Final answer:
The main difference between the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination and the 1968 federal Fair Housing Act is that the LAD provides broader protections against discrimination in many areas of public life for additional protected classes, while the Fair Housing Act focuses on housing discrimination at a national level.
Step-by-step explanation:
An important difference between the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD) and the 1968 federal Fair Housing Act is that the LAD covers a broader range of protections beyond housing. While the 1968 Fair Housing Act specifically outlawed discrimination in the sale or rental of housing based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, the LAD prohibits discrimination in many areas of public life, including employment, public accommodations, and credit as well as housing. The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination also covers additional protected classes such as creed, sexual orientation, marital status, and gender identity or expression.
Furthermore, while the 1968 Fair Housing Act was a federal law with nation-wide implications, the LAD is a state law that applies specifically to New Jersey. Different states may have their own anti-discrimination laws with varying degrees of protection that complement and, at times, expand upon federal laws.