Compensation and Employment

Home health care aides working twenty-four hour shifts can be paid for as little as thirteen hours under certain conditions, according to a March ruling from the New York Court of Appeals in Andryeyeva v. New York Health Care, Inc. The Court of Appeals remanded, however, for lower courts to consider whether employers were adhering to the sleep and
Continue Reading Home Health Care Aides Working Twenty-Four Hour Shifts Can Be Paid For Thirteen Hours If Employer Meets Sleep and Meal Time Requirements

Last week, in LeadingAge New York, Inc. v. Shah, the New York Court of Appeals addressed Department of Health regulations limiting executive compensation and administrative expenditures by healthcare providers receiving state funds. The Court upheld limits related to state funding, but struck down a limit that applied regardless of the source of funding.

In 2012, Governor Cuomo directed agencies
Continue Reading NY Court of Appeals Strikes Down DOH Limits On Use Of Private Funds For Executive Compensation And Upholds Limits On Use Of Public Funds

The New York State Department of Health (DOH), in consultation with the Department of Labor (DOL), recently announced a Request for Applications for the Health Workforce Retraining Initiative (HWRI).  This program was established pursuant to NYS Public Health Law §2807-g and is funded through the State’s Health Care Reform Act.  The 2018-19 Enacted New York State Budget included $9 million

Continue Reading NYS Department of Health Announces Workforce Retraining Funding Opportunity

Trypanophobia—the fear of needles—played a significant role in a case brought against Rite Aid Pharmacy under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In Stevens v. Rite Aid Corp., the Second Circuit overturned a jury verdict awarding substantial damages to a Rite Aid pharmacist who was terminated after he said he could not perform immunization injections because of a needle
Continue Reading Pharmacy Chain Not Required To Reasonably Accommodate Needle-Phobic Pharmacist


A recent article in the New York Times examined the growth of noncompete agreements, noting “Noncompete clauses are now appearing in far-ranging fields beyond the worlds of technology, sales and corporations with tightly held secrets, where the curbs have traditionally been used. From event planners to chefs to investment fund managers to yoga instructors, employees are increasingly required to sign

Continue Reading A Refresher on Noncompetes for Health Professionals

          In March 2013, the Second Circuit certified to the New York Court of Appeals the issue of whether a medical corporation may be liable for the unauthorized disclosure of medical information, when the employee responsible for the breach was not a physician and was acting outside the scope of her employment (see post).  In Doe v. Guthrie,
Continue Reading Medical Corporation Not Liable For Employee’s Disclosure Of Confidential Medical Information

On October 2, 2013, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed into law the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (the “Act”). The Act, which amends New York City’s Human Rights Law, prohibits employers from discriminating against workers who are pregnant or have a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth, and requires employers to provide a reasonable accommodation to such workers

Continue Reading Bloomberg Signs Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

(This post was authored by Heather Harrison, an associate in the Labor & Employment practice at Farrell Fritz)

Although key provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) have been delayed until 2015, one important notice requirement is just around the corner. By October 1, 2013, virtually all employers must provide written notice to their employees

Continue Reading Affordable Care Act Employer Notice Deadline Nears

On May 29, 2013, the US Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury issued final regulations regarding wellness programs under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the “ACA”).  Wellness programs are programs offered by employers, or directly by insurance companies to their enrollees, to improve health and promote fitness. The ACA, in conjunction with the Health Insurance

Continue Reading Wellness Programs Under the Affordable Care Act

Over fifty cases across the country have challenged regulations promulgated under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA” or “Obamacare”) that require employer group health insurance plans to provide coverage for contraception, sterilization and related counseling (the “HHS Mandate”).  Suits have been filed by religiously-affiliated organizations as well as private business owners, asserting that the HHS Mandate will require
Continue Reading Are Suits Opposing Obamacare Mandates Ripe?