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Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that New York City would be partnering with the Open Society Foundation to create the New York City COVID-19 Immigrant Emergency Relief program. The Emergency Relief program will provide $20 million of relief directly to immigrant families in the form of a one-time, emergency relief payment similar to the stimulus…
Category Archives: News & Commentary
NY Attorney General Sues U.S. Department of Labor over COVID-19 Regulations
New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit in federal district court challenging the U.S. Department of Labor’s rule narrowing workers’ access to paid sick leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Note: This LR What You Need to Know Now deals with the NY Attorney General’s legal challenge to the federal rule,…
COVID-19 New York Update: What paid time can I use if I need to isolate or quarantine because of COVID-19? Where do I get an order to isolate or quarantine?
Workers in New York State can receive paid leave if they are under an order of quarantine or isolation from the state or a local health department and cannot work remotely. New York State law allows workers to combine different types of paid time off to be used while under quarantine/isolation. There is no waiting…
Self-Employed and Without Work Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic? New NYS Guidelines Issued for How to Apply for Unemployment Benefits
Due to the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment benefits have been extended to workers who have not traditionally been covered by unemployment insurance like the self-employed, gig workers, and independent contractors. Federal law now allows workers, who do not qualify for regular unemployment insurance benefits, are not receiving paid leave, and cannot work…
New Jersey Expands Employee Leave and Disability Benefits During Covid-19 Emergency
Under a new law effective March 25, 2020, workers in New Jersey are entitled to expanded family leave, earned sick leave and temporary disability insurance benefits during a state of emergency, such as that declared by Governor Murphy for COVID-19. Here are the details: Earned Sick and Safe Time Leave An employee accrues one hour…
App-Based Workers Eligible for Unemployment Benefits During the COVID-19 Pandemic
On March 26, 2020, New York’s highest court issued an important decision that opens the door for New York “gig” and app-based workers to be classified as employees who enjoy the worker protections that independent contractors lack. The delivery app Postmates is required to contribute to the state unemployment insurance fund for Postmates couriers who…
Lost Your Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance Due to COVID-19? You Have Options
Millions of Americans have lost their jobs, been laid off or had their hours reduced because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most have lost their job-based health coverage as a result. If this has happened to you, there are options for obtaining other coverage for you and your family. If you have no income or it’s…
Congress Passes CARES Act – Will Deliver Aid to Millions of Workers Losing Work Including Gig Workers, Self-Employed, and Independent Contractors
The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which became effective on March 27, 2020, will deliver aid to the millions of workers who lost their jobs or are unable to work due to Coronavirus/COVID-19. This LR What You Need to Know Now update will focus on the CARES Act expansion of existing…
What Can Your Employer Ask About Your Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic?
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to be a pandemic. This LR What You Need to Know Now update will answer questions related to employee rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on excerpts from recently updated U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission…
Researcher and Google Activist
Meredith Whittaker is a Research Professor at New York University, the Co-founder of NYU’s AI Now Institute, and the founder of Google’s Open Research group. She was also a leader in labor organizing efforts, including the Google Walkout and other mobilizations, while employed at Google Her organizing drew from her research, recognizing that a powerful…