Employment Laws Continue to Undergo Change
in New York in 2015
The end of any year is a great time to
reflect on the past and look forward to
what’s to come. This is true in all facets
of life, including the employment law realm.
2015 proved to be a tumultuous year in the
employment law world, as countless changes,
debates and reviews occurred.
Through it all, the New York employment
lawyers at Hepworth, Gershbaum & Roth, PLLC
remained committed to maintaining an updated
awareness of the trending topics and changes
to the legal landscape.
A
year in review
The past year saw many trending topics and
changes in the employment law landscape,
including:
-
Minimum wage increase: New York
City legislators approved and enacted a
policy change governing the
minimum wage paid to employees of
franchise fast-food chains. The new law
is set to increase the wage paid to
these workers gradually over the next
five years, culminating in a $15 minimum
wage for affected workers. The act has
met with mixed reactions, with fast food
companies speaking out against the
increase and its seemingly arbitrary
applications, and workers supporting the
increase and its potential impact on
poverty within the city.
-
Equal pay laws: Governor Andrew
Cuomo signed a series of bills into law
in 2015. Among these bills was the
Women’s Equality Agenda, a series of
acts that change state laws relating to
equal pay, sex discrimination,
harassment and other issues relating
to women in the workplace. The laws
expand the definition of equal pay, add
familial status as a protected class and
address many other issues facing the
female workforce.
-
Social media and class action wage
and hour disputes: The emerging
communications capabilities offered by
social media reached new heights in 2015
as the New York Federal Court approved
the use of social media to notify
potential class members involved in wage
and hour disputes. The ruling allows
legal teams to notify class members via
Facebook, Twitter and other social media
outlets. The change should improve
involvement in class action cases
against employers accused of wage and
hour infractions.
-
Affordable Care Act: As the
Affordable Care Act takes shape, ripples
continue to spread throughout the
employment law world. Changes to health
care benefits and requirements continue
to impact employers and employees alike,
making it important to stay current with
the news relating to the legislation. In
2015, the debate raged on regarding the
impact the Act may have in New York,
with many fearing the changes and others
looking forward to the continued growth
of Obamacare.
These topics, among many others, promise to
have a lasting impact on the
New York employment law landscape for
years to come.
Turn to the New York employment law
attorneys at Hepworth, Gershbaum & Roth for
advice
The attorneys at Hepworth, Gershbaum & Roth
are proud to serve New York employees facing
a wide range of employment law disputes. If
you have encountered a dispute relating to
your job or your income, we can help.
Contact us online or call 212-545-1199
to schedule a free initial consultation to
discuss your case with one of our New York
employment law attorneys.
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attorney in New York today
for a free initial
consultation and determine
whether you have a case. For
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you can contact us online or
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