On December 28, 2022, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law Senate Bill 9450, which added new enforcement provisions to the New York Health And Essential Rights Act’s (NY HERO Act) workplace safety committee...more
For more than two and a half years, employers across the country have navigated a nuanced web of legal requirements and guidance to safely operate during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Recent updates to the legal landscape at...more
On September 20, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced that New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for private employers is ending. The City’s mandate for municipal employees, however, will remain in effect....more
After two and a half years of promoting protocols aimed at reducing transmission of coronavirus, on August 11, 2022, the CDC eliminated its recommendation that people quarantine after exposure to COVID-19 and updated other...more
On February 9, 2022, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that she would let the New York mask mandate lapse on its Thursday, February 10, 2022 expiration date. The Governor’s lifting of the statewide rule, which required...more
In the United States, the federal government has faced challenges in imposing vaccination mandates for large private employers, federal contractors, and certain health care employees. Because of that, choices around...more
2/8/2022
/ Complaint Procedures ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Covered Entities ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
Exemptions ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
As we previously reported, in December New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued a mandate requiring that masks be worn in all indoor public places, unless the business or venue requires proof of vaccination for entry. As part...more
On December 22, 2021, the New York State Department of Labor (NY DOL) issued the long-awaited proposed rule (Proposed Rule) regarding the workplace safety committees that are required by the New York HERO Act (HERO Act)....more
On December 27, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced an update to its isolation and quarantine guidance. Although the CDC’s update shortens both the isolation and quarantine periods, as...more
New York City’s private employer vaccine mandate became effective Monday. December 27, 2021 and, the City has updated its FAQs document and the Accommodations Guidance document (“Guidance”)....more
On December 17, 2021, a divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit lifted the nationwide injunction against the COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) issued by...more
12/21/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Health and Safety ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
On December 15, 2021, New York City followed up on the recently announced vaccine mandate for private employers by releasing further details, including several guidance documents and mandatory signage. The New York City...more
On November 4, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released the long-awaited COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) for employers with 100 or more employees. At the...more
This is Part II of a three-part series called, “The Future of Work.” The Three sessions of the series address many of the issues attendant to returning to the workplace. Panelists explore:
- the implications of mandatory...more
8/17/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Remote Working ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
Vaccinations ,
Vaccine Passports ,
Webinars ,
Workplace Safety
This is Part II of a three-part series called, “The Future of Work.” The Three sessions of the series address many of the issues attendant to returning to the workplace. Panelists explore:
- the implications of mandatory...more
8/16/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Remote Working ,
Retailers ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
Vaccinations ,
Vaccine Passports ,
Webinars ,
Workplace Safety
On June 15, 2021, New York State celebrated reaching 70 percent of its adult population having received at least one vaccination dose. As a result, the State lifted most of its New York Forward industry-specific COVID-19...more
At long last, on June 8, 2021, the New York State Department of Health (“DOH”) released an update to Interim Guidance previously issued on May 15, 2021, containing current recommendations for employers that operate in an...more
6/11/2021
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
New York ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Popular ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On May 28, 2021, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) announced the release of updated guidance regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, providing welcome clarity around a number of vaccine-related issues for...more
Welcome to #WorkforceWednesday. This week, we focus on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) new guidance for vaccinated individuals and what it means for accommodations.
Employers Navigate New CDC...more
5/19/2021
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Health and Safety ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
Public Accommodation ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Remote Working ,
Social Distancing ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
Taking the lead on permanently enshrining COVID-19-related health and safety protocols into law, on May 5, 2021, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed A2681B/S1034—the Health and Essential Rights Act (“HERO Act” or “Act”)....more
5/14/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Governor Cuomo ,
Health and Safety ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New York ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
Workplace Safety
The New York City Council is planning to evaluate how effectively both the City, as an employer, and private employers disseminated and implemented COVID-19 workplace guidance over the past year with the goal of strengthening...more
On February 10, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) issued updated guidance and a report emphasizing the importance of a wearing a mask that fits tightly over the face to slow the spread of COVID-19....more
In response to a lawsuit brought by New York State (“State”), the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York has invalidated four provisions of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) Final Rule (“Rule”)...more
8/17/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Paid Leave ,
Public Health ,
Sick Leave ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
It’s #WorkforceWednesday! We invite you to watch the week’s top workforce management and employment law news, and read about the most significant developments impacting employers.
Coronavirus Outbreak: A Balancing Act for...more