COVID-19

DHS Incentivizes Employers to Enroll in E-Verify Program

November 9, 2023COVID-19, Federal Employment Developments, HR Policies

The window has now closed for employers to catch-up on physically inspecting work authorization documentation for individuals who were hired during the pandemic. At the same time, regulations from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that to... Read More..

Workplace Investigations: Video vs. In-Person Interviews

August 4, 2022Connecticut Employers, COVID-19, Employee Relations, New Jersey Employers, New York City Employers, New York Employers, Tri-State Employers, Workplace Investigations

Prior to the pandemic, in-person interviews were generally considered the preferred method of conducting workplace investigations. They allowed the investigator to build rapport with the interviewee, the investigator could observe behaviors by the... Read More..

3 Key Considerations Under GINA – the Federal Law You May Have Overlooked

August 1, 2022Connecticut Employers, COVID-19, Employee Relations, Harassment/Discrimination, HR Policies, New Jersey Employers, New York City Employers, New York Employers

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) may be the sleepiest of the federal EEO laws, the one that many employers have never heard of or have entirely forgotten. It prohibits employers from collecting genetic information from employe... Read More..

EEOC Removes Employers’ Blanket Authorization to Test Employees for COVID-19

July 18, 2022Connecticut Employers, COVID-19, Employee Relations, HR Policies, New Jersey Employers, New York City Employers, New York Employers, Tri-State Employers

Responding to the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has concluded that we are past the emergency stage when it was always considered appropriate for employers to require screening tests of emplo... Read More..

COVID Mandates Have Lessened But Employers Still Have Obligations

May 16, 2022Connecticut Employers, COVID-19, Employer Notice Requirements, HR Policies, New Jersey Employers, New York City Employers, New York Employers, Paid Leave Time, Sick and Safe Leave

By Alexandra Lapes and Tracey I. Levy New York State employers may now suspend implementation of their infectious disease prevention plans (otherwise known as HERO Act plains), as the state’s order designating COVID-19 as a highly contagious co... Read More..

Wait, I Have to Pay Employees for Separate COVID Leave?

February 4, 2022COVID-19, New Jersey Employers, New York City Employers, New York Employers, Paid Leave Time, Sick and Safe Leave

By Alexandra Lapes and Tracey I. Levy Employers in New York State, New York City, and New Jersey must be aware of continuing COVID leave obligations, particularly concerning paid sick leave, that remain in effect despite the expiration of the f... Read More..

NY Employers Must Recognize Employee Requests for Workplace Safety Committees

January 10, 2022COVID-19, HR Policies, New York City Employers, New York Employers

By Nida Jamshed and Tracey I. Levy New York employers focusing on COVID-19 compliance may overlook additional workplace health and safety obligations imposed by the HERO Act, for which the New York State Department of Labor issued proposed regu... Read More..

Diverging Vaccine Mandates at NYC/NYS/Fed Levels Present Pitfalls for Unwary Employers

December 21, 2021COVID-19, Employee Relations, Employer Notice Requirements, HR Policies, New York City Employers, New York Employers, Others

By: Alexandra Lapes and Tracey I. Levy Employers in New York face a panoply of overlapping and inconsistent obligations at the local, state and federal levels as the government seeks to contend with the latest threats from COVID-19. New York i... Read More..

NYCCHR/EEOC Diverge on Accommodations to Vaccine Mandates

November 19, 2021COVID-19, Employee Relations, HR Policies, New York City Employers

By Tracey I. Levy and Alex Lapes Recent updates to technical assistance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and guidance from the New York City Commission on Human Rights (Commission) reflect the continuously evolving expect... Read More..