your spouse has a domestic
violence restraining order against you
and you know where your spouse lives
(for example, if your spouse continues
to live in the marital home), then you
are within your rights to serve the divorce complaint by a sheriff’s officer
hand delivering the papers to your
spouse. The sheriff’s officer hand delivering the papers is not a violation of the
restraining order as long as the papers
are not harassing in nature. (See section
above about avoiding frivolous litigation
and false or mean-spirited statements in
a divorce complaint.)
Do not try to hand deliver the divorce
complaint and related papers to your
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / March 2015
© 2015 Legal Services of New Jersey
spouse yourself. This will not count as
good service and it will in most cases be a
violation of the restraining order. Use
the sheriff’s officer to serve the papers,
or mail them to your spouse’s attorney’s
office (if your spouse currently has an
attorney).
A problem may arise when another
form of service is attempted. When
there is no restraining order between
spouses, one can agree to accept service
of the divorce complaint and related papers by regular mail. It is different when
there is a restraining order in place. Just
asking your spouse who has a domestic
violence restraining order against you if
he or she is willing to accept service by
mail may violate the terms of the restraining order as a form of prohibited
contact or communication. Asking
someone else to ask your spouse may
also violate the restraining order. So, if
your spouse has a domestic violence restraining order against you, do not try to
send the divorce complaint and related
papers directly to your spouse by mail.
You should not communicate with him
or her directly about the divorce.
If I don’t know where my spouse lives,
is it ok to look for my spouse who has
a restraining order against me?
No. The rules of court require the
person filing the divorce complaint to
take steps to find their spouse if his or
her residence is unknown. This is called
“diligent inquiry.” However, it is very important that you avoid invading the privacy of a spouse who has a domestic
violence restraining order against you.
Do not try to find your spouse.
The J.C. v. M.C. case warns against
possibly violating a restraining order by
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / March 2015
trying to find where your spouse currently lives. “[A] violation may occur
when, before service, a domestic violence defendant [chooses on his own to
start] efforts to locate, confirm and
compromise the confidentiality of the
protected party’s whereabouts, even
for the purported purpose of … service
of process.”
Then how do I serve my spouse?
The case recognizes that spouses who
have a restraining order against them
and do not know where to serve their
spouse are in a tough situation. The
case, J.C. v. M.C., describes another way
to complete service. It says that a practical option for the divorce complaint and
related papers to be provided to the
spouse who has a domestic violence restraining order against you “without violating the party’s confidentiality of
location, is for the court to enter an order directing the court’s domestic violence unit to forward the summons and
complaint to the spouse via certified
mail to his or her last known address on
file in the confidential records of the
[court’s] domestic violence unit.” That
case also discusses what to do if the last
known address for your spouse that is on
record in the court’s domestic violence
unit is no longer where your spouse
7
© 2015 Legal Services of New Jersey
lives. It says that the domestic violence
unit should use other forms of contact
information, like a cell phone number
or email address, to try to communicate
with the spouse to find out his or her current mailing address and then send the
papers through certified mail or, as a last
resort, to send a scanned copy of the
papers to your spouse’s email address.
quest for alternate service. Specifically
you should include a statement that (1)
your spouse has been granted a domestic violence restraining order against
you. Include the name of that case, the
date of the order, whether it is temporary or permanent, and the docket number (beginning with “FV-”); and (2) that
you do not know where your spouse
currently lives.
Will the court take care of
In the notice of motion, you will exserving my spouse automatically?
plain the “relief” you want. (Relief
No. Courts will NOT automatically folmeans what you want the court to do.)
low this procedure for service, even
You should state that you want the court
though a published case says that this is a
to permit alternate service in accorgood way to serve a spouse when there is a
dance with J.C. v. M.C., 438 N.J. Super.
restraining order and the spouse’s cur325 (Ch. Div. 2013). Then be more sperent address is unknown to you. If (1)
cific, that you want the court to permit
your spouse has a restraining order
alternate service via certified mail from
against you, and (2) you do not know
the court’s domestic violence unit to the
where your spouse currently lives, you
last known address in its records for your
must make a motion to the court to ask
spouse. You should also say that if the
for a court order for “alternate service.”
certified mail fails, that you want the
Alternate service means giving notice to
court to direct the domestic violence
your spouse in a way that is different than
unit of the court to make efforts to conwhat is required by the
tact your spouse using
rules of court.
any cell phone number and email address
How do I file
for your spouse in their
a motion?
records to get a curTo file a motion, you
rent mailing address
can use the New Jersey
and re-send the papers
Judiciary’s Pro Se Moto your spouse via certition
Kit
at
fied mail. You should
www.judiciary.state.nj.us
then ask that if your
/prose/10483_post_jdg_
spouse is unwilling to
kit.pdf. The motion kit
provide a current mailconsists of several parts,
ing address, but the
including a certification
email address in the reand a notice of motion.
cords of the domestic
In the certification,
violence unit is conyou explain the facts
firmed as being active,
To file a motion, you can use the
that support your re- New Jersey Judiciary’s Pro Se Motion that the court permit
8
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / March 2015
© 2015 Legal Services of New Jersey
alternate service by the domestic violence unit scanning the papers and
forwarding them to your spouse’s
current email address.
Follow the directions of the Pro Se
Motion kit to complete all of the papers
in the kit and file them with the court.
Note that you will not be sending a copy
of the papers to your spouse, because
you do not know the current address
and this motion is asking the court to address that issue.
Note to spouses who have been granted a
domestic violence restraining order: The
courts are making efforts to protect the
privacy and confidentiality of your location. If you do not want your spouse to
know your address, make sure the domestic violence unit of the court that
granted your restraining order has current information about your mailing address, phone number, and email.
If you are filing for divorce or you
have received a complaint for divorce
filed by your spouse, you should include
a valid mailing address, either a post office box number or another address,
where you will receive mail regarding
the divorce action (or other court mat-
ters). This does not have to be your
home address, but it must be a reliable
mailing address.
To ensure your safety, you should
consider obtaining an alternative address through the New Jersey Address
Confidentiality Program (ACP), which
is a program designed to help victims of
domestic violence who have relocated
for their safety. The program limits access to information that would reveal
your new location and allows you to receive first-class mail by way of the New
Jersey Department of Community Affairs. For further information on the
ACP or to register for the program, call
1-877-218-9133 or see the New Jersey Department of Children and Families Policy Manual at bit.ly/1KgjQ0v. You may
also register as a participant in the program by contacting your county domestic violence program. For the address or
phone number of your county domestic
violence program, call the New Jersey
Co ali tion of Bat tered Women at
1-609-584-8107 or visit their website,
r
www.njcbw.org.
By Mary M. McManus-Smith, Legal Services of
New Jersey, Chief Section Counsel, Family Law
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Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / March 2015
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9
© 2015 Legal Services of New Jersey
NJ Law Requires Employers to “Ban the Box”
AS OF MARCH 1, 2015, the Opportunity
to Compete Act requires New Jersey employers to remove questions about an
applicant’s criminal record from employment applications and makes it
against the law to ask you about your
criminal record up to and during the
initial employment interview.
Employers may not knowingly or purposefully publish job postings stating that
they will not consider applicants who have
been arrested or convicted of crimes.
After the initial interview, however (if
you voluntarily disclose it), an employer
is free to ask you about your criminal record and ask your permission to get a
copy of your background report. An employer may then refuse to hire you based
on your criminal record unless it has
been expunged or erased through
executive pardon.
The Opportunity to Compete Act will
not allow you to directly sue employers
who violate the law. Instead, you must
file a complaint with the Division of Labor and Workforce Development. Viola-
Employers may not knowingly or purposefully
publish job postings stating that they will not
consider applicants who have been arrested
or convicted of crimes.
10
tions could result in statutory penalties
of $1,000 for a first violation, $5,000 for a
second violation, and $10,000 for
subsequent violations.
Ultimately, removing the criminal record question from the initial employment application phase is designed to
give you an opportunity to speak with an
employer and explain the circumstances of your record “face-to-face,” before a decision not to hire is made (and
hopefully prevented). Employers are
compelled to consider your job skills
and qualifications before learning
about your past criminal history.
Law enforcement, corrections, the
judiciary, homeland security, emergency management, certain reentry programs, and others as required by law, are
exempt from this new law.
If you feel that an employer has violated your rights under the Opportunity
to Compete Act, you may file a complaint with the Department of Labor
and Workforce Development using the
Division of Wage and Hour Compliance
“Wage Claim” form available on the
NJDOL website. The DOL instructs you
to check the box for “other” under the
heading “Claim Details” and provide a
detailed explanation of your problem.
You may also call LSNJLAWSM, Legal Services of New Jersey’s statewide, toll-free
legal hotline, at 1-888-LSNJ-LAW
(1-888-576-5529), Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Go to
www.lsnjlawhotline.org to apply for help
r
online.
By Akil S. Roper, Supervising Attorney, Legal Services of
New Jersey Prisoner Reentry Project
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / March 2015
© 2015 Legal Services of New Jersey
Are You Applying For Welfare?
If you are trying to get welfare, SNAP (food stamps), Medicaid, or
other assistance:
l
l
l
l
l
l
You can complete and file an applicat i o n o n l i n e , b y g o i n g to
www.njhelps.org.
You can file an application at your
County Welfare Agency. The agency
must take your application and file it
the day you apply, even if you have to
come back to complete it or submit
additional paperwork.
You can file a written application for
SNAP benefits on the same day you
ask for help, even if you are not applying for welfare. The agency must give
you expedited SNAP benefits within
7 days, if:
þ Your gross income is less than $150
per month or you have less than
$100 in cash; OR
þ You are a migrant or seasonal
worker; OR
þ Your combined monthly income and
cash on hand is less than your rent.
You can fill out a written application
for Medicaid on the same day you ask
for help, even if you are not applying
for welfare.
If you apply for welfare, the agency
must give you emergency help that
you need on the same day you apply, if
you are in immediate need of help because you have no food, shelter, utilities, or clothing, as long as you appear
eligible for the WFNJ program. If you
are applying for GA, you must cooperate with a work program or show
documentation that you can’t work
due to a disability.
If you apply for welfare, the agency
must immediately take your applica-
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / March 2015
l
l
tion for other kinds of emergency
help if you are homeless, or about to
lose your housing. This Emergency Assistance (also called EA) can be a motel room, a shelter, or a temporary
rent subsidy (TRA) to help you keep
or find an apartment. You can also get
EA to help you pay utility bills, obtain
food, make mortgage payments, or
get clothes or furniture. The agency
must give you “immediate need” help
right away and if eligible, EA right
away if they can’t help you another
way. GA applicants must complete a
28-day work program, or show documentation of a disability, before they
can be approved. EA can last up to 12
months. In some cases you can get an
extension beyond 12 months.
The welfare office must give you special help if you are a victim of domestic violence, rape, or incest. You may
be temporarily excused from some of
the work requirements, time limits,
and other welfare obligations so that
you can resolve your situation and recover from it.
You have a right to challenge the welfare office’s decision (appeal to a
judge) if you are denied any of these
things and you think you should get
them. You can ask for a fair hearing at
the County Welfare Agency or by calling the Fair Hearing Hotline at
r
1-800-792-9773.
If you have any questions about your rights, or think you
were treated unfairly by the welfare office, call
LSNJLAWSM, 1-888-LSNJ-LAW (1-888-576-5529).
11
© 2015 Legal Services of New Jersey
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights: flip over for English edition
Cuáles Son Sus
Derechos Legales
Marzo 2015
Las leyes en Nueva Jersey
exigen que todo
empleador “excluya la
casilla” Página 1
¿Está solicitando la
asistencia pública, Welfare? Página 3
El acceso del público a los
historiales de
delincuencia juvenil
Página 4
Flip issue over for the
English edition of
Looking Out for Your
Legal Rights.
Publicado por Los Servicios Legales de Nueva Jersey
Las leyes en Nueva Jersey
exigen que todo empleador
“excluya la casilla”
A PARTIR del 1 de marzo de 2015, la Ley para la
Oportunidad de Competir comenzará a exigir que
todo empleador borre, de la solicitud de empleo, las
preguntas acerca de los antecedentes penales,
además, instituye que preguntarle al solicitante durante la entrevista inicial de empleo sobre sus
antecedentes es ilegal. Algunos empleadores pueden,
a sabiendas o deliberadamente, publicar anuncios de
empleo que indican que no se considerará a ningún
solicitante que haya sido
continúa en la página 2
El boletín de educación jurídica para los habitantes de Nueva Jersey
© 2015 Legal Services of New Jersey
continúa de la página 1
detenido o que haya sido condenado
por algún delito. Después de la
entrevista inicial, sin embargo (o en ese
momento, si usted lo revela
voluntariamente), el empleador puede,
con toda libertad, preguntarle y pedirle
permiso para obtener un informe de sus
antecedentes. El empleador entonces,
basándose en el informe, puede negarle
el trabajo, a menos que el delito haya
sido depurado o borrado por medio de
un perdón ejecutivo. La Ley para la
Oportunidad de Competir no le
El empleador entonces, basándose en el
informe, puede negarle el trabajo, a menos
que el delito haya sido depurado o borrado
por medio de un perdón ejecutivo.
permitirá a usted demandar
directamente al empleador que viole
esta ley.
En vez, tendrá que entablar una
demanda ante la División de Trabajo y
Desarrolló de la Fuerza Laboral. Las
infracciones podrían tener como
resultado multas reglamentarias de
1.000 dólares por la primera infracción,
5.000 por la segunda infracción y 10.000
por las subsiguientes. El propósito de
borrar esta pregunta al principio del
proceso es el darle a usted la
oportunidad de hablar, cara a cara, con
el empleador y explicar las
circunstancias de sus antecedentes, antes de que se tome (y se espera que se
prevenga) una decisión de no
emplearle. El empleador tiene la
o b l i g a c i ó n d e co n s i d e r a r s u s
habilidades y capacitaciones laborales
antes de ahondar en el tema de sus
antecedentes. Las autoridades de la
fuerza pública, las correccionales, la
magistratura, la fuerza de la seguridad
doméstica, la oficina para el manejo de
emergencias, ciertos programas para la
reinserción social y otros que por
Cuáles Son Sus Derechos Legales
Con respecto a Looking Out
Looking Out for Your Legal Rights® es publicada 10 veces al año
por los Servicios Legales de Nueva Jersey. Si usted es un
cliente de los Servicios Legales, puede obtener una copia en
la oficina de Servicios Legales de su localidad. También
p u e d e l e e r L o o k i n g O u t e n n u e s t ro s i t i o W e b
www.lsnj.org/espanol.
Suscripciones
La suscripción cuesta $20 dólares por año.
Comentarios
Si tiene alguna sugerencia o comentario con respecto a Looking Out, nos gustaría oírlo. Envíe toda correspondencia a:
Editor, Looking Out
Legal Services of New Jersey
P.O Box 1357
Edison, NJ 08818-1357
[email protected]
Números atrasados
Puede ver números atrasados en www.lsnj.org/espanol.
Este boletín de noticias es sólo una información general.
Si tiene un problema jurídico, usted debería ver a un
abogado.
Cambio de dirección
Si se muda, envíenos su nueva dirección y una copia de la
etiqueta pegada al último ejemplar de Looking Out.
Una parte del costo de esta publicación se cubrió con la
ayuda proporcionada por el fondo IOLTA del colegio de
abogados de Nueva Jersey.
© 2015 Legal Services of New Jersey
2
Cuáles Son Sus Derechos Legales / Marzo 2015
© 2015 Legal Services of New Jersey
asuntos legales lo necesiten, son exentos
de seguir dicha ley. Si usted cree que el
empleador ha violado sus derechos bajo
la Ley para la Oportunidad de
Competir, puede entablar una
demanda ante el Departamento del
Trabajo y Desarrollo Laboral utilizando
el formulario Demanda por salarios de la
oficina para el cumplimiento de salarios
y horario que está disponible en el sitio
Web del Departamento NJDOL. Se le
pide que marque la casilla “otro” bajo el
título Detalles de la demanda y que
proporcione una explicación detallada
de su problema. Igualmente puede
llamar a LSNJLAWSM, la línea directa
gratuita de asistencia jurídica de los
Servicios Legales de Nueva Jersey para
t o d o e l e s t a d o , ma r c a n d o e l
l-888-LSNJ-LAW (1-888-576-5529) de
lunes a viernes, desde las 8 de la mañana
hasta las 5:30 de la tarde. Vaya a
www.lsnjlawhotline.org para solicitar
r
ayuda a través de la Internet.
Este artículo fue traducido del inglés por Al Moreno,
coordinador del servicio lingüístico en LSNJ.
¿Está solicitando la asistencia pública, Welfare?
Si está solicitando la asistencia pública, cupones para alimentos
(SNAP), Medicaid u otro tipo de ayuda:
l
l
l
Puede llenar y presentar una
solicitud
en
la
Internet,
www.njhelps.org.
Puede presentar una solicitud ante la
agencia de la asistencia pública en el
condado donde vive. La agencia
tiene que recibirle la solicitud y
procesarla el mismo día que usted la
entregue, aun si tiene que regresar a
co mp l e tar l a o a tr ae r al g ú n
documento adicional.
Puede solicitar por escrito los
cupones para alimentos el mismo día
que vaya a pedir ayuda, aun si no está
solicitando la asistencia pública. La
agencia le tiene que agilizar la
entrega de los cupones SNAP dentro
de 7 días, si:
þ Su ingreso bruto es menos de $150
por mes o tiene menos de $100 en
efectivo; O
þ Es un trabajador migratorio o
temporero; O
þ La combinación de sus ingresos
mensuales y el efectivo que tiene
Cuáles Son Sus Derechos Legales / Marzo 2015
l
l
l
disponible es menos que el monto
del alquiler.
Puede solicitar el Medicaid por
escrito el mismo día que vaya a pedir
ayuda, aun si no está solicitando la
asistencia pública.
Si está solicitando la asistencia
pública, la agencia tiene que darle la
ayuda urgente que necesita, el mismo
día que la solicite, si necesita dicha
ayuda inmediatamente porque no
tiene alimentos, vivienda, servicios
públicos o ropa, siempre y cuando
llene los requisito del programa
WFNJ. Si solicita la ayuda general GA,
debe cooperar con un programa de
trabajo o mostrar documentación de
que no puede trabajar debido a una
discapacidad.
Si está sin vivienda o a punto de
perderla, cuando solicite la asistencia
pública, la agencia tiene que recibirle
inmediatamente la solicitud para
obtener cualquier otro tipo de ayuda.
Esta ayuda urgente (conocida como
3
© 2015 Legal Services of New Jersey
EA) puede ser en la forma de un
cuarto en un motel, un albergue o un
subsidio temporal para pagar el
alquiler (TRA) que le ayude a
conservar o conseguir un
apartamento. De igual manera
puede obtener ayuda para pagar las
cuentas de los servicios públicos,
conseguir alimentos, hacer pagos
hipotecarios u obtener ropa o
muebles. La agencia, en el acto, le
tiene que ayudar a cubrir las
“necesidades inmediatas” y si llena
los requisitos, darle la ayuda EA
inmediatamente, si no le pueden
ayudar d e o tra manera. Los
solicitantes de la GA tienen que
completar un programa de 28 días de
trabajo o mostrar documentación de
l
que no pueden trabajar debido a una
discapacidad antes que se le apruebe
la asistencia. La ayuda EA puede
durar hasta 12 meses. En algunos
casos se puede obtener una
extensión pasados los 12 meses.
Si usted es víctima de violencia
doméstica, violación o incesto, la
agencia tiene que darle ayuda especial. Para que pueda resolver su
situación y recuperarse, se le podrían
exonerar temporalmente algunos de
los requisitos de trabajo, fechas
r
límites y otros.
Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre sus derechos o cree haber
sido tratado injustamente en la oficina para la asistencia
pública, llame a LSNJLAWSM la línea directa gratuita de
asistencia jurídica de los Servicios Legales de Nueva Jersey para todo el estado, en el: 1-888-LSNJ-LAW
(1-888-576-5529).
El acceso del público a los historiales
de delincuencia juvenil
En Nueva Jersey, los archivos de los
menores
son
“protegidos
estrictamente”. Lo cual, significa que el
público normalmente no tiene acceso a
Si se los borran, se considerará como que nada
hubiera ocurrido y usted tiene el derecho a
decirles, con toda veracidad, a los
empleadores y a otros (con algunas
excepciones) que usted no tiene antecedentes.
4
ellos. Pero, en determinadas
situaciones, dichos historiales pueden
ser divulgados.
Según las leyes de este estado, el
nombre del menor, un delito y una
sentencia pueden ser revelados al
público si se determina que el menor es
culpable de cualquiera de los siguientes
actos:
l Un hecho delictivo en el primer,
segundo o tercer grado
l Agresión con agravantes
l Daños en propiedad ajena por un
monto superior a los $500.
Usted puede impedir que se divulgue
esta información si demuestra que es
muy probable que la divulgación le
Cuáles Son Sus Derechos Legales / Marzo 2015
© 2015 Legal Services of New Jersey
causará daños extraordinarios y
específicos.
referente a un menor es un delito contra
el orden público.
¿Quién puede ver mi historial?
El personal de su escuela, algunos
organismos estatales; sus padres, tutores
o abogados y cualquier persona que le
esté demandando por daños y perjuicios
tienen acceso a los archivos que la fuerza
pública, el régimen de libertad vigilada y
el tribunal tengan respecto a usted.
¿Puede el patrón pedirme detalles
sobre mi historial?
Los empleadores y otros le pueden
preguntar sobre los detalles de su
historial. Por lo que a toda persona que
tenga antecedentes se le recomienda
hacerlos borrar. Si se los borran, se
considerará como que nada hubiera
ocurrido y usted tiene el derecho a
decirles, con toda veracidad, a los
empleadores y a otros (con algunas
excepciones) que usted no tiene
antecedentes.
¿Quién no tiene acceso a mi historial?
El empleador, el propietario de la
vivienda y otras entidades públicas no
tienen acceso a los archivos de un
menor. Por ejemplo, los archivos juveniles no aparecerán en un informe de
antecedentes para la obtención de un
empleo. (Sin embargo, los historiales de
los menores procesados como adultos
pueden ser vistos por el público en la
misma medida que los de los adultos).
De hecho, el revelar, publicar, utilizar o
permitir que otro utilice información
¿Puedo borrar mi historial juvenil?
Para averiguar si llena los requisitos
para borrar sus antecedentes, contacte a
LSNJLAW S M , l a l íne a d i r e cta d e
asistencia jurídica de LSNJ para todo el
estado, marcando el número gratuito
r
1-888-LSNJ-LAW.
Este artículo fue traducido del inglés por Al Moreno,
coordinador del servicio lingüístico en LSNJ.
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Cuáles Son Sus Derechos Legales / Marzo 2015
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P.O. Box 1357
Edison, NJ 08818-1357
5