Arielle E. Kobetz
Arielle Kobetz is an associate in the Labor & Employment Law Department. She assists employers in a wide range of areas, including discrimination, wage and hour, and traditional labor.
Prior to joining Proskauer, Arielle served as a law clerk at the New York City Human Resources Administration, Employment Law Unit, where she worked on a variety of employment discrimination and internal employee disciplinary issues.
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UPDATE – on January 21, 2020, Governor Phil Murphy signed the bill into law. It will take effect in 180 days (i.e., on July 19, 2020). The New Jersey Senate has passed a bill (S.3170) that would amend the New Jersey Millville Dallas Airmotive Plant Loss Job Notification Act, more commonly referred to as the … Continue Reading
The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) has published guidance on the state’s salary history inquiry law, which went into effect on January 6, 2020. As we previously reported, the law prohibits employers from: Relying on the wage or salary history of an applicant in determining whether to offer employment to such individual or … Continue Reading
Effective January 11, 2020, the New York City Human Rights Law (“NYCHRL”) has been amended to expand protections under the law to freelancers and independent contractors. Significantly, this includes the requirement that certain contractors now complete annual sexual harassment prevention training in the same manner as covered employees. Contractors also are now eligible for reasonable … Continue Reading
2019 was a busy year for lawmakers across the nation, underscoring the need for employers to remain apprised of all the new laws that will be taking effect in 2020. Below we summarize some of the significant developments employers should be on the lookout for in the new year. Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Laws On … Continue Reading
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law the Create a Respectful and Open Workspace for Natural Hair (“CROWN”) Act, which prohibits employers from discriminating against applicants or employees based upon hairstyle. Effective immediately, the CROWN Act amends the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination to define “race” as inclusive of “traits historically associated with race” … Continue Reading
As we approach the New Year, employers should keep in mind that several updates to the New York Paid Family Leave Law (“NYPFLL”) are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2020. As we have previously reported, the NYPFLL provides a phased-in system of paid, job protected leave for eligible employees: (i) to care for … Continue Reading
As we previously reported, Nevada has enacted a personal leave law, which, effective January 1, 2020, will require private employers with 50 or more employees in Nevada to provide certain employees working in the state with up to 40 hours of paid leave per year, to be used for any purpose, including non-medical personal reasons. … Continue Reading
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed into law a bill which, effective immediately, prohibits employers from accessing information on employees’ or dependents’ reproductive health without prior consent. Specifically, the new law prohibits an employer from “accessing an employee’s personal information regarding the employee’s or the employee’s dependent’s reproductive health decision making, including but not … Continue Reading
As we previously reported, Connecticut has enacted the Time’s Up Act (the “Act”), which expanded existing sexual harassment training and notice requirements on employers. Under the new law, employers with three or more employees must provide two hours of interactive sexual harassment training to all existing employees by October 1, 2020, and to all new … Continue Reading
As we previously reported, effective October 30, 2019, Westchester County, NY employers are required to provide paid leave to employees who are victims of domestic violence or human trafficking (“safe time”). Leave under the new ordinance will be in addition to paid time off already required to be provided to employees under the Westchester County … Continue Reading
As we previously reported, on August 12, 2019, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law significant legislation to expand workplace anti-discrimination protections. The State has now updated its FAQs to provide additional guidance on these new requirements. There are several key points now included in the guidance that provide some clarity on employers’ … Continue Reading
The New York City Commission on Human Rights has issued new enforcement guidance on discrimination based on actual or perceived national origin or immigration status in employment, as well as in housing and public accommodations. While enforcement guidance does not have the same force of law as a statute or formal regulations, it provides significant … Continue Reading
In this episode of The Proskauer Brief, partner Evandro Gigante and associate Arielle Kobetz discuss the recent developments out of New York State, that will significantly expand workplace anti-discrimination protections. Among other things, recent amendments to New York law will lower the burden on plaintiffs seeking to prove claims of workplace harassment under the Human … Continue Reading
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed into law amendments to the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL) that expand protections for employees who are victims of domestic violence. The amendments will take effect on November 18, 2019. While the NYSHRL has long prohibited discrimination against victims of domestic violence, the amendments expressly state … Continue Reading
On the heels of enacting a law to prohibit hairstyle discrimination, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed into law a bill that amends the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL) to expressly prohibit employment discrimination based on attire, clothing, or facial hair worn as a form of religious observance. Specifically, the new law … Continue Reading
On August 12, 2019, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law significant expansions to workplace anti-discrimination protections in New York State. As we previously reported in detail, the new legislation includes numerous measures regarding discrimination and harassment in all forms (not just sexual harassment) in the workplace. The signing of the bill triggers the countdown to … Continue Reading
On July 2, 2019, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law the Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act (the “Act”), which amends the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act (“CUMMA”) to provide greater clarity on the legal protections for both employers and employees. CUMMA, which was signed into law on January 18th, … Continue Reading
UPDATE: Governor Kate Brown signed the bill into law on August 9, 2019. Oregon is the latest state to enact a paid family and medical leave law. The law, which will cover all employers with one or more employees working in Oregon, establishes a state-managed insurance program with employers and employees paying into a paid … Continue Reading
Implementation of the City of San Antonio’s paid sick leave ordinance has been delayed pending a legal challenge, less than two weeks before the ordinance’s scheduled effective date of August 1, 2019. On July 15, 2019, the Texas Attorney General and about a dozen business groups filed suit against the City, alleging that the paid … Continue Reading
Proponents of mandatory arbitration in New York can collectively let out a sigh of relief as a federal court judge has weighed in on the question of whether New York State’s law prohibiting mandatory arbitration of sexual harassment claims (CPLR § 7515), effective July 11, 2018, is preempted by federal law. The short answer, as … Continue Reading
As we find ourselves in the midst of summer, employers in New York should keep an eye on the upcoming October 9th deadline for providing anti-harassment training to all employees. As we previously reported, effective October 9, 2018, all New York State employers are required to adopt written sexual harassment prevention policies and institute annual … Continue Reading
The Colorado legislature has been quite active in recent weeks, passing several new employment laws, many of which reflect nationwide trends. Among other things, the new laws address discriminatory pay disparities, salary history inquiries and criminal background checks. Pay Disparity Effective January 1, 2021, the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (the “Act”) will prohibit … Continue Reading
As we previously reported, the Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act of 2016 will provide Washington, DC employees with paid leave for several reasons, including: Up to eight weeks of paid parental leave to bond with a new child; Up to six weeks of paid family leave to care for a covered family member with a … Continue Reading
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont recently signed into law the Time’s Up Act (the “Act”), which amends existing state law to impose greater sexual harassment training and notice requirements on employers. Training Requirements Currently, Connecticut law requires employers with 50 or more employees to provide two hours of sexual harassment training to all supervisory employees. While … Continue Reading
Mandatory Severance Pay for Mass Layoffs Looms in New Jersey
By Arielle E. Kobetz, Evandro Gigante and Laura Fant on Posted in Workplace Restructuring and WARN
New York State Department of Labor Publishes Guidance on Salary History Inquiry Law
By Arielle E. Kobetz, Alex Downie and Evandro Gigante on Posted in Hiring/Background Checks
New York City Extends Human Rights Law Protections and Training Requirements to Freelancers and Independent Contractors
The Employment Law Landscape in 2020
New Jersey Becomes the Third State to Prohibit Hairstyle Discrimination
New York Paid Family Leave Law: Are You Prepared for 2020?
By Arielle E. Kobetz and Evandro Gigante on Posted in Leaves of Absences
Nevada Labor Commissioner Issues Advisory Opinions Regarding Paid Personal Leave Law
By Allan Bloom, Arielle E. Kobetz and Eric Novak on Posted in Leaves of Absences
New York State Enacts Law to Protect Employees’ Reproductive Health Decisions
By Arielle E. Kobetz and Evandro Gigante on Posted in Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation
Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities Issues Guidance on Sexual Harassment Training and Notice Requirements
By Arielle E. Kobetz and Harris Mufson on Posted in Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation
Westchester County, New York Issues Guidance and Mandatory Notices for Safe Time Leave Law
By Allan Bloom, Arielle E. Kobetz and Laura Fant on Posted in Leaves of Absences, Workplace Policies and Procedures
New York State Issues Additional Guidance Following Recent Expansion of Workplace Anti-Discrimination Protections
By Arielle E. Kobetz, Evandro Gigante and Laura Fant on Posted in Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation
NYC Commission on Human Rights Issues Enforcement Guidance on National Origin and Immigration Status Discrimination
By Arielle E. Kobetz, Evandro Gigante and Laura Fant on Posted in Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation
[Podcast]: New York State Expanded Protections Against Workplace Harassment
New York State to Require Reasonable Accommodation for Victims of Domestic Violence
New York State Enacts Law Prohibiting Religious Discrimination Based on Appearance
By Arielle E. Kobetz and Evandro Gigante on Posted in Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation
New York State Significantly Expands Workplace Anti-Discrimination Protections
New Jersey Expands Medical Marijuana Protections
By Arielle E. Kobetz, Evandro Gigante and Tony S. Martinez on Posted in Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation
Oregon Enacts Expansive Paid Family and Medical Leave Law
By Arielle E. Kobetz, Evandro Gigante and Laura Fant on Posted in Leaves of Absences, Workplace Policies and Procedures
San Antonio, Texas Paid Sick Leave Law Put on Hold Pending Legal Challenge
By Arielle E. Kobetz, Evandro Gigante and Laura Fant on Posted in Leaves of Absences
Rock Beats Scissor: Federal Law Cuts Through New York State’s Attempt to Prohibit Mandatory Arbitration of Sexual Harassment Claims
By Arielle E. Kobetz, Danielle J. Moss and Evandro Gigante on Posted in Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation
The Clock Is Ticking: Less Than Three Months Until the NYS Deadline for Mandatory Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
By Arielle E. Kobetz and Evandro Gigante on Posted in Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation
Colorado Enacts Laws Regarding Pay Equity, Salary History and Criminal Background Inquiries
DC Paid Leave Tax: Contributions Begin on July 1
By Arielle E. Kobetz and Guy Brenner on Posted in Leaves of Absences
Connecticut Expands Sexual Harassment Training and Notice Requirements
By Arielle E. Kobetz, Harris Mufson and Tony S. Martinez on Posted in Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation
