News

Download PDFOver the past week, federal and New York State laws have been enacted to require certain employers to provide paid benefits to employees who cannot work as a result of COVID-19. New York State Law Obligations As of March 18, 2020, New York State’s COVID-19 Quarantine Leave Law (Quarantine Leave Law) requires employers, with limited exceptions, to provide job protection and up to 14 days of paid quarantine benefits to employees who are unable to work because they are [...]

Download PDFIn an effort to help our employer clients deal with the constantly changing workplace circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Whiteman Osterman & Hanna is providing the following checklist of strategies and issues for employers to consider:  Can you reduce employee work schedules or employee pay rates?  You should consider:Is the employee non-exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) (i.e., entitled to overtime if he or she works more than 40 [...]

ALBANY, N.Y. (January 2, 2020) – Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP, the Capital Region’s largest law firm, has announced three new partners:  Christopher W. Meyer, Monica R. Skanes, and Brian M. Wang.  Chris Meyer leads the firm’s Privacy, Cybersecurity and Information Management practice, helping clients protect critical business and consumer information.  He also represents clients in commercial litigation, corporate transactions, and regulatory compliance [...]

Whiteman Osterman & Hanna of counsel Ellen Bach was featured in the article "What Employers Need to Know About New York's New Harassment Prevention Law" in the July 9 edition of the Albany Business Review. The article highlights changes in the new law and how those changes could have major implications for employers. Click here for the full article.

In June 2019, the New York State Legislature adopted four major pieces of legislation that will have sweeping impacts on public and private employers in New York State.  Three of these bills have already been signed into law – (1) a law requiring employers to provide equal pay to employees in all protected classes, (2) a law prohibiting employers from requesting information and making decisions based on applicant and employee wage and salary histories, and (3) a law expanding the [...]