Requires public employers who opt out of providing paid family leave benefits to provide parental leave in the alternative at the same pay rate and amount of time as paid family leave.
Provides for the regulation of indoor and outdoor worksites with temperature protection standards and education, training and reporting requirements to ensure that employers provide safe conditions for their employees.
Permits certain minors to be employed as a referee, umpire or official at a youth sporting event; limits a minor 12 or 13 years of age to one youth sporting event per week.
Prevents consideration of an increase in the minimum wage until December 31, 2025 outside of the city of New York and outside the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester.
Increases compensation schedule in case of disability; provides that compensation after July 1, 2026 shall not be less than one-fifth of the New York state average weekly wage unless the employee's weekly wage is equal to or less than one-fifth the weekly wage, then they shall receive the entire amount.
Allows parents and legal guardians to work from home; allows flexible working arrangements during a public health emergency or state or local disaster emergency which closes schools or day care centers; defines terms; creates a rebuttable presumption that an employee can work remotely if such employee has done so for two consecutive pay periods or two weeks; creates a civil penalty for violations.
Requires each place of employment to develop a business safety plan to provide reasonable and adequate protection from a pandemic disease for all employees and people who lawfully frequent such places; provides that employers who develop and follow safety plans are not liable for damages to employees or patrons due to disease during a pandemic.
Waives Unemployment Pandemic Benefits repayments in whole or in part if the payment of such pandemic unemployment assistance was without fault on the part of the claimant and such repayment would be contrary to equity and good conscience.
Enacts the "Empowering People in Rights Enforcement (EMPIRE) Worker Protection Act"; relates to the delegation of state enforcement authority to private actors; authorizes an affected employee, whistleblower, representative organization or an organizational deputy to initiate a public enforcement action on behalf of the commissioner for certain provisions of the labor law, or any regulation promulgated thereunder.
Provides that any claimant who has received certain unemployment benefits to which they were not entitled shall not be held liable for the amounts overpaid provided certain conditions exist; directs the department of labor to provide claimants who have previously been denied waivers with applications for individual waivers; repeals certain provisions of law relating thereto.
Enacts the "freelance isn't free act"; provides for the payment of freelance workers as independent contractors, including requiring written contracts; timely payment of compensation and handling controversies relating to payment, complaint procedures, and penalties; excludes construction contracts.
Establishes the warehouse worker injury reduction program; requires employers to establish an injury reduction program designed to identify and minimize the risks of musculoskeletal injuries and disorders among workers involved in performing manual materials handling tasks.
Creates a temporary commission to conduct a comprehensive study on the current utilization of paid family leave, make recommendations on how to increase access and the visibility of the program.