A bill awaiting the expected signature of NY Governor Andrew Cuomo is going to make the lives of workplace discrimination victims much easier with comprehensive reforms of and new additions to existing law. Last month, the New York State Assembly passed a bill to strengthen the protections and rights of those who have been subjected to workplace discrimination and harassment. If signed into Continue Reading...
New York Expands Equal Pay Rights
The US Women’s Soccer Team, which won the World Cup this year, has been in a visible fight for equal pay on the international stage, as the US men’s team gets paid more but performs abysmally in comparison. On July 10, the day that New York City celebrated the women’s international triumph, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a law that expanded the already-existing New York Pay Equity Law. It will take Continue Reading...
NYC Officials Resign Quietly After Harassment Complaints
Kevin O’Brien, former chief of staff of NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, was “quietly forced to resign after complaints of sexual harassment filed by two female city employees were substantiated,” according to a report by The New York Times. He and three other city officials exited their jobs in a similar manner: the reasons for their departures were not publicly announced. The city claimed it was to Continue Reading...
The Right to Disconnect in NYC: How Will It Work?
A bill currently pending in New York City Council would prohibit employers from requiring their employees to respond to work-related electronic communications outside the employees’ standard working hours. Proposed in an effort to relieve over-worked employees who may face repercussions if not accessible around the clock, this bill aims to allow workers to disconnect their job from their Continue Reading...
Gender Discrimination in New York
New York State, City, and federal law prohibit employers from discriminating on the basis of sex or gender. Gender, or sex, discrimination occurs when an employee is treated unfairly or unequally based on the fact that the employee is a man or woman. The New York City Human Rights Law was amended in 2002 to change the definition of gender to include an individual’s actual or perceived sex. An Continue Reading...
Severance Agreements in New York
Severance packages are not required under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). However, most employers throughout the country provide these payments to terminated employees. Because each employer is different, it is important to look at your company’s personnel manual, or policy, on severance packages. Employers who provide severance packages usually have a formula to calculate the benefits based Continue Reading...
Overtime in NY
What constitutes overtime in NY? New York overtime is a hotly contested area and is the focus of many lawsuits by employees who have been denied overtime pay or have been misclassified as an exempt employee who is not entitled to overtime pay. These are the two most common forms of overtime in NY litigation. The first category is denial of overtime. An employee working in New York is Continue Reading...
What is Considered Sexual Harassment in New York?
Every employee is entitled to a work environment free from any type of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is a form of gender-based discrimination that may target men or women in the workplace. The harassment may also come from an individual of the same-sex as the victim. The definition of sexual harassment in New York is similar to the federal definition. Sexual harassment involves any Continue Reading...
What to Do If You’re Being Sexually Harassed at Work
Sexual harassment in the workplace is illegal. Your right to work in a harassment-free environment is protected by federal and state anti-discrimination laws. If you are being sexually harassed at work, you have legal recourse to get the harassment to stop and protect your job and your income. Recognize What Sexual Harassment Looks Like. According to both federal and New York state law, Continue Reading...
How Do I File a Sexual Harassment Claim in New York?
There are several avenues available when filing for sexual harassment in New York. It is important to be aware of the deadlines for filing the claim, as they differ for each agency. Individuals thinking about filing a sexual harassment claim are advised to consult an attorney to help determine the best course of action. There are three administrative agencies an individual may file with: (1) Continue Reading...