I changed to a new employer and my old employer has not paid me the last pay check. I am planning to file a Wage Claim at DOL New Jersey. How different is this from law suit. Can some suggest the approach to take?
You need to file the claim in the state where that job was located. If the job that you are still owed wages from was located in New Jersey, you can contact the NJ Dept. of Workforce and Labor Development for information on how to file a claim. Below is a link to the relevant page on NJ's Dept of Workforce and Labor Development's website.
Since a wage claim is a claim filed with a state agency and not a lawsuit filed in a court of law, it is not a lawsuit, but an administrative claim. At this level, you should be able to proceed without an attorney. If you or the employer end up appealing the final administrative decision made by the state agency, it may end up in court.
