TRENTON, NJ — The New Jersey Division on Civil Rights (DCR) has issued Findings of Probable Cause against the Cinnaminson Township Board of Education, alleging violations of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD) and the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA). Announced by Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the DCR, the cases highlight a policy that restricts employees on parental leave from engaging in extracurricular coaching activities, deemed to disproportionately impact women and pregnant employees.
Three separate complaints by female employees, precluded from coaching due to this policy, sparked the investigation. The DCR’s findings suggest the policy not only contravenes LAD by having a disparate impact based on gender and pregnancy but also infringes upon NJFLA rights, which safeguard part-time work engagement during family leave.
Highlighting the broader implications, Attorney General Platkin emphasized New Jersey’s commitment to protecting employees from discrimination that forces a choice between career and family. The findings reveal a significant gender disparity in extracurricular coaching roles and leave taken for new child care, with a substantial majority of these leaves being taken by women, despite them constituting a large portion of the district’s staff.
DCR’s action underscores a commitment to enforcing civil rights protections, challenging policies that, while not explicitly discriminatory, disproportionately disadvantage women and pregnant people. The school district’s policy has notably affected women returning from maternity leave, with instances of denied coaching opportunities post-leave and forced leave shortening to retain coaching positions. This enforcement action marks a significant step in addressing systemic gender-based and pregnancy-based discrimination in employment practices.