Racial Harassment

New Jersey law doesn't only prohibit sexual harassment, although that's the most commonly encountered type. The second most common form of discriminatory harassment is racial harassment, also sometimes called ethnic harassment. Sometimes, the concepts of ethnicity, race, and national origin (defined as Country of origin) can become even further mixed and blurred. Victims of harassment of these types still have remedies under New Jersey law even when they're not members of clearly different 'races.'

For example, any harassment based on ethnicity, national origin or race is illegal, even if that harassment comes from someone of the same race as the victim. For example, when someone of British nationality harasses someone just because the victim is from Ireland, for example, it's illegal, even though both persons are Caucasian. The same is true, of course, when someone from Trinidad harasses someone else just because that person is from Jamaica, even though both are of African extraction, and so on.

It's also important to remember that harassment based upon perception of race, nationality or ethnicity is also illegal. When someone is being harassed because the harasser believes the victim is of a certain race, ethnicity or national origin, even when the victim isn't, that victim may bring a claim. The law doesn't forgive 'accidental bigots.'

It's not ok to use racially or ethnically abusive language. It's not ok to harass or intimidate someone just because they're from a certain Country. If you believe you're being victimized in this fashion, call Costello & Mains. You might be entitled to compensatory damages, punitive damages and other relief. We can help.