In the last year, millions of New Yorkers have been working remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic. A number of companies don’t plan to return to in-office work until the summer or fall of 2021. In the meantime, many employees have needed a more flexible...
Employment Law For Employees
New York protects voluntary wage transparency among employees
It is common knowledge that it is illegal to pay women less than men for equivalent work. The federal Equal Pay Act of 1963 is over fifty years old, but despite its ban on unequal wages between genders, an 18% wage differential still exists, explain the authors of a...
Can my employer dictate what hairstyle I wear?
You may have had your hairstylist put a weave in your hair for years. But you’re ready for a new look and ready to rock a natural hairstyle. You decide to grow out your afro or put cornrow braids in your hair. Then, the manager at the restaurant where you work asks...
Understanding New York whistleblower protection laws
When a whistleblower calls out their employer’s wrongdoing, they risk devastating consequences. Retaliation on the job can take many forms, from an increasingly hostile work environment to termination. However, if the whistleblower has taken the proper steps, New York...
Restaurant servers soon may have to share tips
A new rule may have more New York servers sharing tips with other restaurant co-workers who haven’t received tips in the past. The U.S. Department of Labor has amended the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to require nontraditional shared tip pools if restaurant servers...
Sexual harassment in the workplace now happening remotely
Countless professionals have become comfortable navigating Zoom meetings. But as workers settled into the new reality of working remotely in 2020-2021, new issues and transgressions emerge. Those who acted professionally in an office's relatively formal environment...
Appeals court rules that Uber and Lyft must classify drivers as employees
For months, Uber and Lyft have been fighting the state of California over whether they must classify their workers as employees rather than as independent contractors. An October 23rd appeals court ruling sided with California, which wants drivers working for...
Are New York employers supposed to pay employees for time in voluntary training programs?
While this sounds like a straightforward question, the answer is that it depends. This matter is actually regulated in some detail under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and its regulations – the main body of federal law governing wage-and-hour matters for...
Do U.S. employment laws protect New Yorkers who work abroad?
Federal employment laws typically apply only to workers who are employed in the United States or its territories. Employees who work overseas must generally rely on the employment laws of the country or region in which they work. However, there are exceptions for U.S....
Retaliatory discharge for reporting illegal discrimination or harassment
Federal, state and, local laws prohibit employment discrimination and harassment based on certain protected characteristics, such as sex, race, religion, disability, and age. An aspect of anti-discrimination in employment law that does not get as much attention is...
