212.627.8100
In earlier LR What You Need to Know Now postings here and here, we discussed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Under this Act, eligible employees of covered employers have access to extended sick leave and family and medical leave benefits if they are personally affected or need to take care of a family member…
Author Archives: Levy Ratner
Supreme Court Denies Review of Salary History Defense in Pay Inequity Cases
The U.S. Supreme Court recently declined to consider a case that would have addressed the validity of a common defense used by employers to justify pay discrepancies between male and female employees in the same job. In Yovino v. Rizo, a math consultant sued her employer under the Equal Pay Act (“EPA”) after she learned…
Camp Still Closed for the Summer? Consider Leave Options under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act as Department of Labor Issues Updated Guidelines
As many summer camps and daycare facilities announce their continued closures during summer months, working parents and guardians may find relief from the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Act). The Act extends family and medical leave benefits for eligible employees who are caring for a child whose school or place of care is closed (or…
Employees Who are DACA Recipients Get Temporary Reprieve as Supreme Court Halts the Trump Administration’s Push to End DACA
The Supreme Court blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, giving DACA participants some reprieve from the threat of deportation. The DACA program, first implemented by the Obama administration in 2012, granted renewable permits to study and remain in the United States for some undocumented immigrants who…
Returning to the Workplace? New EEOC Guidelines Concerning Accommodations, Potential Harassment, and Antibody Testing
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency that enforces laws against workplace discrimination including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), recently published multiple updated guidelines in anticipation of stay-at-home orders being lifted and employees returning to the workplace. The EEOC’s update specifically addresses the rights of employees to request accommodations and how employers…
Levy Ratner Observes Juneteenth in Solidarity with BLM
Today, Friday, June 19, 2020, Levy Ratner is closed in recognition of the Juneteenth holiday, as a symbol of support for and solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and the ongoing protests. We do this with the understanding that 155 years after the official end of explicit, government-sanctioned slavery was finally announced in Texas – over…
U.S. Supreme Court Recognizes Anti-Discrimination Protections for LGBTQ Workers in All 50 States in Landmark Decision
On Monday, June 15, the Supreme Court ruled in a 6-to-3 vote that existing federal law, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibits employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or transgender status. This decision, Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, establishes discrimination protections for LGBTQ workers across the country, instituting new protections for…
Advancing Equity for Black People Once and For All
For nearly 50 years,Levy Ratner has fought racial inequality.We do not plan to stop now. In fact, we will continue to be vocal about dignity and equality for Black people. At Levy Ratner, we as individuals—and we as a firm—are committed to ending racism today and always. We stand in solidarity with those who seek…
Am I Eligible for $600 Per Week in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance?
In earlier LR What You Need to Know Now updates here and here, we discussed Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (FPUA), which is the $600 per week extra payment to workers receiving regular unemployment or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits. The $600 benefit will be paid until July 31, 2020, unless the date is extended by…
Governor Cuomo Announces Limited Initiatives to Address Mental Health Crisis Among Essential Workers
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced new measures to address a mental health crisis among frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The state is partnering with Crisis Text Line, a non-profit providing text message-based mental health support, and the Kate Spade New York Foundation, which provides funding to organizations advocating for mental wellness….