Newark, NJ asked in Employment Law for New Jersey

Q: Can my former employer prevent my former manager from contacting me for “liability issues”?

My job was recently affected by a large layoff due to the company losing a significant amount of business. I was close with my manager and he initially offered help with reviewing my resume and finding a new job. However i quickly stopped hearing from him when reaching out for help. I found out from another former coworker ( also laid off) that she had tried to get in touch with her former manager about career guidance and was told she was not allowed to speak with him due to “liability issues”. Are they able to do this even outside of work?

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1 Lawyer Answer
Paula M. Dillon
PREMIUM
Paula M. Dillon
Answered
  • Hackensack, NJ
  • Licensed in New Jersey

A: Once you are separated from a place of employment there is no obligation of the employer to have contact with the employee. It is not clear what you mean by "liability". However, they may be concerned about a potential lawsuit against the company by the former employee.

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