The Bottom Line On October 29, 2018, New Jersey employers will be required to provide eligible employees with up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year under the New Jersey Paid Sick Leave Act (the Act). The Act, which preempts all New Jersey sick leave ordinances, follows the trend Continue Reading
New York City Law Requiring “Cooperative Dialogue” for Reasonable Accommodation Requests Goes into Effect on October 15, 2018
The Bottom Line New York City employers should act quickly to ensure compliance with new laws that expand employee reasonable accommodation and disability rights. At a minimum, employers should update employee handbooks to: (1) explain the procedures that eligible employees should follow when Continue Reading
New York State Publishes Final Sexual Harassment Prevention Policy and Training Materials
As we previously reported in April 2018, New York State lawmakers recently passed legislation aimed at combating workplace sexual harassment. The changes called for in the legislation include requiring employers to implement sexual harassment prevention policies and training. More than Continue Reading
Street Art, Copyright Infringement, and De Minimis Use
The Bottom Line When considering using graffiti or street art as part of a commercial production, including in advertising, social media or other marketing efforts, the same considerations addressed when clearing the use of other copyrighted or trademarked materials should be taken into account. Continue Reading
Stop Sexual Harassment Act Poster and Information Sheet Issued by NYC Commission on Human Rights
The Bottom Line To prepare for the new sexual harassment prevention requirements imposed by New York City law, employers should post the mandatory anti-sexual harassment rights and responsibilities poster in both English and Spanish. Employers should also incorporate the mandatory information Continue Reading
New York Appellate Court Enforces Lease Provision Waiving Commercial Tenants’ Right to Seek Yellowstone Injunction, Strengthening Landlords’ Right to Evict
The Bottom Line Commercial tenants entering into new leases should review draft agreements carefully for explicit waivers of the right to seek Yellowstone relief and less obvious waivers of that right that are drafted more vaguely, such as provisions that:waive a tenant's right to seek Continue Reading
New York Courts Reaffirm That They Will Not Consider Extrinsic Evidence When Interpreting Unambiguous Contracts
The Bottom Line While parties to a contract may develop an understanding of their agreement based on discussions during contract negotiations, under New York law, a court should not consider evidence of that understanding if the ultimate agreement is unambiguous.As reaffirmed by the recent Continue Reading
Inline Links to Unlicensed Third-Party Content Now May Be Copyright Infringement
5th Edition: Trends in Marketing Communications Law For years, copyright attorneys throughout the country have relied on a decision from a Federal appellate court in the 9th Circuit (California and surrounding states) to advise clients that they may safely place on their websites unlicensed Continue Reading
Second Circuit Rules That Title VII Prohibits Discrimination on Basis of Sexual Orientation
The Bottom Line The Zarda decision deepens the growing split between the circuit courts on the issue of whether discrimination based on sexual orientation is prohibited under federal law. It is now more likely that the U.S. Supreme Court will ultimately have to determine whether federal law should Continue Reading
Recent Cases Highlight “Digital Assets” As A New Frontier in Estate Planning and Litigation
The Bottom Line New York State's EPTL now includes a provision that clarifies how matters involving digital assets are handled in estate administration. The full scope of the Act’s implications has yet to play out, but digital assets will undoubtedly affect estate planning and litigation matters Continue Reading