On July 27, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised its COVID-19 guidance, recommending that even individuals who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 should resume wearing masks in public...more
It was just last month when the state of California announced the state’s reopening and what many hoped to be the end of pandemic life and various COVID-19-related restrictions. Most significant for many, face masks—which...more
7/20/2021
/ City of Los Angeles ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Local Ordinance ,
Masks ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Workplace Safety
On May 13, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that Americans who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no longer need to wear a face covering or practice physically distancing in any...more
With COVID-19 vaccines becoming more accessible throughout the United States, but vaccination opportunities often limited to “business” hours, employers are experiencing an increase in requests for time off from work to...more
4/16/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Incentive Plans ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Labor Regulations ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Sick Leave ,
Vaccinations ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
On December 16, 2020, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued much-anticipated guidance to employers considering COVID-19 vaccination programs for their employees as to their obligations under federal civil...more
12/18/2020
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Civil Rights Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
GINA ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Title VII ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
After weeks or months of remote work or closed operations, businesses are understandably eager to resume normal operations and bring employees back to the workplace. Employers must be mindful, however, of currently...more
The increased spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States presents employers with significant workplace challenges. The following Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are designed to address some of the...more
As of November 8, 2019, New York State prohibits employment discrimination based on an employee’s or a dependent’s “reproductive health decision making.” The New York State Legislature passed the bill in January 2019, and...more
11/18/2019
/ Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Anti-Retaliation Provisions ,
Back Pay ,
Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employee Handbooks ,
Employee Privacy Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Governor Cuomo ,
Injunctive Relief ,
Liquidated Damages ,
Reproductive Discrimination ,
State Labor Laws ,
Waivers
As its session draws to a close, the New York State Legislature substantially revised the state’s anti-discrimination and anti-harassment laws this week, and Governor Andrew Cuomo has promised to sign the new measures...more
6/21/2019
/ #MeToo ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Corporate Culture ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Faragher/Ellerth defense ,
Harassment ,
Hostile Environment ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Non-Disclosure Agreement ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Sex Discrimination ,
Sexual Harassment ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Statute of Limitations
As we have previously reported, New York State and New York City both enacted legislation in 2018 that require New York employers to train their employees in workplace sexual harassment prevention. ...more
4/11/2019
/ #MeToo ,
Anti-Harassment Policies ,
Corporate Culture ,
Employee Rights ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Hostile Environment ,
Local Ordinance ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Risk Management ,
Sex Discrimination ,
Sexual Harassment ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws
The New York City Commission on Human Rights (NYCCHR) released enforcement guidance on Monday, February 18, 2019, defining discrimination based on natural hair and hairstyles as a subset of race discrimination....more
2/22/2019
/ Adverse Employment Action ,
Civil Rights Act ,
Dress Codes ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Hiring & Firing ,
New Guidance ,
NYCHRL ,
Protected Class ,
Race Discrimination ,
Religious Expression ,
Risk Management ,
State and Local Government ,
Title VII
In case you missed it: On December 20, 2018, the New York City (NYC) Council added “sexual and other reproductive health decisions” to the list of protected classes under the NYC Human Rights Law. ...more
On November 17, 2018, Sections 8-102 and 8-107(22) of the New York City Administrative Code were amended to require employers in New York City with four or more employees to (1) provide designated lactation room(s) for...more
As previously reported, this year both the State of New York and the City of New York enacted legislation requiring employers to distribute sexual harassment prevention policies and to train their workforce about the...more
11/15/2018
/ #MeToo ,
Anti-Harassment Policies ,
Corporate Culture ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Entertainment Industry ,
Harassment ,
Hostile Environment ,
Local Ordinance ,
Nightclubs ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Sexual Harassment ,
State and Local Government
On Monday, October 1, 2018, the State of New York released final versions of a sexual harassment policy, complaint form, and employee training relating to sexual harassment, among other guidance, pursuant to legislation...more
10/2/2018
/ #MeToo ,
Anti-Harassment Policies ,
Civil Rights Act ,
Complaint Procedures ,
Corporate Culture ,
Deadlines ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Harassment ,
Hostile Environment ,
Internal Reporting ,
Non-Disclosure Agreement ,
Risk Management ,
Sex Discrimination ,
Sexual Harassment ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Title VII ,
Tone At The Top
As addressed in our previous ASAP, New York State enacted new legislation in April 2018 targeting workplace sex discrimination and sexual harassment. ...more
9/10/2018
/ #MeToo ,
Anti-Harassment Policies ,
Complaint Procedures ,
Corporate Culture ,
Employee Rights ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
Harassment ,
Hostile Environment ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Sex Discrimination ,
Sexual Harassment ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws
In April 2018, New York State and New York City each adopted expansive legislation directed at educating employees about workplace sexual harassment and reducing the incidence of harassment claims, as we reported in our prior...more
Both the New York State Legislature and the New York City Council recently adopted new legislation targeting sex discrimination and sexual harassment in the workplace. ...more
4/17/2018
/ Anti-Harassment Policies ,
Civil Rights Act ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Harassment ,
Hostile Environment ,
New Legislation ,
Risk Management ,
Sexual Harassment ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Title VII