Employment
HR Alert: New Law On New York Employee Personnel Files
On September 9, 2026, Governor Kathy Hochul signed A.2107/S.3460 into law. This is an important law for New York employers. The law gives employees an enforceable right to access their personnel records and to see what’s i…
HR Alert: The Second Circuit & School Teachers’ Free Speech
If you lead a public school district, a recent Second Circuit decision is worth your attention. The court addressed a question that comes up often in public workplaces: when is an employee speaking as a private citizen and…
HR Alert: Can Memes Create a Hostile Work Environment?
Memes are nothing new in online culture, and, in our increasingly interconnected world, it’s no surprise that they’re showing up in the workplace. But what happens if coworkers find those memes offensive? What if they ar…
HR Alert: Smart Glasses at Work
They look like ordinary glasses. They aren’t. AI-enabled smart glasses are becoming increasingly common, and employers should start thinking about what happens when employees wear them at work. Today’s smart glasses can co…
HR Alert: Paid Leave Tax Credit Expands
Employers that provide paid family and medical leave may have a new reason to take a close look at their leave programs. The federal Employer Credit for Paid Family and Medical Leave, found in Internal Revenue Code Section…
HR Alert: FTC and New York AG Continue to Target No-Hire Agreements
A no-hire provision tucked into a customer, vendor, staffing, or franchise agreement may look like standard contract language. It may be anything but standard. Federal regulators and the New York Attorney General have repe…
HR Alert: Hot Flashes at Work? Congress Has a Bill for That
Menopause has finally made it to Congress. On July 14, 2026, U.S. Representatives Debbie Dingell of Michigan and Yvette Clarke of New York introduced the Menopausal Workers’ Fairness Act, a bill that would require covered …
HR Alert: Second Circuit Revives Race Discrimination Claims Against Employer
A recent Second Circuit Court of Appeals decision is a useful reminder for employers, especially small businesses: discrimination claims don’t always require a smoking gun. Sometimes, what creates legal risk is inconsisten…
HR Alert: Remote Work Requests
An Employee Asked to Work Remotely. Now What? Remote work requests are still coming up for New York employers, and they’re not always simple. Sometimes an employee wants to work from home because it’s easier, more convenie…
HR Alert: Overtime Exemptions Update
The federal overtime exemption rule has changed again. On May 14, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a technical amendment to the federal overtime exemption regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act, commonl…