Final answer:
Federal law, such as Title VII, provides protections against discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. New Jersey's anti-discrimination law may offer broader protections that can include marital status, domestic partnership status, and gender identity or expression. Additionally, procedures for handling discrimination complaints may differ between federal and state jurisdictions.
Step-by-step explanation:
When examining the two major differences between federal law and the New Jersey law against discrimination, it’s important to consider how each set of laws defines and addresses discriminatory practices.
The federal law, specifically Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, forbids discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It provides for equal employment opportunities and covers a range of work-related decisions, including hiring, firing, and promotion. Federal law tends to have a more general application and authority across all states.
In contrast, New Jersey's law against discrimination may include additional protected classes not explicitly covered by federal statutes. For example, New Jersey law includes protections against discrimination based on marital status, domestic partnership status, and gender identity or expression, which extends the range of anti-discrimination protections beyond those provided at the federal level. State laws like those in New Jersey can offer broader protection in employment and other areas of public life. Furthermore, state laws might stipulate different procedures for filing complaints or seeking remedies for instances of discrimination.
Therefore, the two major differences would be the scope of protections afforded and the procedural aspects related to discrimination claims that can vary between federal laws and state-specific laws such as those in New Jersey.