On November 1, 2021, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill expanding New York State's Paid Family Leave program (“NY PFL”). As many employers are aware, NY PFL went into effect in 2018 and currently entitles employees in New York State to up to twelve weeks of partially paid leave to bond with their child, care for a family member with a serious health condition, and for certain reasons related to military exigency. Under this new amendment, siblings are now included under the definition of “family member” for the purposes of NY PFL caregiving leave.
Read MoreAs addressed in our prior client alerts, available here and here, earlier this year, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) issued guidance for employers regarding how employer-imposed COVID-19 vaccine mandates interact with federal anti-discrimination laws. Last week, the EEOC issued additional guidance on employee requests for religious accommodations to these mandates.
Read MoreYesterday, the New York State Commissioner of Health (the “Commissioner”) extended the designation of COVID-19 as a highly contagious communicable disease under the HERO Act until December 15, 2021. The Commissioner will again review the level of transmission of COVID-19 in New York State on approximately December 15th and determine whether to continue this designation. As such, the airborne infectious disease policies required by the HERO Act remain implemented and in effect.
Read MoreAs employers will recall, effective March 2021, employers are prohibited from terminating or otherwise discriminating against an employee for their legal use of cannabis outside the employee’s work hours, off the employer’s premises, and without use of the employer’s equipment or property. Recently, the New York State Department of Labor released Frequently Asked Questions (“FAQs”) regarding the application of this new protection to the workplace.
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