Division on Civil Rights

File a Civil Rights Complaint

Learn how to file or respond to a complaint of discrimination, and how to register your organization to receive complaints, through the NJ Bias Investigation Access System (NJBIAS).

Home Appraisal Discrimination

DCR is committed to combating discrimination in home appraisals. Learn more about our initiative to tackle appraisal bias in New Jersey.

Housing Discrimination Protections

The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD) prohibits discrimination in housing based on actual or perceived protected characteristics. The Fair Chance in Housing Act prohibits landlords from rejecting prospective tenants because of their criminal history except in certain limited circumstances.

Our Resources

Division on Civil Rights Fact Sheets offer brief overviews of different areas covered by the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD), the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA), and the Fair Chance in Housing Act (FCHA) in 14 different languages. View our library of resources, including fact sheets, reports, model policies, and more.

How to File a Complaint
Click here to learn more about how to file a complaint with the Division on Civil Rights

Recent DCR News

Attorney General Platkin and Division on Civil Rights Announce Enforcement Action Against a Housing Provider for Alleged Disability Discrimination

July 31, 2024

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division on Civil Rights (DCR) announced today that DCR has issued a Notice of Violation to Let’s Celebrate Urban Renewal, LLC, the owner of a six-story building located at 503 Garfield Avenue in Jersey City. The Notice of Violation alleges that the elevator in the building has been out of service for more than eight months, denying residents with disabilities equal use and enjoyment of their apartments…

AG Platkin and Division on Civil Rights Announce Six Enforcement Actions Against Property Owners, Management Companies for Alleged Disability Discrimination

July 16, 2024

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division on Civil Rights (DCR) announced that DCR has issued Findings of Probable Cause in six cases alleging discrimination on the basis of disability in violation of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD). The six Findings of Probable Cause announced today all involve management companies or property owners who allegedly either failed to accept an emotional support animal as a reasonable accommodation for a disability, or failed to follow the appropriate process for considering the tenant’s request for an emotional support animal…

Attorney General Platkin and Division on Civil Rights Announce Additional Enforcement Actions Against Management Companies and Property Owners for Alleged Disability Discrimination

July 23, 2024

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division on Civil Rights (DCR) announced that DCR has issued Findings of Probable Cause in eight additional cases alleging management companies and housing providers discriminated against tenants on the basis of disability in violation of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD)…

AG Platkin, Division on Civil Rights Take Enforcement Action Against Telecommunications Company for Alleged Disability Discrimination

July 2, 2024

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division on Civil Rights (DCR) announced that DCR has issued a Finding of Probable Cause in a case alleging that Prince Telecom LLC discriminated against an applicant for employment based on disability in violation of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD)…

DCR Notices

Request for Information

Request for Information for the State of New Jersey, Department of Law and Public Safety, Division on Civil Rights,

Domestic Workers Now Covered by the NJ Law Against Discrimination

As of July 1, 2024, domestic workers are protected from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in employment under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination. Examples of domestic workers are housekeepers, in-home caretakers for children, in-home caretakers for elderly people, chefs, and butlers.

The New Jersey Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights Act also amends the definition of employer to include any person or entity that provides compensation for the performance of domestic services.

Learn more about worker protections enforced by the NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development here.

DCR stands with immigrant and refugee communities.
Our division enforces the Law Against Discrimination to protect all New Jersey residents, regardless of immigration status. Learn more here. If you believe you have been subject to discrimination or bias-based harassment within the last 180 days, you can file with our division using our online system: bias.njcivilrights.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Required Posters

On August 1, 2022, DCR adopted new and amended regulations to increase the visibility and effectiveness of posters that the State requires employers, housing providers, and places of public accommodation to display to inform people of their rights under New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination (LAD) and Family Leave Act (FLA). All covered businesses, employers, and housing providers are required by law to display the applicable posters.

If you have prior versions of these posters displayed, please remove them and replace them with the updated posters, which can be found here. Click here to read the regulations and here to read the press release.