Harris Mufson
Partner
Harris M. Mufson is a partner in Proskauer’s Labor & Employment Law Department, where he serves as co-head of the Firm’s Whistleblowing & Retaliation Practice Group and the Disability, Accommodation & Leave Management Practice Group. He is highly regarded as a trusted advisor to clients in a wide range of industries regarding significant employment issues. Harris has vast expertise in employment matters, representing employers in disputes regarding discrimination and retaliation, whistleblowing, sexual harassment, wrongful discharge, defamation, breach of contract, wage and hour, and restrictive covenants. In addition to litigating, Harris counsels clients on compliance with employment-related laws, as well as the development, implementation and enforcement of personnel policies and procedures. Additionally, he has conducted numerous internal investigations regarding sensitive employment matters.
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Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced that New York City will become the first major city in the United States to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for workers and patrons of indoor dining, indoor fitness, and indoor entertainment venues and performances. In a press conference, Mayor de Blasio stated that the mandate – termed the “Key to … Continue Reading
On July 6, 2021, the New York State Department of Labor published multiple model documents related to the implementation of the New York HERO Act (the “Act”), which, as we previous reported, requires all employers in New York to adopt a prevention plan to protect against the spread of airborne infectious diseases in the workplace. … Continue Reading
On June 23, 2021, the New York State Department of Health issued an Emergency Regulation requiring non-fully vaccinated individuals to wear face coverings in workplaces and other public settings. The publication of this Emergency Regulation comes at the heels of Governor Cuomo’s June 15, 2021 announcement that New York Forward industry guidance would become optional, … Continue Reading
***June 16, 2021 Update: On June 15, Governor Cuomo announced that 70% of adult New Yorkers have received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. As a result, the New York Forward industry guidance is now optional for offices, retail, food services, gyms, and other commercial settings. The guidance remains mandatory for large-scale indoor event … Continue Reading
***UPDATE: on June 11, 2021, Governor Cuomo signed the HERO Act amendments into law. As discussed below, section 1 of the Act takes effect on July 5, 2021, though employers are not required to adopt an airborne infectious disease exposure prevention plan until the state issues its model. Section 2 (permitting the creation of a … Continue Reading
On May 28, the EEOC issued updated and expanded guidance for employers, addressing many unanswered questions regarding COVID-19 vaccinations. The updates supplement prior EEOC guidance and focus on four topics: (1) mandatory vaccination policies; (2) accommodations; (3) information about employee vaccination status; and (4) vaccine incentives. Below, we highlight the key guidance on each topic. … Continue Reading
***UPDATE: OSHA announced that it is carefully reviewing the CDC’s guidance and is in the process of updating its guidance to employers. Until those updates are released, OSHA instructs employers to refer to the CDC’s guidance for information on how to protect fully vaccinated employees. Additionally, Governor Cuomo announced that New York will adopt the … Continue Reading
***UPDATE: Governor Cuomo signed the HERO Act into law on Wednesday, May 5, 2021. The Act is currently scheduled to take effect on June 4, 2021; however, section two of the Act, which permits the creation of a joint employer-employee workplace health and safety committee (as discussed below), takes effect on November 1, 2021. On … Continue Reading
***UPDATE: On May 21, 2021, OSHA published a new FAQ establishing that employers do not need to record adverse reactions from COVID-19 vaccines on their OSHA 300 Logs, at least through May of 2022. The enforcement position applies regardless of whether an employer requires, recommends, or incentivizes employees to receive the vaccine. On April 20, … Continue Reading
On April 10, 2021, the New York State Department of Health again updated its COVID-19 Travel Advisory for domestic and international travel. The advisory removes many of the quarantine requirements for domestic and international travelers arriving in New York State and clarifies existing guidance for all travelers. Additional information about the current restrictions on travel … Continue Reading
On March 31, 2021, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the New York State Cannabis/Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act, which legalized the use of recreational marijuana for individuals ages 21 and older. Among other things, the Act establishes a Cannabis Control Board and Office of Cannabis Management that will be responsible for regulating … Continue Reading
On March 16, 2021, the CDC issued updated guidance for employers regarding COVID-19 vaccinations and the workplace. This guidance focuses on considerations for mandatory vaccination programs, reopening the workplace after employees have been vaccinated, and general best practices regarding vaccinations. Below, we highlight the key aspects of this guidance. Mandating Vaccination Similar to recent guidance … Continue Reading
On March 10, 2021, New York State updated its quarantine guidance for individuals exposed to COVID-19. Under this new guidance, individuals who are fully vaccinated or have recently recovered from COVID-19 are no longer required to quarantine after being exposed to someone with COVID-19, provided that certain conditions are met. This announcement brings New York … Continue Reading
As we previously reported, on January 21, 2021, President Biden issued an executive order aimed at increasing COVID-19 workplace safety measures at the federal level. In response to President Biden’s directive, OSHA announced on March 12, 2021 the launch of a national emphasis program (“NEP”) to focus its enforcement efforts on employers that put the … Continue Reading
On March 10, 2021, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“Rescue Plan”), a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package intended to provide continued economic relief to individuals, businesses, and state and local governments during the COVID-19 pandemic. President Biden is expected to sign the bill into law. The following is a summary of … Continue Reading
***UPDATE: Governor Cuomo signed this bill into law on Friday, March 12. The law takes effect immediately.*** The New York state legislature passed Bill S2588A/A3354B, which would amend the New York Labor Law to grant employees paid leave time for the COVID-19 vaccination. Below is a brief summary of what New York employers need to … Continue Reading
UPDATE: This post was updated on March 13, 2021 to reflect changes to New York State’s COVID-19 Travel Advisory and to include information on Governor Cuomo’s March 11th announcement regarding quarantine requirements for travelers to New York State. UPDATE: On April 1, 2021, the NYS Department of Health issued an updated travel advisory, which no … Continue Reading
In this episode of The Proskauer Brief, partners Harris Mufson, Evandro Gigante, and Allan Bloom discuss key potential employment law changes under the Biden Administration. Tune in as we explore an evolving legal landscape – from new health and safety requirements to wage and hour regulations and expanded anti-discrimination laws. Listen to the podcast. … Continue Reading
As we previously reported, last week President Biden directed the Secretary of Labor to issue revised guidance to employers on workplace safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to that directive, OSHA issued what the DOL described as “stronger” worker safety guidance to advise employers during the COVID-19 pandemic. OSHA’s newest guidance, titled “Protecting Workers: … Continue Reading
Quick Hit On January 21, 2021, President Biden signed an executive order aimed at increasing COVID-19 workplace safety measures at the federal level. As a result, employers should expect new OSHA guidance within the next two weeks and new emergency temporary standards by mid-March. Key Takeaways President Biden’s Executive Order on Protecting Worker Health and … Continue Reading
***UPDATE: New York State has modified its Paid Family Leave COVID-19 FAQs for Employees to reflect this New York State Department of Labor guidance. We will continue to monitor New York’s COVID-19 leave law and provide updates.*** On January 20, 2021, the New York State Department of Labor issued new guidance on the state’s COVID-19 … Continue Reading
The federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”), which requires that employers with fewer than 500 employees provide sick and family leave benefits for certain COVID-19 related reasons, is due to sunset on December 31, 2020. Many believed that the FFCRA’s sick and family leave provisions would be extended into 2021 as part of the … Continue Reading
In this episode of The Proskauer Brief, partners Harris Mufson and Evandro Gigante discuss the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s recent guidance for employers regarding mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations. On December 16th, 2020, the EEOC issued updated guidance for employers in light of the FDA’s recent authorization of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use. Widespread vaccinations have been largely … Continue Reading
*** UPDATE: After being presented with the bill on Thursday, December 24, President Trump signed it into law on Sunday, December 27. The unemployment provisions take effect upon signing, but because states process unemployment benefit claims on a weekly basis that generally begin each Saturday, benefits under the new law likely will be paid starting … Continue Reading
New York City to Mandate COVID-19 Vaccination for Workers and Patrons of Indoor Dining, Fitness and Entertainment Venues
By Evandro Gigante, Harris Mufson and Laura Fant on Posted in Coronavirus
New York State Issues HERO Act Prevention Standard and Model Plans
By Evandro Gigante, Harris Mufson, Arielle E. Kobetz and Alex Downie on Posted in Coronavirus
The State of Face Covering Requirements in New York
By Harris Mufson, Evandro Gigante and Alex Downie on Posted in Coronavirus
New York State Issues Updated Reopening Guidance for Offices
By Evandro Gigante, Harris Mufson, Alex Downie and Makenzie D. Way on Posted in Coronavirus
New York State Passes Significant Amendments to the HERO Act
By Harris Mufson, Evandro Gigante and Arielle E. Kobetz on Posted in Coronavirus, Workplace Policies and Procedures
EEOC Issues Additional Guidance on COVID-19 Vaccines
CDC Updates Guidance Regarding Fully Vaccinated Individuals
By Evandro Gigante, Harris Mufson, Alex Downie and Julia Hollreiser on Posted in Coronavirus
New York State Passes Bill to Mandate COVID-19 Safety Standards in the Workplace
By Evandro Gigante, Harris Mufson and Arielle E. Kobetz on Posted in Coronavirus, Workplace Policies and Procedures
OSHA Issues Guidance on Employer Recording Obligations Regarding Mandatory Vaccination Programs
By Harris Mufson and Arielle E. Kobetz on Posted in Coronavirus, Workplace Policies and Procedures
New York State Issues Updated Travel Advisory; Relaxes Travel Restrictions
By Evandro Gigante, Harris Mufson, Alex Downie and Rebecca Fishbein on Posted in Coronavirus
New York State Legalizes Recreational Adult Use of Marijuana
By Harris Mufson and Arielle E. Kobetz on Posted in Workplace Policies and Procedures
CDC Provides Guidance for Workplace Vaccination Programs
By Evandro Gigante, Harris Mufson, Alex Downie and Julia Hollreiser on Posted in Coronavirus
New York State Announces New COVID-19 Quarantine Guidelines
By Evandro Gigante, Harris Mufson, Alex Downie and Rebecca Fishbein on Posted in Coronavirus, Workplace Safety
OSHA Launches New Workplace Safety Initiative and Updated Enforcement Guidance Regarding COVID-19
By Harris Mufson, Lexie Reynolds and Julia Hollreiser on Posted in Biden Administration Coverage, Coronavirus, Workplace Safety
Congress Passes American Rescue Plan: What Employers Need to Know
New York State Passes Bill Granting Employees Paid Time Off for COVID-19 Vaccinations
By Evandro Gigante, Harris Mufson, Arielle E. Kobetz, Alex Downie and Julia Hollreiser on Posted in Coronavirus
New York State Announces New COVID-19 Travel Guidelines for Fully Vaccinated Individuals
By Evandro Gigante, Harris Mufson, Alex Downie and Rebecca Fishbein on Posted in Coronavirus
[Podcast]: What Can Employers Expect from the Biden Administration?
By Harris Mufson, Evandro Gigante and Allan Bloom on Posted in Biden Administration Coverage, The Proskauer Brief Podcast
OSHA Issues New Workplace Safety Guidance Regarding COVID-19
By Harris Mufson, Lexie Reynolds and Heylee Bernstein on Posted in Biden Administration Coverage, Coronavirus, Workplace Safety
Biden Directs OSHA To Issue New Workplace Safety Guidance Regarding COVID-19
By Harris Mufson and Lexie Reynolds on Posted in Biden Administration Coverage, Coronavirus, Workplace Safety
New York State Issues Additional Guidance on COVID-19 Quarantine Leave Law
By Evandro Gigante, Harris Mufson, Alex Downie and Rebecca Fishbein on Posted in Coronavirus, Leaves of Absences
Congress Extends FFCRA Tax Credit into 2021, Declines to Extend FFCRA Leave
By Abigail Rosenblum, Alex Downie, Evandro Gigante and Harris Mufson on Posted in Coronavirus, Leaves of Absences
[Podcast]: Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccinations
By Evandro Gigante and Harris Mufson on Posted in Coronavirus, Workplace Policies and Procedures, Workplace Safety
Congress Seeks to Extend Many CARES Act Unemployment Benefits in Pandemic Relief Package
By Allison Martin, Evandro Gigante, Harris Mufson and Jacob P. Tucker on Posted in Coronavirus
