How Healthcare Providers Can Prepare for DOJ’s Focus on Accessible Medical Equipment and Practices
The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently proposed significant changes to how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies within the healthcare industry. The notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), made under Title II of the ADA, focuses on ensuring accessible medical diagnostic equipment and other accessibility practices for patients with disabilities. While the NPRM is focused on...Read More
Employer Obligations Under NYC’s Workers’ Bill of Rights Policy
As of July 1, 2024, a new regulation will require New York City employers to prominently display and provide a copy of a Workers’ Bill of Rights to both current and new employees. NYC’s Workers’ Bill of Rights is being developed by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, in collaboration with various governmental agencies, community groups, and labor organizations. This...Read More
A Look at New York’s Proposed Cybersecurity Regulation of Hospitals
New York has become the first state to propose comprehensive cybersecurity regulations aimed at enhancing patient safety and addressing cybersecurity concerns in all hospitals operating within the state. This initiative, introduced in November of last year, is part of New York’s ongoing commitment to issuing industry-specific cyber regulations, building on the precedent set for financial...Read More
DEA and HHS Again Extend Telehealth Controlled Substances Flexibilities
In a significant development for healthcare providers and patients alike, the rule permitting the telehealth prescription of controlled substances for new patient-provider relationships has been extended through the end of 2024. This marks the second extension to the rule implemented in 2020 by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)...Read More
New York’s Health Care Worker Vaccine Mandate Repealed
On October 4, New York’s COVID-19 healthcare worker vaccine mandate was formally repealed by the New York State Department of Health. The decision ends a more than two-year long COVID-19 policy and marks another tangible sign that New York has exited the public-health-crisis phase of the pandemic. Health care providers will no longer be required to track the vaccination statuses of their...Read More
New York State’s Captive Audience Law Explained
Within a day of its arrival on her desk, Governor Hochul enacted New York’s “Captive Audience Law” (S4982/A6604), amending Section 201-D of the NYS Labor Law. The main purpose of this law is to prevent employers from taking punitive actions against non-managerial employees who do not attend company-sponsored meetings intended to convey the employer’s stance on religious or...Read More
How Employers Can Comply with NLRB’s Stericycle Inc. Decision
Last month, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) made a significant announcement that will have far-reaching implications for workplace policies in both unionized and non-unionized settings. Stericycle Inc., as the decision is known, represents a departure from the 2017 Boeing Company decision, which employed a balancing test to evaluate employer workplace rules and handbook provisions....Read More
Amended New York State Wage Transparency Law to Take Effect this Month
As Bleakley Platt & Schmidt has detailed in previous blogs, wage transparency has been a growing employment law trend in New York. Following similar laws in New York City and Westchester County, a state bill was predictably signed into law by Gov. Hochul in late 2022 and amended last March. The revised New York State wage transparency law is set to go into effect on September 17 and marks...Read More
2024 Budget Bill Makes New York Dispensary License Mandatory for Cannabis Retailers
As part of the state budget for the 2024 fiscal year, New York recently passed legislation aimed at cracking down on unlicensed sales of marijuana, which have thrived since the legalization of adult recreational cannabis two years ago. The primary goal of these measures is to regulate the cannabis industry and protect licensed dispensaries, which are currently outnumbered by nearly 2,000...Read More
New York Set to Enact Total Prohibition on Non-Compete Agreements
New York is set to become the latest state to enact a prohibition on non-compete employment agreements following the passage of bill A1278B/S3100A by the New York State legislature. If signed into law by NY Governor Hochul, new Labor Law Section 191-d will go into effect thirty (30) days after it becomes law and will prohibit any non-compete agreement entered into or modified thereafter. The...Read More
What Employers Should Know Ahead of the COVID-19 Outbreak Period’s July 10 Ending
Next month, the Outbreak Period of the COVID-19 National Emergency will expire, bringing with it an end to extensions of deadlines for special enrollment in employee health plans, continuing employee health benefits under COBRA, and filing claims. To ensure a smooth transition, employers should familiarize themselves with the coming changes and be prepared to answer employee questions. As many...Read More