On March 31, 2021, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), which legalizes the adult recreational use of marijuana and revises Section 201-d of the New York Labor Law....more
On March 18, 2020, at Governor Andrew Cuomo’s behest, New York State passed an emergency law that extends paid leave and additional employment protections and benefits immediately to employees involuntarily quarantined in...more
3/20/2020
/ Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Emergency Response ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Governor Cuomo ,
New Legislation ,
Paid Leave ,
Quarantine ,
Sick Leave ,
State of Emergency
As we previously reported, the New York State Senate and Assembly passed an omnibus bill that overhauls New York’s antidiscrimination laws and uproot precedent upon which employers have relied for decades in defending...more
8/14/2019
/ Arbitration ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Contract ,
Harassment ,
Mandatory Arbitration Clauses ,
New Legislation ,
Non-Disclosure Agreement ,
NYCHRL ,
Sexual Harassment ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws
As we previously reported, New York State and New York City has passed sweeping laws aimed at combating sexual harassment in the workplace last year. While many requirements of these laws already went into effect in 2018, the...more
1/17/2019
/ Anti-Harassment Policies ,
Commission on Human Rights ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Local Ordinance ,
New Legislation ,
Notice Requirements ,
NYCHRL ,
Posting Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Sexual Harassment ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws
On April 4, 2016, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation to phase in an increased minimum wage and guarantee paid family leave to all eligible employees throughout New York State. The legislation was part of the...more
As we previously reported, New York City recently passed a law prohibiting employers from requesting or using an individual’s credit history in making employment decisions. On September 3, 2015—the same day that the new law...more
On June 10, 2015, the New York City Council passed the Fair Chance Act (Intro No. 318-A, 2014) by a vote of 45-to-5. The legislation prevents employers from inquiring about job applicants’ criminal arrests and convictions...more
6/15/2015
/ Background Checks ,
Ban the Box ,
City Councils ,
Commission on Human Rights ,
Conditional Job Offers ,
Criminal Background Checks ,
Criminal Records ,
Employment Application ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Employment Policies ,
Fair Chance Act ,
Faragher/Ellerth defense ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Ads ,
Job Applicants ,
Job Offers ,
New Legislation
On April 20, 2015, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signed two new bills into law that authorize the New York City Commission on Human Rights to increase the number of employment discrimination investigations. ...more
Effective December 31, 2014, New York State’s minimum wage will increase from $8.00 to $8.75 per hour. The overtime rate for hourly employees earning the minimum wage will increase to $13.13 per hour. In addition, the minimum...more
Effective November 18, 2014, the City of Rochester, New York will join various states and municipalities around the country—including Buffalo, New York—that prohibit employers from inquiring about a job applicant’s prior...more
On June 26, 2013, New York’s City Council overrode Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s veto and adopted the “Earned Sick Time Act,” making New York City the largest municipality in the country requiring employers to provide paid...more