Lawmakers recently approved the 2024-2025 New York State budget, revising a number of laws that employers must be mindful of to ensure compliance. Specifically, these changes include: (1) the implementation of prenatal leave...more
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released updated guidance regarding COVID-19. On March 1, 2024, the CDC eliminated its recommendation that people who contract the virus isolate for five...more
Employers have until Oct. 15, 2023 to ensure that their safe and sick leave policies remain compliant with New York City law after the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) on Sept. 15, 2023 issued...more
As COVID-19 cases increase in New York, employers are reminded that the state continues to mandate paid COVID-19 sick leave in most cases. Unlike paid COVID-19 leave under the Federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act,...more
Starting February 19, 2023, New York employers will be prohibited from retaliating against employees who take lawful absences pursuant to federal, state or local law. Employers are advised to review their leave of absence...more
Effective March 17, 2022, COVID-19 is no longer considered an airborne infectious disease that presents a serious risk of harm to the public health under the New York Health and Essential Rights Act (HERO Act), according to...more
Effective March 7, 2022, New York City will lift the Key to NYC mandate requiring that anyone age 5 and older show proof of vaccination to enter indoor dining, fitness, entertainment and certain meeting spaces. Mayor Eric...more
The New York State Department of Health (DOH) has issued revised guidance that greatly reduces the number of days members of the general population must isolate and stay home from work after testing positive for or being...more
The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) has released long-awaited proposed rules for the New York Health and Essential Rights Act (also known as the HERO Act) addressing joint labor-management workplace safety...more
In light of the recent spike of COVID-19 cases in New York City, and particularly omicron variant cases, we have been fielding a lot of questions from employers about their obligations to their employees. What do they need to...more
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner Dr. Dave A. Chokshi has issued an order requiring most New York City private sector employees to be vaccinated.
The order was issued Dec. 13, 2021, but...more
New York City has made significant changes to its Key to NYC mandatory vaccination requirements for indoor dining, gyms and entertainment venues. As of December 14, 2021, children between the ages of five and eleven must show...more
12/15/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Entertainment Venues ,
Executive Orders ,
Immunization Records ,
Mayor de Blasio ,
Minor Children ,
New York ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Vaccinations ,
Vaccine Passports
On October 25, 2021, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) updated its COVID-19 Technical Assistance Questions and Answers publication to provide additional guidance for employers on handling employee religious...more
10/29/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Mandates ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Guidance Update ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Religious Accommodation ,
Religious Beliefs ,
Religious Exemption ,
Title VII ,
Undue Hardship ,
Vaccinations
The pandemic has hit New York City’s hotels particularly hard, leading to perhaps the industry’s worst year ever in 2020. Despite these incredibly difficult times, however, Mayor de Blasio signed into law on October 5, 2021 a...more
New York City’s Key to NYC mandate for indoor dining, gyms and entertainment venues is now in effect. Below are the requirements of the mandate as set forth in the various Executive Orders that have been issued, as well as in...more
10/6/2021
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Documentation ,
Entertainment Venues ,
Executive Orders ,
Fast-Food Industry ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Masks ,
New York ,
Pregnancy ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Religious Exemption ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Vaccinations ,
Vaccine Passports ,
World Health Organization
As hospitality establishments in New York City are well-aware, starting on September 13, 2021, the city will impose fines on restaurants, bars and event venues that do not comply with the Key to NYC vaccination mandate. As it...more
Surprising no one, New York City again updated the requirements of the Key to NYC vaccination mandate for indoor dining, fitness and entertainment venues.
On August 25, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio issued Emergency...more
Yet again, New York City has updated the requirements of the Key to NYC vaccination mandate for indoor dining, fitness and entertainment venues. On August 20, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio issued Emergency Executive Order No....more
The New York City Commission on Human Rights has issued guidance for businesses on the accommodations they must provide employees and customers in response to New York City’s “Key to NYC” mandatory vaccination requirements...more
8/19/2021
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Entertainment Venues ,
Executive Orders ,
Human Rights ,
Leave of Absence ,
New York ,
Popular ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Religious Beliefs ,
Remote Working ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Vaccinations ,
Vaccine Passports
New York City has continued to update the “Key to NYC" requirements since the initial Executive Order was published August 16, 2021. After we released our prior alert discussing the “Key to NYC” mandatory vaccination...more
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio issued an Executive Order on August 16, 2021 setting forth the requirements of the “Key to NYC” vaccine mandate that was announced earlier this month for indoor dining, gyms and...more
8/17/2021
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Executive Orders ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Hospitality Industry ,
New York ,
Popular ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Restaurant Industry ,
State and Local Government ,
Vaccinations ,
World Health Organization
Approximately 16 months after COVID-19 forced New York to a screeching halt, many restaurants, hotels, bars, caterers and other hospitality establishments are finally reopening for business. As the hospitality industry...more
7/22/2021
/ Age Discrimination ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Events ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Harassment ,
Health and Essential Rights (HERO) Act ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Layoffs ,
New York ,
Non-Exempt Employees ,
Popular ,
Rehiring Issues ,
Tip Credit
As set forth in our March 15, 2021 alert and April 23, 2021 alert, the New York Health and Essential Rights Act (HERO Act) requires almost all employers in the state to adopt a health and safety plan to protect workers from...more
Effective May 19, 2021, New York State will adopt the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People (CDC Guidance). As Gov. Andrew Cuomo previously announced, the State on that...more
5/20/2021
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Governor Cuomo ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
Public Transportation ,
Religious Exemption ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Social Distancing ,
State and Local Government ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
In a February 2021 alert, we addressed many of the employment issues surrounding COVID-19 vaccines, including when it may be permissible to require the vaccine, the duty to allow for exceptions to such a rule and...more