NYC Sets Minimum Wage for Food Delivery Workers

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (“DCWP”) announced that the City of New York has set a first-of-its-kind minimum pay rate for app-based restaurant delivery workers.  Effective July 12, 2023, the pay rate will increase from $7.09 per hour to $17.96 per hour.  The minimum … Read more

President Biden Enacts the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP Act)

On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP Act). Federal law already requires employers to provide employees with reasonable break time to express breast milk for one year after the child’s birth and a place to do so, other than a bathroom, that is … Read more

Governor Hochul Vetoes New York State Freelance Isn’t Free Act

The New York State Legislature recently passed the Freelance Isn’t Free Act (the “Act”).  If signed into law, the Act, which mirrors New York City’s Freelance Isn’t Free Act, would have provided protections to freelance workers/independent contractors. However, on December 23, 2022, Gov. Hochul vetoed Bill A9368/S8369B. The bill was modeled after the Freelance Isn’t … Read more

Wage and Hour Compliance

For employers, wage and hour laws can be complex and compliance with the scheme of federal and state laws regulating the payment of wages and overtime can be daunting.  But it is critical for employers to understand their responsibilities under the applicable wage and hour laws, as non-compliance with these laws can subject them to litigation which … Read more

U.S. DOL Issues Proposed Rules on Classification of Independent Contractors

The U.S. Department of Labor (“U.S. DOL”) recently released proposed rules intended to clarify when workers are classified as employees as opposed to independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). The proposed rules would abandon the current regulations which expanded the use of independent contractors and return to the position that the economic … Read more

New York Governor Hochul Signs Legislation Allowing Employees Facing Potential Layoffs to Petition Employers to Participate in a Shared Work Program

Governor Kathy Hochul recently signed legislation allowing employees facing potential layoff to petition employers to participate in a Shared Work Program. Under this amendment to the New York Labor Law, workers facing layoffs in New York State now have a right to ask their employers instead to trim all worker’s hours and have unemployment insurance … Read more