New York State Bans Mandatory Anti-Union Meetings

A new law in New York State bars employers from terminating employees that refuse to attend captive audience meetings. The law was signed by Governor Kathy Hochul on September 6, 2023, and took immediate effect.

Captive audience meetings are mandatory meetings conducted by employers, for the purpose of discouraging their employees from forming or joining unions. These meetings are a widely used union-busting tactic and perpetuate the spread of anti-union rhetoric within the workplace. Until now in New York, employers could conduct these mandatory meetings during company time and both require that employees attend and punish those who did not.

As of September 6, 2023, in New York, your employer cannot require you to attend meetings where the employer will communicate its own opinions regarding religious or political matters, including unionization. Moreover, the law prohibits employers from refusing to hire you, firing you, or discriminating against you, if you choose not to attend meetings.