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Civil Rights Division working with American Legion

The state Division on Civil Rights Wednesday launched a statewide initiative to promote awareness among veterans and military personnel of their rights under the state Law Against Discrimination, as well as their recourse if they believe those rights have been violated.

The initiative was conceived as way of helping those who have served in the military and -- upon returning to civilian life – encountered discrimination in the workplace or elsewhere.

“This is one way of giving back to those who have given so much,” state Attorney General Paula T. Dow said. “Many people understand that discrimination based on gender, race or religion is illegal. Through this initiative, we intend to spread the word that discrimination against someone simply because he or she is a member of the military and has answered the call to duty – or might end up answering that call to serve – is just as illegal.”

“Men and women in the military devote themselves to protecting us,” Civil Rights Director Craig Sashihara said. “The least we can do is ensure that they’re not treated unfairly in their civilian jobs, in their attempts to obtain housing for their families, or in their efforts to gain access to places of public accommodation. No one should be penalized for serving his or her country.”

Working in conjunction with the American Legion, the Civil Rights Division held the first of what will be a series of public forums for military veterans at the Legion’s post in Lawrenceville. Additional public forums at other locations, as well as other events and activities focused on veterans’ rights, will be held throughout 2012.

Sashihara said that one concern underlying the outreach effort is that discrimination against military personnel may go unreported due to a lack of awareness of the protections afforded by the law. For example, he noted, some military members may not realize that an employee cannot be fired, demoted or removed from promotional consideration simply because they are absent from work fulfilling their service obligations.

As part of the planning effort leading up to the initiative, Civil Rights staff discussed the proposed effort with veterans during roundtable meetings held earlier this year at Legion posts in Toms River and Woodbury.

Anyone seeking to file a formal discrimination complaint can do so by visiting one of the Civil Rights Division’s offices in Atlantic City, Camden, Trenton and Newark. For additional information, visit: www.NJCivilRights.org.

—TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM