The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) recently published a proposed rule governing how employers pay their employees through direct deposit and payroll debit cards. While the majority of the proposed rule focuses on new requirements regarding the use of payroll cards, the proposal, if adopted, would also effectively require every Empire State employer … Continue Reading
On May 4, a New York City law barring discrimination against “caregivers” took effect. Specifically, the law prohibits employers from taking an adverse action (e.g., refusing to hire, firing, or demoting), or otherwise discriminating against an employee with respect to the terms and conditions of employment, based on the employee’s actual or perceived status as … Continue Reading
For any New York employer who thought that the state’s workplace rules and regulations were too easy to comply with, I have good news for you. Empire State lawmakers recently announced an agreement on the 2016-2017 state budget that includes both a complicated, location-specific minimum wage increase, and a comprehensive paid family leave scheme that … Continue Reading
On October 27, 2015, New York City adopted a so-called “ban the box” law, titled the Fair Chance Act, that severely restricts what employers can ask during the hiring process. Specifically, the Fair Chance Act prohibits most employers from inquiring about an applicant’s criminal record until after the employer extends a conditional offer of employment. … Continue Reading
The New York City Council, long-known for pushing the envelope when it comes to employment legislation, is at it again. The legislature is poised, in the near future, to pass a first-of-its-kind bill that would require written agreements between independent contractors and the entities that engage them (the Bill). The Bill would also impose substantial … Continue Reading
The New York City Council’s targeted attacks on specific industries continue unabated. After levying onerous new labor law requirements on car washes this past summer, the Council recently turned its attention to the grocery industry, passing a bill dubbed the Grocery Worker Retention Act (the Act). The Act requires that successor grocery employers retain their … Continue Reading
So much for a quiet year-end for New York City employers. In the final weeks of 2015, NYC government officials took two actions that will have a significant impact on the city’s business community, first passing a bill banning “caregiver” discrimination and then, just days later, issuing sweeping guidance regarding gender identity and expression discrimination. … Continue Reading
2015 was a hectic year on the New York labor and employment law front, yielding mixed results for employers and, in many instances, creating more questions than answers. A myriad of state and local laws were proposed (and many passed into law), and a rash of federal and state court decisions have re-shaped an array … Continue Reading
Effective January 1, 2016, most New York City employers with 20 or more full-time employees will be required by law to offer those employees the opportunity to use pre-tax earnings to purchase qualified transportation fringe benefits, other than parking. Essentially, the new law – dubbed the Affordable Transit Act (the Act) – requires employers to … Continue Reading
Today’s New York employment law landscape is increasingly dynamic, with a constant stream of newly issued legislation and judicial opinions. To keep our readers current on the latest developments, we will share regular summaries of recent developments affecting Empire State employers. Here’s what happened in October and November 2015: NYC Agency Issues Guidance on New … Continue Reading
On October 21, 2015, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law a series of bills that expands the state’s gender-based employment protections. The bills are part of a legislative package, known more commonly as the Women’s Equality Act, which Cuomo first introduced back in 2013 in an effort to combat perceived workplace sex discrimination, among … Continue Reading
Less than two months after the effective date of a new law barring employers’ use of credit checks, another new law restricting the pre-employment process takes effect in New York City today, October 27, 2015 (the Fair Chance Act or the Act). As we previously reported here, the Act prohibits employers from inquiring about a … Continue Reading
As we are now in the final quarter of 2015, New York State employers should begin preparing for the many impending minimum wage increases – yes, there will be multiple increases – all of which take effect December 31, 2015. The details of each are discussed below. General Increase for Non-Exempt and Exempt Workers The … Continue Reading
Today’s New York employment law landscape is increasingly dynamic, with a constant stream of newly issued legislation and judicial opinions. To keep our readers current on the latest events, we share regular summaries of recent developments affecting Empire State employers. Here’s what happened during the period from July–September 2015: NYC Agency Issues Guidance on New … Continue Reading
A new law restricting the pre-employment process takes effect in New York City today, September 3, 2015 (the Law). As we previously reported, the Law bars most employers in NYC from requesting or considering, for employment purposes, a prospective or current employee’s “consumer credit history” – which means the creditworthiness, credit standing, credit capacity, or … Continue Reading
Developments in wage and hour law made major waves for employers this summer. They include: (1) proposed new overtime regulations from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL); (2) an announced crackdown by the DOL on employers who engage independent contractors; (3) new federal court standards for assessing whether unpaid interns should be paid like traditional … Continue Reading
As previously reported, Gov. Andrew Cuomo in May empaneled a three-person wage board (the Board) to study and fix perceived wage inequality suffered by New York’s fast food workers – including by recommending whether, and by how much, to raise their minimum wage. Cuomo’s actions were a direct response to state lawmakers’ snub of his … Continue Reading
Just weeks after prohibiting employers from using credit checks, the New York City Council Wednesday passed yet another bill that handcuffs businesses attempting to vet new job applicants. Most notably, the bill, commonly referred to as the Fair Chance Act (the Act), bars employers from inquiring about a job applicant’s criminal history before extending a conditional offer … Continue Reading
This post was written by Cindy S. Minniti and Mark S. Goldstein. Today’s New York employment law landscape is increasingly dynamic, with a constant stream of newly issued legislation and judicial opinions. To keep our readers current on the latest developments, we will share regular summaries of recent developments affecting Empire State employers. Here’s what … Continue Reading
This post was written by Cindy S. Minniti and Mark S. Goldstein. With summer right around the corner, many high school and college students are preparing to begin unpaid internship programs at companies across the country. Such programs have long been considered a staple for U.S. businesses, as well as a valuable option for students … Continue Reading
This post was written by Cindy S. Minniti and Mark S. Goldstein. Today’s New York employment law landscape is increasingly dynamic, with a constant stream of newly issued legislation and judicial opinions. To keep our readers current on the latest developments, we will share regular summaries of recent developments affecting Empire State employers. Here’s what … Continue Reading
This post was written by Cindy S. Minniti and Mark S. Goldstein. New York City employers who routinely use credit checks as part of the pre-employment process may be in for a rude awakening. Earlier today, the NYC Council passed legislation that bars most employers with four or more employees, as well as employment agencies, … Continue Reading
Today’s New York employment law landscape is increasingly dynamic, with a constant stream of new legislation and judicial opinions. To keep our readers current on the latest developments, we will share regular summaries of recent developments affecting Empire State employers. Here’s what happened in February 2015: Likely Rise in Pre-Tip Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers … Continue Reading
As we previously reported, the New York State Legislature last June passed a Bill, intended to revitalize the Wage Theft Prevention Act (WTPA), that proposed significant changes to the state’s labor laws. Among other things, the Bill eliminated the requirement that employers furnish annual wage notices to employees between January 1 and February 1. On … Continue Reading
