Tag Archives: workersrights

$3000 Bonuses for New York Health Care Workers

October 13th, 2022 by Sarah Ruhlen

Tags: #bonuses, #healthcareworkers, employment attorney near me, workersrights, workplacelawyer

This year the New York State legislature voted to provide up to $3000 bonuses to New York health care workers. Eligible [“qualifying”] workers are front line health care and mental hygiene practitioners, technicians, assistants and aides who make $125,000 or less annually. They must work for a qualified employer, e.g., a provider, facility, pharmacy, or school health center licensed under the New York State Public Health Law. The bonuses are W-2 wages for federal tax purposes, but they will not be taxed by the state.

If you are a qualifying health care worker, you can get a bonus if you work the requisite number of hours during designated six month periods between October 2021 and May 2024. Bonus amounts range from $500 to a maximum of $3,000 depending on how many hours you worked. You can only get a bonus for two 6-month time periods per employer, and you max out at $3,000.

Qualifying employers are required to claim the bonuses on behalf of their workers. The employer will require you to sign an attestation of eligibility. Once the employer has the money, they have 30 days to pay you. They are not allowed to use the bonus to offset your regular wages.

See the New York State Department of Health’s guidance for more detailed information on these bonuses. If you are a qualifying employee and you have questions or concerns about how your boss is handling the bonuses, speak to your union immediately! And if you’re not unionized, contact the nearest reputable worker’s rights lawyer.

Salary History is History in New York

October 5th, 2022 by Sarah Ruhlen

Posted in Workplace Rights |

Tags: jobapplication, salaryhistory, syracuse, workersrights, workplacelawyer

Google “salary history” and you’ll see that nobody loves the question: “What were you making in your previous position?” The good news is that a question about salary history is history in New York State. At the beginning of 2020, New York State Labor Law was amended to prohibit employers from asking the question.

Specifically, employers in New York State may not ask in any manner, during a job interview or otherwise, (viz., in writing, face-to-face, or through an agent) any information about previous compensation and benefits. If the job applicant or employee voluntarily offers the information, the employer is prohibited from relying on that information to determine whether to offer the job or what salary to offer. Current employees who are up for promotion are also protected from the salary history question, although a current employer is allowed to rely on information already in its possession.

Additionally, applicants are encouraged to contact the New York State Department of Labor’s Division of Labor Standards if they believe they have been retaliated against for refusing to provide salary history information in response to a request for it. (From a practical standpoint, if you want the job, it’s wise to have a tactful response ready for salary history inquiries. There are lots of articles online with ideas about how to navigate that situation.)

If you’re faced with a salary history conundrum, speak to an attorney in your jurisdiction to ensure you get the most up-to-date and relevant information.

There are a lot of things to be nervous about in a job application, but in the State of New York, the Salary History Question is not one of them.

Cannabis in the New York Workplace

September 8th, 2022 by Sarah Ruhlen

Posted in Uncategorized |

Tags: cannabis, employment law firm, employment lawyer near me, marijuana, syracuseworkersrights, workers rights attorney near me, workers rights lawyer near me, workersrights, workplacelawyer, workplacerights

Cannabis in the New York workplace? New York State has a law about that. satterlaw.com/blog (Picture of a man smoking)

In July 2022, Senator Schumer’s Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act bill was introduced, seeking to decriminalize marijuana federally. There are a variety of reasons the bill may not have the votes to pass, but many states – including New York – have laws that prohibit discrimination against employees who use cannabis… sort of.

So, what are the rules about cannabis in the New York workplace? In New York, employees’ lawful off-duty conduct is technically protected. And in March 2021, New York Labor Law was amended to specify that lawful off-duty conduct includes recreational use of marijuana.

Does this mean you can smoke up at work with impunity? NOPE. Please don’t do it – you’ll get fired. (See our previous blog posts here and here for more information about how marijuana can still get you fired.) But it does mean that a New York employee who works in a non-safety sensitive position shouldn’t be getting tested for cannabis, and shouldn’t be getting into trouble for off-duty use unless the employee “manifests specific articulable symptoms of cannabis impairment” that interfere with job performance or safety. What are “articulable symptoms of cannabis impairment?” Very good question. Nobody knows. Bottom line, don’t be high at work.

Also, if there are state or federal regulations (for example Department of Transportation rules) that require testing, the employer can still test and take disciplinary action on the basis of a positive test. If you have specific questions about cannabis in the New York workplace, make sure you consult with a New York workplace attorney!

So, the workplace is not going to become a magical mystery tour any time soon. But what you do after work is starting look a little more like your own business.