Changes to Labor and Employment Laws That Employers Need to Know

Over the past several months, New York State and New York City have implemented changes to their labor and employment laws that will fundamentally change employers’ legal obligations and responsibilities. This client alert provides an overview of those changes so that employers can take necessary steps to comply with them.

EMPLOYEE CAPTIVE AUDIENCE MEETINGS BANNED
On September 6, 2023, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law a bill amending § 201-d of the New York Labor Law (NYLL) banning employers from requiring employees to attend employer-sponsored meetings or listen to speech or communications, the “primary purpose” of which is to “communicate the employer’s opinion concerning religious or political matters.” “Political matters” are defined broadly and include not only matters relating to elections and political parties, but also any “civic, community, fraternal or labor organization.” As a result, New York State employers are now barred from requiring employees to attend what are known as “captive audience meetings” for purposes of sharing an employer’s views about unions and other outside organizations. The law, though, states that non-mandatory “casual conversations” between employees or between an employee and an agent or representative of the employer are not prohibited. The law also requires employers to post a notice advising employees of their rights under the law. The law took effect immediately upon signing.

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