Scott A. Ohnegian, Chair of Riker Danzig's Labor and Employment Group, was featured as a panelist in New Jersey Business magazine's comprehensive roundtable discussion on current employment law trends. The article, titled "At the Forefront of Employment Law," explores critical workplace issues including immigration compliance, DEI initiatives, pay transparency regulations, and worker classification standards affecting New Jersey businesses.
Scott provided practical guidance to the New Jersey Business audience regarding immigration compliance, noting that "employers are always required to have I-9 forms for each of their employees. The current environment makes it easier for us to tell clients to make sure they have completed the forms." He emphasized that while employers must verify documentation, "there is no obligation on the part of the employer to independently vet whether 'Jim Smith' is really 'Jim Smith.' If an employee presents the matching documents with a social security number or immigration form, as long as it's not an obvious fake... companies will rely on that documentation, which they reasonably believe is legitimate."
Addressing the state's proposed independent contractor regulations, Scott warned that "the real exposure is to businesses that have been classifying a major percentage of their workforce as independent contractors. Those are also the businesses that the plaintiff's attorneys are going to go after." His insight highlights the financial and legal risks facing companies that may need to reclassify large portions of their workforce under New Jersey's evolving employment standards.
See New Jersey Business for the full article.