Employment Law

Businesses of all sizes across New York State have felt the economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak in the form of decreased business and revenue.  In an attempt to reduce expenses and keep the business viable during these difficult times, many businesses have reluctantly decided to layoff or furlough a large portion of their employees.  Under current New York State laws, however, this decision will have major financial implications for the business that will last long after the COVID-19 health crisis has passed in the form of steep increases to their Unemployment Insurance contributions.

In my previous blog post I provided a comprehensive overview of an employer’s responsibilities under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) (a copy of which can be found here).  In this post I will explore the small business exemption to the FFCRA including what it entails, when a small business qualifies for it, and how a business can go about claiming said exemption.

Whether you are a business owner or an employee, it is essential that you are familiar with two federal laws during the current health crisis:  (i) Families First Coronavirus Response Act; and (ii)  Family Medical and Leave Act.  In short, the former guarantees certain employees to paid leave while the latter provides employees with job-protected unpaid leave.  In this blog post I will focus on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and what it means to employers and employees in New York State. 

During this current health crisis both New York State and the Federal government have attempted to pass legislation to assist businesses and their employees.  The sheer amount of information being broadcasted on television and posted on the internet can seem overwhelming, especially considering that what you hear in the morning is no longer true by the afternoon.