09.13.2024Retailers Face New Compliance Requirements: Violence Prevention and Panic Buttons Under New York LawOn September 5, 2024, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law the Retail Worker Safety Act (“Act” and “Legislation”), which in 6 months, will impose a series of new obligations on retail businesses operating in the State. Following California, which in July 2024 enacted legislation requiring retail employers to maintain a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan, New York’s new law is in response to the verbal harassments, threats of violence and physical violence to which retail workers are routinely exposed, according to the Act’s legislative history.
04.27.2023New York State Department of Labor Updates its Mandatory Sexual Harassment Policy RequirementsAs New York State employers are well aware, effective October 9, 2018, New York State Labor Law Section 201-g requires that employers adopt a sexual harassment policy and provide annual employee sexual harassment training. Employers may adopt the State’s Sexual Harassment Model Policy or establish their policy so long as it meets the State’s minimum standards for compliance, which can be found here . Alternatively, employers may utilize the State’s model sexual harassment training for annual compliance.
01.18.2023Combating Human Trafficking: New York Enacts Posting Requirements & Recognition Training for Hospitality & Transportation EmployeesOn July 20, 2022, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul signed eight pieces of legislation into law aimed to provide support and resources to victims of human trafficking. These laws impose new training requirements for employees in the hospitality and transportation industries, in addition to requiring crucial information be posted in the restrooms of human trafficking hotspots like airports, bus terminals and truck stops.
09.14.2022 Can Money Buy Happiness? New York Seeks to Retain Health Care Workers Through its New Bonus Initiative Last month, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the launch of the Health Care and Mental Hygiene Worker Bonus (HWB) Program, an initiative to increase New York’s health care workforce by 20% over the next five years. The Program seeks to recruit, retain, and reward health care and mental hygiene workers through issuing bonuses to qualifying workers who remain in their position for at least six months.
05.09.2022New York’s New Electronic Monitoring Law Effective May 7, 2022As we previously notified our readers, it’s a new dawn of electronic monitoring in New York. Effective May 7, 2022, employers engaging in electronic monitoring must provide detailed notice to their employees. Notice will be required if the employer wishes to digitally monitor or otherwise intercept phone conversations, text messages, e-mails and internet usage of employees.
01.25.2022New York City Passes Law Requiring Salary Ranges in Job PostingsA makeover is on the horizon for job postings in New York City. On December 15, 2021, the New York City Council passed new legislation relating to wage transparency on job postings. On January 15, 2022, New York City Mayor Eric Adams returned this bill without a veto, effectively passing it into law. The goal of the legislation was to reduce pay disparities affecting historically disadvantaged applicants, which follows a national trend.
11.19.2021New York’s New Electronic Monitoring Law Mandates New Disclosure Requirements for Employers It’s a new dawn of electronic monitoring in New York, as employers will soon be required to disclose the extent of their electronic monitoring of employees in the workplace. On November 8, 2021, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a new law amending New York State’s Civil Rights Law requiring all private employers that conduct business in the State of New York, regardless of size, to provide notice to employees of electronic monitoring of telephone, email, and internet access and usage.
11.17.2021Governor Hochul Expands The New York Paid Family Leave Act To Cover Siblings With A Serious Health ConditionThis is the first blog in a series covering New York’s Recent Expansions Of Its Employment Laws.
Governor Hochul recently expanded New York’s Paid Family Leave Act by amending the definition of family to include siblings. Siblings under the amendment covers both biological and adopted siblings, half siblings, and step-siblings. This amendment will allow employees time off to care for siblings with a serious health condition. Employers have time to comply, as this amendment does not become effective until January 1, 2023.
11.03.2021Employers Beware: New York State Expands Whistleblower Protections Increasing Employer LiabilityOn October 28, 2021, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation amending the New York Labor Law (“Labor Law”) to substantially enhance the whistleblower protections afforded to private-sector workers who report alleged wrongdoing by their employers significantly increasing potential liability for New York employers. The legislation becomes effective 90 days after its signing, was amended to include a two-year statute of limitations, and significantly broadens the scope of covered individuals and protected activities.
09.21.2021NY HERO Act COVID-19 Designation Activates Employer Prevention PlansOn September 6, 2021, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the New York State Commissioner of Health has designated COVID-19 a highly contagious communicable disease that presents a serious risk of harm to the public health under the New York Health and Essential Rights Act (HERO Act), thus requiring all employers to implement workplace safety plans to prevent workplace airborne infectious disease outbreaks.
03.26.2021Deal Hashed Out For Legal Cannabis in the Empire StateNew York appears to be on deck as the next state to join the list of cannabis-friendly environments in which these businesses might have a chance to thrive.
11.10.2020New York Home Health Care Agencies Beat Aides’ Lawsuit Over Use of a Captive To Meet Wage Parity LawWhen New York adopted a wage parity law setting minimum wage and benefit levels for home care workers, innovative home health care agency companies created a captive plan structure to meet the benefits requirements. Although aides may feel that they are being cheated under such a captive plan, a recent court decision severely limits aides’ ability to contest the utilization of a captive structure.
03.25.2020New York State Courts: Update on COVID-19 ImpactThe State of New York has issued multiple Executive Orders and Administrative Orders impacting the operations of state courts during the COVID-19 outbreak.
10.02.2019Jennifer Roselle to Participate on Panel at New York Cannabis Insider Live Event Join co-sponsor Genova Burns LLC and Counsel Jennifer Roselle, Esq. on October 7, 2019 at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center, where event organizer Advance Media New York will dive deeper into the issues and stories at the forefront of our cannabis coverage, providing the inside track from cannabis industry experts.
This website uses cookies for site operation, security and analytics purposes, as described in our Privacy Notice and Cookie Notice. By clicking Ok, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.
OK
