Legal Help

Learn about various legal issues of concern to battered women:

• Reliefs Available Under New Jersey's Prevention of Domestic Violence Act
• How to Get a Restraining Order
• Common Legal Questions for Victims of Domestic Violence
• State of New Jersey Address Confidentiality Program
• Voter Registration Address Confidentiality
• Unemployment for Victims of Domestic Violence
• SSA Provides Assistance to Victims of Domestic Violence

Can Victims of Domestic Violence Can Get Unemployment?

Effective January 18, 2000, P.L. 1999, Chapter 391, allows persons who quit their job, or are fired from their job, to apply for unemployment compensation benefits if the departure resulted from being a victim of domestic violence and if they are otherwise eligible to collect unemployment benefits. Employers' accounts will not be charged for the payment of benefits in these situations. Any person who applies for this benefit must provide some documentation of the abuse such as a restraining order, a criminal conviction of the offender, police or medical records, documentation or certification by a helping professional who assisted the victim, or "certification from a certified Domestic Violence Specialist or the director of a designated domestic violence agency that the individual is a victim of domestic violence. Both "certified Domestic Violence Specialist" and the "designated domestic violence agency" are specifically defined and associated with the NJ Association of Domestic Violence Professionals and the Department of Human Services contract agencies, respectively.

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