Page 16 - NJ Cooperator Fall 2020

16 THE NEW JERSEY COOPERATOR —FALL 2020 NJCOOPERATOR.COM Knowledge and Experience. Always, in All Ways. Our team of highly qualified and experienced Engineers and Architects have made us the “go-to” Highrise Experts for more than 23 years. Capital Reserve Reportsapital Reserve Reports C Facade Inspection and Restoration Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Design Domestic/Heating Water Riser Evaluations Balcony Repair and Reconstruction Flat Roof Inspections, Repair and Flat Roof Inspections, Repair and Replacement Lobby Renovation and Design Parking Garage Repair Water Infiltration Window, Flashing and PTAC Replacement Forensic Investigation & Litigation Forensic Investigation & Litigation Support Building Condition Reports/Planning (646) 292.3515 350 7th Avenue, Suite 2000 New York, NY 10001 682 Highway 202/206 Bridgewater, NJ 08807 (800) 839.7740 of violations.” You Can’t Spell ‘Harassment’ Without ‘Ass’ According to the attorneys inter- viewed for this article, and as evidenced by the cases cited, what carries someone’s unwelcome behavior up to the level of harassment can be summarized as lan- guage, context, and intent. An annoy- ing neighbor who constantly plays loud music or insults your front yard plant- ings or asks for outlandish favors might not be harassing you—he just might be an inconsiderate ass. But if the music persists after repeated—and document- ed—requests to cease and desist; or if the horticultural slights contain vulgari- ties or hostility; or if the solicited favors cross over into ‘too familiar’ territory, you would be well advised to escalate the situation to your property manager, the board of directors, and the local law en- forcement authorities—and possibly all three, depending on the degree and per- sistence of the problem. On a final note, the website of the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General ex- plains that the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 et seq.) (LAD) makes it unlawful to subject people to discrimination or harassment based on race, creed, color, national ori- gin, nationality, ancestry, sex, pregnancy, breastfeeding, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, familial status, marital status, domestic partner- ship/civil union status, liability for mili- tary service, and in some cases atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, genetic information, and age. The LAD prohibits unlawful discrimination in employment, housing, places of public accommoda- tion, credit and business contracts. According to the AG’s website (www. “Th e board spends a lot of its time doing unpaid work, and when not act- ing in offi cial board ca- pacity, members do not like to be bothered in the hallway, or have folks come to their units and interrupt their personal spaces.” —Bart Steele HANDLING... continued from page 15 Arnold says that the Alliance’s func- tion was especially important given the dearth of initial guidance from the gov- ernment. Even when local protocols did start to trickle in, Florida’s statewide mandates might differ from Miami’s, which in turn might differ from Miami- Dade county’s. With an already uncer- tain and tumultuous environment to deal with—and with the stakes extremely high—unifying the boards’ position on particular decisions allowed both staff and residents to align expectations and mitigate some of the second-guessing and confusion surrounding the state’s coronavirus response. Enhanced Protocols, New Responsibilities One issue common among multifam- ily buildings and communities is what’s become known as the ‘package problem.’ Already a growing concern pre-COVID, dealing with the onslaught of home de- liveries from Amazon, UPS, FedEx, Fresh Direct, and innumerable meal delivery and meal-prep services during lock- down, while considering the potential for contagion and complying with differing building protocols, has made the pack- age problem the universal bane of build- ing service workers. Some buildings have developed complex systems for receiving and decontaminating packages; others have put restrictions on types and meth- ods of deliveries; still others have made physical alterations to their common spaces to accommodate the package pile- up. But regardless of how each building is handling the issue, it’s usually the build- ing workers who are left holding the bag … or more accurately, the box. Both González and Arnold indicate that dealing with deliveries has been an added stress for staff. For some, it’s yet another task in their already long list of responsibilities. For others, it’s outside of their job description, requiring them to learn a new set of protocols. But in the pandemic era, property workers have SUPPORTING... continued from page 6 nj.gov/oag/dcr/filing.html), there are two ways to file a complaint of harassment: 1) “the administrative track,” in which a complaint is filed with the Division on Civil Rights (DCR); and 2) initiating an action in New Jersey Superior Court. DCR complaints must be made in person at one of their regional offices within 180 days of the alleged violation. A Supreme Court filing must be made within two years of the alleged violation. Filing a Su- preme Court complaint precludes a DCR filing. n Darcey Gerstein is Associate Editor and a Staff Writer of The New Jersey Cooperator.