On December 6, 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul signed new legislation, S.6635/A.5745, to support employees facing job-related mental health issues. The law, which went into effect on January 1, 2025, will allow any employee to...more
1/9/2025
/ Compliance ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Mental Health ,
New Legislation ,
New York ,
Retroactive Application ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workers Compensation Board ,
Workers’ Compensation ,
Workplace Safety
On February 9, 2022, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the state is largely discontinuing the mandate that businesses require proof of vaccination or masks to enter the premises. The mandate will remain in...more
2/11/2022
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Essential Rights (HERO) Act ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
New York ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health ,
Vaccinations ,
Vaccine Passports ,
Workplace Safety
As previously reported, New York City’s vaccination mandate for private employers goes into effect on December 27, 2021. This measure, issued as an order from the New York City health commissioner in response to a public...more
12/17/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Local Ordinance ,
Masks ,
New York ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
In a November 4, 2021 opinion, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld New York’s vaccine mandate for healthcare workers, rejecting arguments advanced by healthcare professionals in two different district...more
11/11/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Equal Protection ,
Essential Workers ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Motion To Enjoin ,
OSHA ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Religious Exemption ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On September 23, 2021, the New York State Department of Labor updated its requirements for face coverings contained in its model airborne infectious disease exposure prevention plan. ...more
9/24/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Health and Essential Rights (HERO) Act ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New York ,
Occupational Exposure ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Safety Standards ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On September 6, 2021, the New York State commissioner of health designated COVID-19 as a highly contagious communicable disease, thereby triggering certain requirements under the New York Health and Essential Rights (HERO)...more
On August 26, 2021, the New York State Department of Health’s Public Health and Health Planning Council (PHHPC) approved emergency regulations that institute a broad vaccine mandate for New York healthcare facilities. ...more
8/31/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Essential Workers ,
Health and Safety ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
New York City recently implemented the Key to NYC Pass, which requires patrons and employees of certain indoor entertainment, recreation, dining, and fitness establishments to prove that they have received at least one dose...more
8/20/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Entertainment Venues ,
Health and Safety ,
Individual Mandate ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Local Ordinance ,
NYCHRL ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Vaccinations ,
Vaccine Passports ,
Workplace Safety
On August 16, 2021, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that all healthcare workers in New York State, including staff at hospitals and long-term care facilities such as nursing homes, adult care facilities and other...more
8/19/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Essential Workers ,
Health and Safety ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Long Term Care Facilities ,
Nursing Homes ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
Earlier this month, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city would be implementing the “Key to NYC Pass” requiring that patrons and employees of certain indoor entertainment, recreation, dining and fitness...more
8/18/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Covered Entities ,
Entertainment Venues ,
Health and Safety ,
Individual Mandate ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Local Ordinance ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Resorts & Restaurants ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On August 3, 2021, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the nation’s first vaccine mandate applying not only to employees, but also patrons of indoor dining facilities, indoor fitness facilities, and indoor...more
8/5/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
State and Local Government ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
As we previously reported, in an effort to prevent occupational exposure to an airborne infectious disease, the New York legislature on May 5, 2021 passed the New York Health and Essential Rights Act, or NY HERO Act, which...more
In an effort to prevent occupational exposure to an airborne infectious disease, the New York legislature has passed the aptly named New York Health and Essential Rights Act, or NY HERO Act, which amends the New York Labor...more
Effective May 19, 2021, New York State has adopted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s May 13 “Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People” for most commercial operations and public...more
5/21/2021
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Social Distancing ,
State and Local Government ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
In an effort to prevent the occupational exposure to an airborne infectious disease, the New York legislature has passed the aptly named New York Health and Essential Rights Act, or NY HERO Act, which amends the New York...more
4/30/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Safety Management Systems ,
State and Local Government ,
Workplace Safety