Entries tagged: labor employment

Another year has come and gone. As we usher in 2019, business owners should know that New York State has also ushered in changes to the minimum wage and the overtime exempt salary threshold effective December 31, 2018. Minimum Wage Increase Employers generally must pay nonexempt employees at least the minimum wage.  Minimum wage throughout […]

As of January 1, 2019, the length of paid leave and amount of weekly benefits under the New York Paid Family Leave Act (“PFLA”) increased, the first of three yearly increases.  The PFLA, which took effect in 2018, provides eligible employees with job-protected, paid time off to (1) bond with a child, (2) care for […]

Suffolk County employers, take note: effective June 30, 2019, employers in the county will be barred from asking about a job applicant’s salary history during the hiring process or relying on any such information to determine compensation. The change is the result of the recently passed Restricting Information on Salaries and Earnings (“RISE”) Act, which […]

Summer may be over, but if your office is like mine, interns are a welcome presence year-round. Hiring interns can be a mutually beneficial experience for both the employer and the intern. Interns develop hands-on experience in a field they are interested in pursuing, and a company gets a fresh take on things from the […]

A standard provision typically included in non-compete agreements is a “partial enforceability” provision that gives the Court the power to modify or “blue pencil” the terms of the agreement if the Court finds the restrictive covenant to be overly broad. For example, if a Court finds that a non-compete provision restricting an employee from working […]

There has been an aggressive push over the past couple of years by state legislators around the country and the federal government to enact legislation prohibiting or limiting the use of non-compete agreements by employers.  One such bill, entitled the Workplace Mobility Act, was introduced in the U.S. Senate in late April 2018 and seeks […]

Sexual harassment in the workplace is by no means a new issue, but in the wake of the #MeToo movement, New York lawmakers have taken action to address it. While well-prepared employers have had sexual harassment policies and training in place for some time, under new legislation, passed as part of the 2019 New York […]

The Internet has become a necessity for the marketing and promotion of businesses, services, and merchandise. An evolving legal issue is website accessibility to those with disabilities and the applicability of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). Accessibility of public websites and compliance with the ADA in connection with public websites may […]

Given the recent headlines, all employers should be reminded that they have a legal duty to maintain a workplace that is free from sexual harassment. Sexual harassment suits are prosecuted under the same federal and state laws that are used to sue employers for racial discrimination and harassment, so it is critical that every employer […]

Businesses with employees in New York City, take note: beginning October 31, 2017, employers cannot inquire about an applicant’s salary history (wages, benefits, or other compensation) or rely on that history to make decisions in the hiring process, such as determination of salary, benefits, or in the negotiation of an employment contract. It’s critical that […]