Are You an Employee or Independent Contractor Under DOL’s Final Rule?

With the growth of gig work following the COVID-19 pandemic, a worker may question whether they are being misclassified as an independent contractor. Most worker protections under federal and state law only apply to workers who are considered employees, as opposed to independent contractors. This month, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a final rule,…

Freelancer’s Rights to a Written Contract & Timely Payment in New York

On November 22, 2023, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law the Freelance Isn’t Free Act (FIFA), a series of labor protections for New York State freelance workers that will take effect on May 20, 2024. Modeled after the successful New York City Freelance Isn’t Free law passed in 2016, FIFA aims to protect…

New York Passes Three New Laws in Support of Workers’ Rights

On September 14, 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul signed three pieces of legislation into law, furthering strengthening workers’ rights in New York State. Two of the newly enacted laws require employees to be notified of their eligibility for certain benefits in the event that they are unemployed and one law protects the personal account information of…

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…

New York City Outlaws Height and Weight Discrimination

New York City has outlawed discrimination based on height and weight in employment, housing, and public accommodations. Effective on November 22, 2023, the new law amends the New York City Human Rights Law to protect people who experienced height and weight discrimination similar to how the law would protect someone who experienced other kinds of…