New York Wage Theft Prevention Act

In 2011 the New York Wage Theft Prevention Act was placed into effect and amended in 2015. The Act requires New York businesses to give specific wage notices to employees at least 7 days prior to any change, unless the business issues a new paystub. Another example of the requirement is that businesses must provide […]


COVID-19: Time to think about Force Majeure?

We’ve been getting a lot of questions about how COVID-19 is impacting our clients’ businesses.  Today, let’s talk about something called “force majeure” and what it might mean for your business contract.  So what is force majeure?  It’s basically a term in contract law and it can be used to excuse a party’s obligations under […]


Update: Paid Leave

We’ve seen some confusing material out there from other sources, and we want to be sure that our readers understand the interplay between the New York State and Federal components of the paid leave/Family First laws. Please see our earlier post about paid leave in the age of Covid 19. https://wladislawfirm.com/the-families-first-coronavirus-response-act-and-new-yorks-paid-leave-law/ How Does New York’s […]


Notarizing Documents During a Pandemic

Governor Cuomo has signed an executive order that enables any notarial act to be performed utilizing audio-video technology[i]. Executed on March 19, 2020, Executive Order 202.7 implements the foundation for contracts requiring notarization to be executed during the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine. 202.7 allows any notarial act that is required under New York law to be […]


The Families First Coronavirus Response Act and New York’s Paid Leave Law

The Center for Disease Control’s recommended  14-day self-quarantine period for those infected or potentially infected with COVID-19 and Governor Cuomo’s order that, in essence, mandates the majority of New York businesses classified as non-essential to close their doors, raises many questions for both employers and employees. Many New Yorkers are  questioning how they are going […]


Important Update

In the words of Thomas Paine, “These are the times that try (wo)men’s souls”. In “The Crisis”, he wrote about the difficult times Americans were forced to endure during the American Revolution. His words brought comfort to readers who faced panic and uncertainty. Although our current situation is far different from the times in which […]


New York On Pause

On March 20th Governor Cuomo announced, “New York on PAUSE,” further extending executive orders 202.6 and 202.7. The result of these actions is sending businesses across New York into an uncharted territory. These executive orders, when read together, require all employers to reduce their “in-person workforce at any work locations by 100% no later than […]


Open Meetings Law and Municipal Governance Issues During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The State of New York has imposed an emergency restriction on gatherings of 50 or more persons. It has ordered the closure of bars, restaurants, gyms, and other public venues. The Centers for Disease Control is urging Americans to limit even small gatherings: “Events of any size should only be continued if they can be […]


Business Income Insurance and COVID-19

COVID-19 has affected almost everyone and we’ve been getting a lot of questions about related legal issues.  Our hope is to address some of the more common questions we’ve been asked. Many of our clients own businesses.  Some of those businesses are facing mandatory or recommended temporary closures, or may choose to shut down voluntarily […]


New Permitting Process for Large-Scale Renewable Energy Projects

On February 21, the Governor introduced the Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act for inclusion into the 2020 budget. Its goal is to streamline the process for approving large-scale (sometimes called (utility-scale) renewable energy projects. Currently, projects that anticipate generating under 25 megawatts are required to go through a local permitting process featuring SEQR […]