News

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 [...]

Effective April 12, 2019, all public and private New York State employers are now required to permit an employee up to three hours of paid time off (PTO) to vote in any public election, if the employee (1) is registered to vote, and (2) requests the time off at least two business days prior to the election.  An employee may request this PTO to vote regardless of the employee’s work schedules or working hours.  However, employers have the option to designate when during the [...]

On July 16, 2019, the Governor signed the Farm Laborers Fair Labor Practices Act into law.   When the Act becomes effective on January 1, 2020, it will provide the following labor protections for the first time to farm workers in New York State:  eligibility for overtime pay for any work over 60 hours per week, at an overtime rate of one and one-half times the laborer’s regular rate of pay; a full 24-hours day of rest each week; an 8-hour work day; disability [...]

Whiteman Osterman & Hanna partner Robert Schofield was recently appointed to the New York State Bar Association's Executive Committee as Vice President, 3rd District.  Robert is a partner with Whiteman Osterman & Hanna's Labor and Employment, Education, and Litigation, Aribitration and Mediation practice groups.

Whiteman Osterman & Hanna and Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. hosted over 110 attendees at the Desmond Hotel on Tuesday, September 12 for a presentation on what companies need to do to prepare for the NYS Paid Family Leave Act which goes into effect on January 1, 2018. Presenters Bob Schofield and Monica Skanes from Whiteman Osterman & Hanna, Joanne Schneider from Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., and Quinn Rapp-Ellis from the NYS Workers' Compensation Board provided an overview of the PFL [...]