Reopening New York — About Workforce Reductions and OSHA Violations

October 29, 2020

By: Laura H. Harshbarger and Michael D. Billok

As a bonus to Bond’s October 27 webinar about the evolving legal implications of COVID-19 for business, Bond labor and employment attorneys Laura H. Harshbarger and Michael D. Billok each recorded a short video to answer some frequently asked questions.

In her video, Laura reviews employers’ options for staff reductions, including voluntary layoffs, early retirement incentives, severance agreements and overall organizational downsizing – and the legal implications and pitfalls of each. 

Mike, meanwhile, provides an update on what the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been up to in response to the pandemic. In recent weeks, OSHA has started issuing citations for COVID-related workforce violations that have totaled $1.6 million in fines. In addition, OSHA has been issuing recommendations to employers about how to keep workers safe and avoid citations. 

The full presentation covered the following topics:

  • New York Paid Sick Leave
  • Rightsizing, Downsizing and Furloughs
  • OSHA Update
  • New York Travel, Return to Work and Cluster Developments

Click here to view the webinar in its entirety or to register for upcoming Tuesday presentations.