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Tip credits allow employers to combine hourly wages and tips to pay employees the federal minimum wage, so long as minimum cash payment requirements are also met (which must be at least $2.13 per hour). An employer will “credit” some of the tips back to the employee on their paycheck. Employers must fully distribute tips…
Category Archives: Employment Representation
New York Establishes Historic Excluded Workers Fund
The 2022 New York State Budget created a $2.1 billion program for workers who have lost income during the COVID-19 pandemic, but are ineligible for Unemployment Insurance, federal stimulus payments, or other federal COVID-related benefits due to their immigration status. Immigrant communities have been disproportionately burdened by the pandemic in terms of their health and…
Levy Ratner Represents Massachusetts Association of Minority Law Enforcement Officers in Case Challenging Boston’s Use of Racially Discriminatory Promotional Tests
Levy Ratner’s Dana Lossia and Rebekah Cook-Mack are proud to represent the Massachusetts Association of Minority Law Enforcement Officers in an Amicus Brief with the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in Smith v. City of Boston, which challenges Boston’s use of a discriminatory promotional test to select Police Lieutenants. Levy Ratner stands with the Black and Latino…
New York Employees Can Take Paid Leave to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine
On Friday, March 12, 2021, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law a bill (S.2588A/A.3354B) that allows public and private New York employees to take paid time off to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Employees are permitted take up to four hours of leave per injection, meaning an employee who receives a vaccine that requires two doses…
OSHA Releases New COVID-19 Workplace Safety Guidance
On January 29, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released new guidance on best practices to mitigate and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. This guidance follows President Biden’s January 21, 2021 Executive Order calling for OSHA to issue new COVID-19-related workplace safety guidance. Looking ahead, the EO also called for…
NYC Expands Protections of Fair Chance Act for Employees and Applicants With Criminal Records
In January 2021, amendments strengthening the NYC Fair Chance Act became law and will take effect on July 29, 2021. These amendments extend protections to employment applicants with pending criminal accusations and arrests, and convictions arising during employment. Employers may not inquire or act adversely against an applicant or employee with a non-pending arrest, adjournment…
COVID-19 New York Update: NY Department of Labor Issues New Guidance on Use of COVID-19 Sick Leave
In March 2020, New York State passed emergency legislation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that requires employers to provide job-protected COVID-19 sick leave to employees subject to an order of quarantine or isolation. See LR’s prior What You Need to Know Now updates on the legislation here and here. On January 20, 2021, the…
Congress Passes Second Stimulus – What it Means for Worker Protections and Unemployment Assistance
On December 21, 2020, Congress passed a $900 billion stimulus package. If signed into law, the second stimulus bill would extend some of the federal protections specifically created during the pandemic for workers and those who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19, while reducing some of the earlier protections. The Families First Coronavirus Response…
NYS Sick Leave Law Now in Effect
On September 30, 2020, the New York State Sick Leave Law went into effect, requiring qualifying employees to accrue sick leave that can be used starting January 1, 2021. The sick leave will be available to use for absences related to an employee’s illness or medical needs or a covered family member’s illness or medical…
Department of Labor Regulations Expand Paid Leave for Certain Healthcare Workers
On September 11, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (DOL) announced changes to its rules concerning the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), the law that provides paid sick leave and expands family and medical leave for individuals impacted by COVID-19. The DOL changes came in response to a decision of…