On Labor Day 2021, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the COVID-19 resurgence warrants implementing the safety plans required by the New York HERO Act. The law permits the NYS Commissioner of Health to invoke airborne infectious disease exposure prevention plans across all private-sector workplaces. To do so, the Commissioner must declare that a highly contagious … Read more
The New York State Department of Health has issued emergency temporary regulations requiring healthcare workers in various settings to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The healthcare worker vaccination mandate includes most employees of hospitals and nursing homes. Employees and other personnel of some additional healthcare facilities and programs are also subject to the mandate. Covered workers … Read more
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) prohibits employers from collecting and discriminating based on employees’ genetic information. Even though most businesses aren’t conducting genetic tests on their workers, GINA has widespread workplace implications related to the COVID-19 pandemic. As companies evaluate how to move forward in an era of renewed health concerns despite … Read more