Safety and Health (including COVID-19)

Department of Labor Publishes Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Standard and a Model Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Plan

by

As previously reported, the New York Health and Essential Rights Act (“HERO Act”), which was enacted on May 5, 2021, mandated new workplace health and safety protections in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. One section of the law requires employers to implement an airborne infectious disease exposure prevention plan based on the model plan provided … Read more

OSHA Issues Updated Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace

by

On June 10, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) released an Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”) that outlines new requirements for healthcare settings. In addition, OSHA issued updated guidance for non-healthcare employers regarding protocols for mitigating the spread of COVID-19 among unvaccinated or at-risk employees in the workplace. We have summarized the pertinent portions … Read more

NY COVID-19 Restrictions Lifted

by

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced that all COVID-19 restrictions are lifted immediately in New York State, as 70 percent of New Yorkers aged 18 or older have received the first dose of their COVID-19 vaccination. The State’s health guidance and New York Forward industry specific guidelines—including social gathering limits, capacity restrictions, social distancing, cleaning … Read more

HERO Act Amendments Signed into Law

by

The New York Health and Essential Rights Act (“HERO Act”) Amendments have been signed into law, which may come as welcome news to employers who might have been scrambling to understand and implement its requirements. As we previously reported, the HERO Act was enacted on May 5, 2021, mandating new workplace health and safety protections … Read more

NYS DOL to Release Guidance Confirming that New York’s Paid Sick Leave Law Covers Recovery Time from COVID-19 Vaccination

by

The New York State Department of Labor (“NY DOL”) has recently issued guidance to all employers that any necessary recovery period from the COVID-19 vaccine is covered under the New York State Paid Sick Leave Law. Citing studies that found workers were avoiding the COVID-19 vaccine due to fear of missing a day of work due to … Read more

OSHA Revises Guidance: Employers Do Not Need to Record Adverse COVID-19 Vaccine Reactions

by

Earlier this year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) issued guidance to clarify the recordability of employees suffering adverse side effects from a COVID-19 vaccination. That guidance provided that an adverse reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine is recordable if the reaction is: (1) work-related, (2) a new case, (3) meets one or more of … Read more