On April 9, 2019, New York City Council passed a bill amending the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL), to bar NYC employers from testing prospective employees for marijuana use. The Bill comes in the wake of the City’s efforts to reduce the legal consequences of marijuana use, including reducing arrests and prosecutions for … Continue Reading
Though the business community might not have had a vote in it, New York legislators have amended the State’s election laws to provide employees with an additional hour of paid time off to vote on election days. Until recently, New York law required employers to provide workers with up to two hours of paid time … Continue Reading
By now, our readers are aware that New York State and City law require annual workplace sexual harassment prevention training. The State law requiring such training took effect last October, and mandates that employers complete the initial training by October 9, 2019. The separate City law became effective just a few weeks ago, on April … Continue Reading
Recently, New York’s highest state court, the Court of Appeals, held that the New York Labor Law (NYLL) does not automatically entitle New York home health care providers to wages for each hour worked during a 24-hour shift. The ruling is the result of an appeal of two state court class actions in which home … Continue Reading
A New York City Council member recently proposed an amendment to the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL) that would restrict fast food establishments from firing employees without “just cause.” The purported reason for this amendment is to provide more job security to fast food workers. The bill defines “just cause” as an “employee’s … Continue Reading
On February 19, 2019, the New York City Commission on Human Rights (NYCCHR) issued new enforcement guidance regarding (1) policies that place restrictions, or ban, naturally curly hair, dreadlocks, braids and cornrows, among other hairstyles; or (2) neutral grooming policies that are discriminatorily applied to employees based on aspects of their appearance associated with race. … Continue Reading
In Amaya v. Ballyshear LLC, et al., a case before a New York Federal District Court, Nelly Amaya, a Long Island resident, alleged that her former employers engaged in unlawful discrimination and retaliation, in violation of the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL). Amaya’s employers argued that Amaya failed to show that their alleged … Continue Reading
This week, the New York City Council passed new amendments to the New York City Human Rights Law, which prohibit employment discrimination, discriminatory harassment and violence on the basis of an individual’s sexual and reproductive health decisions. A copy of the new, amended law can be found here. The amended law defines “sexual and reproductive … Continue Reading
Beginning March 18, 2019, New York City employers with four or more employees will be required to provide lactation rooms to employees upon request. Specifically, under two bills recently passed by New York City Council (Int. No. 879-A and Int. No. 905-A), New York City employers must: Upon request, provide a lactation room and a … Continue Reading
On October 15, 2018, the New York City Human Rights Law (CHRL) was amended to require employers to engage in a “cooperative dialogue” with individuals who may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation under the CHRL. Whereas federal and state laws require an “interactive process” to determine a reasonable accommodation, the CHRL requires that employers … Continue Reading
New York City is at it again – continuing its quest to be the most employee-friendly jurisdiction in the country. On January 8, 2019, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announced proposed legislation that would require private employers to provide employees with mandated paid time off/vacation. If passed by the City Council, the law would be … Continue Reading
As we previously reported, on October 9, 2018, two landmark New York State laws concerning sexual harassment prevention take effect. These laws require that all Empire State employers: Implement a written sexual harassment prevention policy that meets or exceeds the content of a model sexual harassment prevention policy prepared by State regulators, and Provide employees … Continue Reading
With a few minor tweaks here and there, your company has probably relied on the same severance and employment-related settlement agreements for years. Sure, you touch base with your friendly neighborhood employment lawyer from time to time to ensure there haven’t been any significant legal developments that necessitate revisions. But aside from peripheral alterations, these … Continue Reading
On July 18, 2018, New York City’s temporary scheduling provisions of the New York City Fair Workweek Law went into effect. As a reminder, this law requires covered employers to grant employees a maximum of two temporary work schedule changes per calendar year for qualifying personal events. Also, the law prohibits employers from retaliating against … Continue Reading
Earlier this year, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the State’s Budget Bill for fiscal year 2018-19. Astute employers may recall that the Budget Bill has in the past been the Governor’s preferred mechanism for enacting sweeping employment law reforms. For example, the 2016-17 Budget Bill included provisions that will ultimately increase the … Continue Reading
This is the fourth in a series of blog posts concerning recent employment law developments in New York State and City: Legislation Update: New York State Legislature Passes Sweeping Anti-Sexual Harassment Legislation The New York State Legislature has had an eventful year and is showing no sign of slowing down. Adding to the growing federal … Continue Reading
This is the third in a series of blog posts concerning recent employment law developments in New York State and City: The New York City Council is at it again – enacting yet another groundbreaking law intended to create some of the broadest workplace protections in the nation. The law itself – an amendment to … Continue Reading
This is the second in a series of blog posts concerning recent employment law developments in New York State and City: In early November, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio signed into law a bill expanding the City’s paid sick leave law, most notably to include “safe time” for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and … Continue Reading
This is the first in a series of blog posts concerning recent employment law developments in New York State and City: On October 31, 2017, NYC’s salary history ban took effect (Int. 1253-2016). With limited exception, this law bars employers of all sizes from inquiring or requesting information – through any means, including searches of … Continue Reading
New York City, which for years has been a trailblazer in employee-friendly workplace legislation, is at it again. Late last month, the NYC Council proposed a bill that would prohibit non-compete agreements for low-wage workers. The bill would also bar non-competes for all other employees, if the potential that the employee might be asked to … Continue Reading
While pundits and practitioners eagerly await the U.S. Supreme Court’s looming decision on whether class action waivers in employment-related agreements violate the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) – which will not be issued until 2018 – one New York State court has decided to wade into the fracas. On July 18, a New York State … Continue Reading
As we previously reported, the New York City “Freelance Isn’t Free” Act (the Act) took effect on May 15, 2017. The Act requires virtually all entities that engage an independent contractor in NYC for $800 or more in services to execute a written agreement with the contractor before work begins. The Act additionally bars wage … Continue Reading
On May 15, a new law takes effect in New York City that will require written agreements between many, if not most, independent contractors and the entities that engage them. As we previously reported, the “Freelance Isn’t Free” Act (the Act) requires that virtually all entities that engage a “freelance worker” for $800 or more … Continue Reading
On April 5, New York City became the latest jurisdiction to enact legislation barring employers from inquiring into a job applicant’s salary history. Originally introduced last summer at the behest of NYC Public Advocate Letitia James, the bill specifically prohibits businesses from (1) inquiring about the salary history of a job applicant or (2) relying … Continue Reading
