Wednesday, March 11th in Albany, NY, state lawmakers voted in empty chambers on bills following emergency coronavirus (COVID-19) protocols put in place after two lawmakers tested positive for the deadly virus.
The New York State Senate and Assembly passed a bill expanding paid sick leave to all public and private sector workers affected by mandatory or precautionary quarantine due to the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
New York State Governor, Andrew Cuomo
New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law directly after a legislation that covered a 14 day period. Following the signing, politicians were given strict guidelines to help reduce their social interaction.
The New York State Capitol is closed to both public and staff, who have been working to clear the building around the clock. With the exception of leadership, most of the 63 member state Senate have been voted from their offices.
Before voting ‘yes’ on the bill, leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “Every aspect of our lives are changed, and changed probably for a very, very long time.” The bill passed 50 to 6.
Democrats and Republicans were both divided into voting groups because the 150-member state Assembly forced a maximum of 30 individuals in the room at once. Any members who wanted to debate the legislation entered the chamber together for discussion.
The measure passed 131 to 3.
With a state budget deadline of April 1 hanging over the heads of Governor Cuomo and the Legislative leaders, it’s unclear when politicians will be able to return to Albany to vote, but aides have said agreements can be taken care of over the phone.
On October 28th, former staff-attorney, Kisshia Simmons-Grant, filed a lawsuit against Quinn Emanuel in New York City alleging race discrimination. Ms. Simmons-Grant worked for the law firm from November, 2006 to August, 2010, as part of a group of 20-25 staff attorneys. The group was paid on an hourly basis, and Ms. Simmons-Grant claims that they were […]
The New York Wage Theft Prevention Act (the “Act”), in effect April 12, 2011, amends the New York Labor Law to provide greater protections for employees in New York. The Act also imposes tougher penalties for employers who fail to pay their employees overtime or minimum wage. Increased Employee Notice Requirements The current Labor Law in […]
Rosenthal v. Proskauer Rose, 111343-11: Former CFO of Proskauer Rose, Elly Rosenthal, sued the law firm for $10 million for alleged gender discrimination in New York. Ms. Rosenthal claims that after 16 years of excellent performance, the law firm demoted her, denying her pay increases, then wrongfully terminated her employment after she took medical leave for breast cancer treatment. Plaintiff claims […]
With the unemployment rate above 9%, millions of Americans are desperately in search of a job. Yet, is it fair for employers to ask applicants for their username and password to social media sites like Facebook? Today, more than 50% of employers rely on social media when recruiting applicants. At first glance, why shouldn’t an […]
Over the course of a decade, changes in social opinion and the economy led to significant advances in women’s roles in society and in history. Major social changes between 1964 and 1974 allowed women to strive to be more than housewives and homemakers. “This entire sex for the entire history of the world was regarded […]
Governor of New York State, Andrew Cuomo, has guaranteed workers job protection and financial compensation in the event they are subject to an order of mandatory or precautionary quarantine or isolation issued by their local board of health, the Department of Health, or the state of NY. The majority of workers will receive financial compensation […]
Amid the current coronavirus (COIVID-19) outbreak, the New York Legislature has enacted legislation that gives workers emergency paid leave for coronavirus. To better understand this legislation, and its conditions and requirements, we have shared below a Fact Sheet compiled by A Better Balance on New York State's Emergency Paid Sick Leave Legislation containing all that […]
Wednesday, March 11th in Albany, NY, state lawmakers voted in empty chambers on bills following emergency coronavirus (COVID-19) protocols put in place after two lawmakers tested positive for the deadly virus. The New York State Senate and Assembly passed a bill expanding paid sick leave to all public and private sector workers affected by mandatory […]
March 25th, 2020 - In order to help workers and employers navigate the leave provisions of the recent coronavirus (COVID-19) relief package, The U.S. Department of Labor has issued guidance that helps many employers pay employees that are unable to work because of coronavirus related issues. Fact sheets and Q&A documents are being used for […]
This Sunday, May 3rd at 9pm EST, I will be featured on Raising The Bar as we discuss Worker's Rights during the current Covid pandemic. Tune in for the latest information about your rights in this troubling time. Here's a brief preview of what to expect.
