Presented by: Joanmarie Dowling, Esq., Managing Member, Dowling Law, PLLC

In case you thought we might be close to "getting back to normal," think again!  Recently signed into law by Governor Cuomo, New York's HERO Act creates new workplace health and safety requirements for preventing airborne infectious diseases.  On its face, this doesn't seem to be much different than what employers have been contending with for the past year.  However, the HERO Act has additional requirements beyond preventing the spread of COVID-19 that have substantial - and potentially long-lasting - implications for employers.  Significantly, the law not only requires employers to adopt an Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Standard but also requires employers to permit and subsidize employee safety committees.

In this presentation, we will discuss the requirements for complying with New York HERO Act, including:

• how to create, communicate, and implement the new required Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Standard;
• how the HERO Act interacts with CDC guidance allowing vaccinated individuals to forgo mask and social distancing requirements;
• how employee safety committees will be set up and will function; and
• what the new employee committee requirements mean for employee/supervisory training and employee relations in a union or non-union setting.

Join us for a practical discussion of what organizations need to know to prepare for the HERO Act!

About Joanmarie Dowling, Esq.:
Joanmarie M. Dowling, Esq. is the founder and member of Dowling Law, PLLC. Joanmarie advises and represents for-profit and not-for-profit employers of all sizes in a variety of labor and employment matters, including screening and hiring, discrimination and harassment, reasonable accommodations, leave management, unionization and labor relations, wage and hour, and discipline and discharge. She has successfully defended employers' rights in both federal and state courts, as well as before administrative agencies. Her goal is to make employment law accessible and she is a frequent presenter and writer on a variety of employment issues.