THE FAIR CHANCE ACT; New York City’s Attempt to give those convicted of crimes a chance to get back to work
By: Joseph W. Carbonaro, Esq. & H. Geoffrey Langner –1 On July 29, 2015, New York City enacted a law that prevents employers from asking job applicants in the initial hiring stage if they have a criminal record. The law is commonly and accurately called the “Fair Chance Act.” Before its passage, many employers refused […]
Employment at Will: When Is It Legal To Be Fired In NY?
There are many situations in which a termination can be unlawful, but the place you should always start is that in New York State, an employee can be fired for any reason or even for no reason. I know, this can seem like a very scary prospect. Keep in mind though, there are exceptions to […]
Are Ghost Guns Legal in New York State?
By suzen Pettit
‘Ghost guns’ are seemingly flooding the country, being used in all sorts of horrible crimes from drug dealing to murder to robbery. The ghost gun earned its name because it bears no serial number, making it nearly impossible to trace. Typically, the ghost gun is made at home, by an amateur gunsmith, using parts purchased […]
Can NY Employers Require Their Employees to Get a COVID-19 Vaccine?
| suzen Pettit |
COVID-19 Vaccines: Can a NY employer require you to get one? And should they? The answer is generally, yes, but first we need to distinguish between a private sector employer and a public- state or city- employer. In the private sector, employers have the last say. The employee has a choice to make: either get […]
My Take on NY State Paid COVID-19 Vaccination and Family Leave Guidelines
| suzen Pettit |
On March 12, 2021, Governor Cuomo signed into law a bill granting public and private employees paid leave in order to get a COVID-19 vaccine, specifically four hours per injection. The NY State Paid COVID-19 vaccination and family leave guidelines state that employees cannot be docked time for leaving the office to get a COVID […]
If I Were Conducting the Trump Impeachment Trial Here’s What I’d Do
| suzen Pettit |
Democrats, bless their naïve little hearts, are trying to impeach Donald Trump using only the law while staying within the bounds of fairness and what’s relevant. That is very democratic of them; that being said, if they proceed this way, my prediction is they are bound to lose and no one is going to remember […]
Sweeping Changes to NY State Sexual Harassment Laws Will Help Victims
| suzen Pettit |
Earlier this week, New York’s law on sexual harassment was changed significantly. Governor Cuomo signed a bill extending the statute of limitations in which sexual harassment claims can be filed under New York State law to three years. This should not be confused with the other important New York law change pertaining to victims of […]
Blind Teacher Sues For Wrongful Termination
| suzen Pettit |
A not-for-profit social service agency that provides services to foster care children and preschool education to three and four-year-olds is being sued by a blind special education teacher for wrongful termination against her employer and not providing her with a reasonable accommodation in order to keep her job. Mr. Carbonaro is representing the plaintiff for […]
When is Being Fired Illegal? NY Labor Laws
One of the most frequent Labor Law questions that we get is usually phrased like this; ‘Have I been wrongfully fired?’, or ‘If xyz happened, can my employer legally fire me?’ Because of this, we are taking the time to lay out a comprehensive guide to NY Labor Laws definitions of when being fired is […]