Employers in New York should be aware of two new laws that will require them to amend their personnel policies.
Employers in New York should be aware of two new laws that will require them to amend their personnel policies.
Nursing Mothers: Under a new law effective August 15, 2007, New York employers are now required to accommodate nursing mothers:
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To allow a nursing mother time to extract breast milk, employers must provide reasonable unpaid break time daily, or permit her to use paid break time or meal time, for up to three years from her child’s birth;
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Employers must make reasonable efforts to provide a room or other private location close to her work area for the extraction of breast milk;
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Employers may not retaliate against an employee who chooses to extract breast milk in the workplace.
Leave for Blood Donation: Effective December 13, 2007, employees seeking to donate blood must be given a three-hour leave of absence once in any twelve-month period.
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The law applies to employers with at least 20 or more employees and to employees who work at least 20 hours a week;
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The absence may not exceed three hours without the employer’s permission;
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Employers may not penalize employees who request time off to donate blood;
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The leave must comply with notice requirements to be established by the Commissioner of Labor;
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The Commissioner is authorized to establish necessary guidelines (including notice requirements) for the timely implementation of the program.
Compliance with these and other new laws requires New York employers to revise their personnel policies and employee handbooks.
If you have any questions regarding these laws or any other labor or employment issue, please contact Kenneth D. Stein at (212) 453-5900, kstein@fordharrison.com, Alyson Bruns at (212) 453-5907, abruns@fordharrison.com, or any member of Ford & Harrison’s New York office, (212) 453-5900.