PHP Contact form & jQuery val:

So I’m using a theme where the developer hasn’t allowed for optional fields in contact forms: all fields have to be filled in per the validation. What I can’t work out (jQuery isn’t one of my strengths) is how I can add an optional field to the contact form and have the jQuery val process ignore it if the field is left blank (“Organization” is the field in question).

A couple of excerpts from the php:

[Code moderated as per the Forum Rules. Please use the pastebin]

and the jQuery val process:

[Code moderated as per the Forum Rules. Please use the pastebin]

Any help would be immensely appreciated!

–jfc