A common way for employers to boost employee morale and promote team building is to host non-work related recreational activities, such as sports teams and bowling events. While most employers are mindful of the potential for workers’ compensation and negligence liabilities for injuries occurring during these events, the overwhelming majority of employers do not know … Read more
Historically, many employers provided paid maternity leave to mothers, while providing little to no leave to fathers. While employers may provide leave that is tied to childbirth to birth mothers only, nowadays, employers must provide post-childbirth leave for bonding and childcare purposes to both male and females on an equal basis. Failure to do so … Read more
A variation of this post appeared on my website a number of years ago following the initial wave of unpaid intern lawsuits that were filed in New York in 2011 and 2012. One of the questions that presented itself as a result of those lawsuits was: What’s the appropriate test for an unpaid internship? In … Read more
For one reason or another, there are a number of employers that don’t have an employee handbook. Usually it is because they are too new a business with too few employees to justify having one, or they consider handbooks oppressive documents that employees never read anyway. It’s not the subject of this post, so I … Read more
Much has been written about the sexual harassment training now required for New York and NYC employers as a result of the #MeToo movement. The requirements, however, differ slightly for each jurisdiction. Here is a cheat sheet to the Who, What, When and How of the requirements under both laws. Who? All employees must be … Read more
The federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act offers protection to workers and their families by requiring employers to provide 60 days’ notice to the employees and certain specified government agencies and officials in advance of covered mass layoffs and plant/office closings. An employer who violates the WARN notice requirements is liable to each … Read more
In a prior post, we discussed how to draft a lactation break policy to accommodate nursing mothers and comply with federal and New York state law. Come March 18, NYC will place two additional obligations on NYC employers. The new obligations build upon existing New York state law, which currently requires covered employers to provide … Read more
As 2018 wraps up, it’s time to take a quick look at some of the changes New York City employers should expect in the year ahead. Minimum Wage Increases On December 31, 2018, New York’s minimum wage will increase as follows: NYC – Large Employers (of 11 or more) – $15.00/hour NYC – Small Employers … Read more
Snow will soon be here and employers will have to make decisions about whether to close, keep regular hours, allow some or all employees to work from home, or have a delayed opening. The considerations from a labor and employment law perspective, as always, are many. We discuss some of them below. Safety The most important factor … Read more
Have you heard of “spread of hours” pay, “split shift” pay, and “call-in” pay? Don’t be surprised if you haven’t. New York has three extra pay requirements that aren’t found in the New York Labor Law, but rather in industry-specific wage orders promulgated by the Commissioner of Labor. The result is that some of the … Read more
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In addition, please be advised that the transmission of information via this website or by e-mail does not establish an attorney-client relationship. An attorney-client relationship with the Law Office of Kristine A. Sova is not established until and unless the Law Office of Kristine A. Sova agrees to such a relationship in a separate written document.
If you are not a current client of the Law Office of Kristine A. Sova, please do not include any information in this e-mail that you or someone else considers to be of a confidential or secret nature. The Law Office of Kristine A. Sova has no duty to keep confidential any of the information you provide.
In addition, please be advised that the transmission of information via this website or by e-mail does not establish an attorney-client relationship. An attorney-client relationship with the Law Office of Kristine A. Sova is not established until and unless the Law Office of Kristine A. Sova agrees to such a relationship in a separate written document.