New York’s proposed budget bill points toward significant changes in employee leave rights in the coming year.
Repeal of NY COVID Paid Sick Leave Law -
New York – the last state in the country still requiring all...more
A Year in Review: Notable Labor and Employment Law Developments of 2022 -
The year-end provides an opportune time to review some of the notable developments in the world of labor and employment law from this past year –...more
1/4/2023
/ Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Anti-Harassment Policies ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Monitoring ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Health and Essential Rights (HERO) Act ,
Minimum Wage ,
New Legislation ,
New York ,
NLRB ,
Notice Requirements ,
Pay Transparency ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour ,
Whistleblower Protection Policies ,
Whistleblowers
Private-sector employers with “no-fault” attendance policies in New York will need to revisit their policies following an impending change to New York Labor Law.
On November 21, 2022, New York Governor Kathy Hochul...more
The New York State Commissioner of Health’s designation of COVID-19 under the Health & Essential Rights Act (“HERO Act”) as an “airborne infectious disease that presents a serious risk of harm to the public health” ended on...more
New York State’s mask mandate on private business will expire on Thursday, February 10th, 2022. The mandate required mask-wearing indoors at all “indoor public places” (e.g., businesses) unless the business required proof of...more
On Thursday September 9, 2021, the Biden administration announced a COVID vaccine initiative that will require vaccinations or weekly testing for all federal contractors and for employers with at least 100 employees. The...more
9/13/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Mandates ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Employees ,
Healthcare Workers ,
OSHA ,
Privately Held Corporations ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
On Sunday, September 6, 2021, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the “designation” of COVID-19 as an airborne infectious disease under the state’s new Health & Essential Rights Act (the “HERO” Act). The designation...more
New York's recently enacted Health & Essential Rights Act, otherwise called the HERO Act, has been modified.
As discussed in our earlier Alert, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the HERO Act into law in early May. The law...more
With New York state adopting the CDC’s “Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People” on May 19, employers now have the option of easing restrictions related to COVID-19.
The guidance relaxes...more
On May 5, 2021, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the “New York Health and Essential Rights” or “HERO” Act, adding new infectious disease prevention requirements for employers. The Act seeks to create enforceable...more
Under an amendment to the New York Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (“WARN”) Act, employers in New York state carrying out certain large layoffs or site closings will have to provide advance notice to a broader...more
On the evening of Oct. 19, 2020, New York State released long-anticipated guidance on the state's new Paid Sick Leave Law, or "PSL." The new law is not limited to coronavirus-related situations. It is instead a new, permanent...more
Soon after the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued its Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) regulations in early April 2020, the State of New York filed a lawsuit against the DOL, challenging several...more
Several regions of New York state moved to Phase 4 of the state's reopening plan today, Friday June 26. Phase 4 is currently designated as the final phase of the state's reopening plan, though some industries remain unclear...more
Following publication of this Alert, Gov. Cuomo issued an Executive Order making an important change to employee leave rights related to voluntary travel to high-risk states.
The latest Executive Order issued by Governor...more
In an Executive Order issued late Friday night, Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office clarified that individuals who voluntarily travel to states with significant coronavirus spread will not be entitled to paid quarantine leave from...more
*Information in this Alert is current as of 4 p.m., June 10, 2020. The alert may be updated as New York clarifies reopening details.
New York State has published guidance for industries permitted to reopen in “Phase Three”...more
6/11/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Massage Therapists ,
New York ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Safety ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Social Distancing ,
Tattoos ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
*Information in this Alert is current as of 3 p.m., May 29, 2020; the alert may be updated as New York clarifies reopening details.
In the early morning hours of Friday, May 29, New York State unveiled reopening guidance...more
Adding to an ever-expanding library of guidance for businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has now published reopening guidance applicable to all employers with respect to employees at...more
Phase One of New York state's reopening is underway for several regions as of Friday May 15. Phase One covers businesses in the following industries:
Construction; -
Manufacturing; -
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and...more
5/18/2020
/ Construction Industry ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Fishing Industry ,
Forestry ,
Hunting ,
Manufacturing Employers ,
New York ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Retailers ,
Wholesale ,
Workplace Safety
In the latest workplace measure aimed at controlling the spread of COVID-19, essential businesses and entities in New York State will be required to provide their employees with "face coverings" no later than 8 p.m. on...more
It might not be business as usual, but business in New York goes on even as the state grapples with the coronavirus pandemic.
New York State’s annual budget bill, signed by Gov. Cuomo on April 3, contains amendments to New...more
4/8/2020
/ Banks ,
Business Closures ,
Business Interruption ,
CARES Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Compliance ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Federal Loans ,
Financial Stimulus ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare ,
Lenders ,
Lending ,
Liquidity ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
New York ,
Nonprofits ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Payroll Taxes ,
Relief Measures ,
SBA ,
SBA Lending Programs ,
Small Business ,
Tax Relief ,
Unemployment Insurance
New York State is expanding its Paid Family Leave program ("PFL") to cover situations where an employee's family member is diagnosed with COVID-19. The expansion was announced early Tuesday morning by the N.Y. Workers'...more
4/2/2020
/ Business Closures ,
CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Federal Loans ,
Financial Stimulus ,
Lenders ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Payroll Taxes ,
Relief Measures ,
SBA ,
SBA Lending Programs ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Small Business ,
State and Local Government ,
Tax Relief ,
Unemployment Insurance
**IMPORTANT: WORKFORCE REDUCTION MAY BE REQUIRED**
As reported in our earlier Legal Alert, New York’s Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) released guidance late Thursday night on Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Executive...more
UPDATE: This Alert has been updated to include guidance on what businesses will be considered "essential" and exempt under Governor Cuomo's Executive Order mandating a 75 percent reduction in workforce. See the section below...more