Patrick T. Collins is Chair of the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Group. He practices labor, employment, and personnel law on behalf of employers and management personnel. He has a wide range of experience in all areas of litigation in both federal and state courts, defending discrimination and sexual harassment claims, wrongful discharge and whistleblower suits, and claims brought under the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and the multitude of other civil rights and anti-discrimination laws. In addition, Pat represents parties in breach of contract claims and in actions involving unfair competition, restrictive covenants, and confidentiality agreements.
Pat has appeared before state human rights agencies throughout the country, as well as the EEOC, the National Labor Relations Board, and various wage and hour agencies. He has represented employers in numerous labor grievance/arbitration proceedings and in a variety of other matters relating to the unionization of employees and collective bargaining. He has also worked extensively with employers on public works contracts to ensure compliance with prevailing wage laws.
A great deal of Pat’s practice concentrates on counseling employers in making workplace decisions, which will reduce or avoid entirely the risk of litigation. Pat regularly counsels his clients on matters concerning independent contractors and contingent workers, employment policies, employee discipline and terminations, reductions in workforce, and plant closings. He has conducted sexual harassment investigations and employment law audits, and has drafted numerous employee handbooks and substance abuse and workplace privacy policies. Pat has also conducted management and employee training and legal compliance sessions in a variety of areas, including the performance appraisal process and anti-harassment.
Pat is Chair of the Somerset County Business Partnership Human Resources Roundtable. He is a former member of the Supreme Court of New Jersey, District XIII Ethics Committee, and the Sidney Reitman Employment Law Inn of Court.
Patrick Collins Appointed Chair of Somerset County Business Partnership HR Roundtable
Norris McLaughlin Attorneys to Present to Medical Management on COVID-19 Employment Law Updates
Patrick Collins to Speak on Managing Employment Issues
Patrick T. Collins Honored by Safe+Sound Somerset
Patrick Collins to Speak on Smartphone Technology at IMA Spring Conference
Patrick Collins to Speak on Smartphone Technology and the Risk in Business
Patrick Collins Elected President of the Board of Legal Services Northwest New Jersey
Somerset Valley Y Thanks Norris McLaughlin, P.A.for Many Years of Providing Camp Scholarships
THE EEOC’S ATTACK ON MAXIMUM LEAVE POLICIES
NEW JERSEY EMPLOYERS PREPARE FOR 2017
NEW JERSEY EMPLOYERS PREPARE FOR 2016
BRING YOUR OWN DEVICES (BYOD): POLICIES AND PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
NEW EMPLOYEE LEAVE LAW FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT
NEW POSTER REQUIREMENT FOR NEW JERSEY EMPLOYERS
SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE WORKPLACE: THE NEW FRONTIER
NEW YEAR CORPORATE HOUSEKEEPING: YOUR EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK
NEW WHISTLEBLOWER INCENTIVES AND PROTECTION IN THE DODD-FRANK ACT
OPERATIONAL, TRANSITIONAL AND EXIT STRATEGIES FOR CLOSELY-HELD & ENTREPRENEURIAL BUSINESS OWNERS
NEW JERSEY EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES MUST BE LICENSED WITH THE STATE
IF YOU THINK YOUR COMPANY IS BEYOND THE REACH OF THE NLRB BECAUSE YOU HAVE A NON-UNION WORKFORCE, TH
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2019: A Very Busy Year For New Jersey Employers
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Managing Evolving Employment Issues with Limited Resources
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NJ Paid Sick Leave Poster Published
Increase to Paid Family Leave Back on the Radar Screen
New Jersey Allows Striking Workers to Collect Unemployment Benefits
Reminder! Paid Sick Leave Coming to New Jersey on October 29, 2018
Annual Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Now Required in New York
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Governor Murphy Signs New Jersey Paid Sick Leave Law
Supreme Court Classifies Service Advisors as Exempt under FLSA
New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination Expanded To Include Breastfeeding As A Protected Class
Santa’s Naughty List Continues to Grow
Do Employers Need to Pay for Short Rest Breaks?
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Third Circuit Addresses “Willful” Violations of Fair Labor Standards Act
UPS Maximum Leave Policy Results In $2 Million Settlement With The EEOC
UPS Maximum Leave Policy Results In $2 Million Settlement With The EEOC
Expansion of Paid Family Leave Vetoed By Governor
A Generic Doctor’s Note, Without More, Will Not Support A Claim Under The NJLAD
Two Significant Employment Laws Await Governor’s Decision
What The Change In Course By The USDOL On Worker Classification Means For NJ Employers
Could a new overtime rule be in our future?
Is New Jersey Next In Line To Ban Questions About A Job Applicant’s Salary History?
Could Comp Time be Coming to the Private Sector?
Jury Waiver And Arbitration Agreements Require Specificity
If You Checked The Box, You’re Bound By The Contract
Increased Benefits Proposed For New Jersey Paid Family Leave Insurance
Dispelling the 10 Biggest Wage and Hour Myths
Employers Must Use New I-9 Form
Federal Court Preliminarily Enjoins New FLSA Overtime Regulations
Ruling on Challenge to New FLSA Overtime Regulations Expected Tomorrow
How does Pennsylvania’s new medical marijuana law compare to NJCUMMA?
DOL Announces New “White Collar” Exemption Regulations
Leaves of Absence As a Reasonable Accommodation Under the Americans With Disabilities Act (“ADA”)
Dept. of Labor Issues New FMLA Poster
Dept. of Labor Announces New FMLA Publications
NYC Institutes Ban on Pre-Employment Credit Checks
EEOC Changes Policy on Releasing Position Statements
The Anonymous Employee Complaint Letter. What’s An Employer To Do?
New Jersey Employers Prepare for 2016
Court to BorgataBabes: “No Dice!”
You May Be a Joint Employer and Not Even Know It
Department of Labor Issues Guidance on Independent Contractor Misclassification
Anti-Harassment Policies Must Be Communicated To Temporary Employees
OSHA Publishes “A Guide To Restroom Access For Transgender Workers”
Expert Medical Evidence Needed To Establish The Extent Of A Person’s Disability
Supreme Court Delivers Blow to Public-Sector Unions
Supreme Court Rules for Employers on Contraceptive Mandate
Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD): Policies and Practical Considerations
New Employment Obligations for the New Year
The New Jersey Security and Financial Empowerment (NJ SAFE) Act Poster
New Employee Leave Law for Victims of Domestic Violence or Sexual Assault
CEPA Claim Cannot Be Based on Code of Ethics Not Applicable to Employer
Another Facebook Firing Decision by the National Labor Relations Board
New Family and Medical Leave Act Poster
Recent Mealbreak Case Upholds Employer’s Auto-Deduct Policy
Hurricane Sandy – FMLA and ADA Issues
New Jersey Restores Exemption for Commissioned Sales Employees
EEOC Issues New Guidelines on the Use of Criminal Background Checks
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New Jersey Enacts “Trade Secrets Act”
New Poster Requirement For New Jersey Employers
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Patrick T. Collins has earned the Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent® status. A description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
2017 Safe + Sound Somerset Jackie Wiegand Founder Award
1999 Legal Services of New Jersey Equal Justice Medal.
1999 Outstanding Board Service Award.