TAPinto

Managing Partner R. Armen McOmber, Esq., Partner Austin B. Tobin, Esq., & Associate Johnathan J. Azar, Esq. represent Joy Tozzi in a whistleblower lawsuit against the Township of Robbinsville as well as the Mayor of the Township, Mayor David L. Fried. The lawsuit, which was filed in Mercer County Superior Court, alleges violations of New Jersey’s Conscientious Employee Protection Act. Ms. Tozzi seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages, and attorneys’ fees and costs.

As alleged in the complaint, Ms. Tozzi was a 15-year employee of the Township of Robbinsville who was terminated from her position as the Township Administrator after she complained about numerous instances of unlawful conduct, including sexual harassment by Councilperson Ron Witt, and also objected to Mayor Fried seeking to rehire an employee who, while receiving a salary and benefits from the Township, was performing little to no work.  Following Ms. Tozzi’s objections, Mayor Fried ousted her from the workplace. Later, when Ms. Tozzi reported to a budget meeting, Robbinsville’s Chief of Police told Ms. Tozzi that Mayor Fried did not want her in the building, and she would be criminally charged with trespassing if she did not comply with his directive. Later that day, Mayor Fried fired Ms. Tozzi, and later deprived her of pay she was statutorily entitled to receive.

“As alleged in the Complaint, Ms. Tozzi was subjected to repeated acts of retaliation for reporting Mr. Witt, and for objecting to hiring somebody who was effectively collecting a salary from the Township while performing little to no work.  Mayor Fried fired Ms. Tozzi because she stood up to him and objected to this unlawful conduct. We stand shoulder to shoulder with Ms. Tozzi and seek not only justice for her but to expose the outrageous behavior and rampant retaliation in the Township.” Johnathan J. Azar, Esq., McOmber McOmber & Luber, P.C.