Laura Fant
Associate
As an associate in the Labor & Employment Law Department and co-chair of the Disability, Accommodations & Leave Management Practice Group, Laura Fant frequently counsels on employee leave and accommodation matters involving the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act and related state and local laws. She also provides general employment counseling and has experience reviewing and updating employee handbooks and company policies, as well as providing training on topics such as discrimination and harassment in the workplace, social media, and the accommodation of physical and mental disabilities. Laura is a frequent contributor to Proskauer’s Law and the Workplace blog.
Before joining the Firm, Laura was assistant general counsel to the City of New York's Office of Labor Relations. Prior to that, she was law clerk to Judge Jose L. Fuentes of the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division, and a judicial intern to Judge Laura Taylor Swain of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
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On June 26, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (“WHD”) issued Field Assistance Bulletin (“FAB”) No. 2020-4, providing guidance on when an employee may take leave pursuant to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) to care for their child whose summer camp, summer enrichment program, or other summer program is … Continue Reading
The CDC has issued interim guidance on antibody testing for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes COVID-19. While the guidance is primarily directed at clinical and public health entities, it does contain some information relevant to employers, educational institutions, and other entities who may be considering whether and to what extent such antibody testing may play … Continue Reading
On May 12, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives introduced the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act (“HEROES Act”), which, among other things, would significantly expand coverage and benefits available under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”). As we have discussed at length in numerous prior posts, the FFCRA provides for paid … Continue Reading
The New York City Department of Health has issued a standing Order that creates a process for those who live or work in the City to receive the documentation needed to claim leave in certain circumstances under the New York State COVID-19 Emergency Sick Leave Law. The State Emergency Sick Leave Law requires New York … Continue Reading
As previously announced, the New York City Council has introduced an expansive package of COVID-19 bills that, among other things, propose sweeping protections for “essential” workers. The significance of this proposed legislation cannot be understated as the City Council is proposing a mandated exception to the “at will” employment doctrine, which has served as the … Continue Reading
*** IMPORTANT NOTE: On May 19, 2020, OSHA issued a memorandum revising the below-discussed guidance on employers’ obligation to record cases of COVID-19 in the workplace. On May 26, 2020, the previous guidance will be rescinded and OSHA’s updated guidance will go into effect, the key provisions of which are summarized in our updated blog … Continue Reading
On April 3, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the fiscal year 2021 New York State budget, which, notably for employers, includes a new statewide paid sick leave requirement. As described below, the new leave provisions, which amend the NY Labor Law, will require New York employers of all sizes to provide … Continue Reading
*** Last updated March 28, 2020 *** The recently-passed Family First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which provides paid sick leave and emergency family leave, has raised many questions for employers. The US Department of Labor (DOL) has attempted to answer some of these questions by posting guidance for employers and employees on its website. Since … Continue Reading
***Updated April 16, 2020*** On March 25, 2020, New York State published Frequently Asked Questions and other guidance regarding the state’s recently enacted Covid-19 Paid Sick Leave Law and expansions to New York’s Paid Family Leave Law (PFL) and Disability Benefit Law. This bill was signed into law on March 18 and became effective immediately … Continue Reading
On March 25, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (“WHD”) released the model notice that covered employers must post regarding the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”), along with Frequently Asked Questions regarding the notice requirements. You can read more about the recently enacted FFCRA here, as well as the WHD’s … Continue Reading
*** Please note that the Department of Labor is updating (and in some cases revising) its initial guidance on a rolling basis, so be sure to click on the Questions and Answers link for the most current version. A blog post on the most recent updates to the guidance can be found here. *** On … Continue Reading
*** UPDATE: The Department of Labor has issued guidance stating that the law will take effect on April 1, 2020. More information on the guidance can be found on our blog post here.*** On March 18, 2020, President Trump signed into the law the Family First Coronavirus Response Act (the “Family First Act” or the … Continue Reading
*** New York State has issued additional guidance on the statewide Coronavirus leave law. More information about this guidance can be found on our blog post here. *** On March 18, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law a statewide Coronavirus response bill that immediately provides employees with sick leave and job protection in … Continue Reading
*** IMPORTANT NOTE: On March 18, 2020, President Trump signed an amended version of the Family First Coronavirus Response Act into law that modifies some of the provisions discussed below. Read more on our updated blog post here. *** On March 14, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed H.R. 6201, also known … Continue Reading
**Updated March 12, 2020** Declaration of Coronavirus Pandemic by the World Health Organization On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global pandemic regarding the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (also referred to as COVID-19, but more commonly known simply as the “Coronavirus”), which has spread to over 100 countries and territories. The WHO … Continue Reading
As employers are likely aware, cases of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (also referred to as COVID-19, but more commonly known simply as the “Coronavirus”) continue to spread. While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to maintain that the risk to the general U.S. population presently remains low, the CDC is now … Continue Reading
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has unveiled a sweeping legislative proposal regarding harassment in the workplace, as well as in housing, public accommodations, and business relationships. The proposal would amend the NJ Law Against Discrimination (“NJLAD”) in numerous significant ways. The proposed legislation to a large extent mirrors that which has been introduced in several … Continue Reading
As the recent Coronavirus outbreak continues, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released guidance specifically for employers, outlining recommendations and best practices to protect their workplaces. As we previously addressed in detail in our prior blog on Coronavirus and the Workplace, employers may face a number of issues related to the Coronavirus … Continue Reading
*** Last Updated: March 13, 2020 *** News that cases of the newly-identified 2019 Novel Coronavirus (also referred to as COVID-19, 2019-nCoV, or SARS-CoV-2, but more commonly known simply as the “Coronavirus”) continue to spread has prompted employers to think about employee safety and ways to address prevention in the workplace, as well as planning … Continue Reading
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
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
**Update: The Department has adopted the regulations as of January 22, 2020. You can read more about the final adoption here.** The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (the “Department”) has published proposed regulations that would make significant changes to the state’s wage and hour laws. The proposed provisions, collectively termed the Colorado Overtime & … Continue Reading
Heeding the adage “no one knows what the future may hold,” the Seventh, Eighth and Eleventh Circuits have uniformly refused to extend protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to employees with a perceived risk of a potential impairment. In each case, an employer either declined to hire an applicant or terminated an employee … 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
Department of Labor Issues Bulletin on FFCRA Leave in Light of Summer Camp and Program Closures
By Harris Mufson, Laura Fant and Rachel Therese Gulotta on Posted in Coronavirus, Leaves of Absences
CDC Issues Guidance Warning Against Use of Antibody Testing in Making Decisions Regarding Returning Employees to the Workplace
By Harris Mufson, Evandro Gigante and Laura Fant on Posted in Coronavirus
Latest Proposed Coronavirus Relief Bill Would Significantly Expand Employee Leave Benefits Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act
By Harris Mufson, Evandro Gigante and Laura Fant on Posted in Coronavirus, Leaves of Absences
New York City Department of Health Issues Standing Isolation Order for Purposes of New York State Emergency Sick Leave Law
By Harris Mufson, Evandro Gigante, Laura Fant, Arielle E. Kobetz and Alex Downie on Posted in Coronavirus, Leaves of Absences
New York City Council Introduces COVID-19 Bills Addressing Essential Workers and Paid Sick Leave Coverage
By Allan Bloom, Harris Mufson, Laura Fant and Jordan Simon on Posted in Coronavirus
OSHA Issues Guidance Limiting Recordkeeping Requirements of COVID-19 Cases for Certain Employers
By Harris Mufson, Laura Fant and Scott Tan on Posted in Coronavirus
New York Enacts Statewide Paid Sick Leave Law as Part of FY 2021 Budget
By Harris Mufson, Laura Fant and Arielle E. Kobetz on Posted in Leaves of Absences, Workplace Policies and Procedures
DOL Provides Additional Critical Guidance on the Federal Family First Coronavirus Response Act
By Guy Brenner, Evandro Gigante, Laura Fant and Rachel Therese Gulotta on Posted in Coronavirus
New York State Issues Guidance on COVID-19 Quarantine Leave Law
U.S. Department of Labor Releases Model Notice Required by the Federal Family First Coronavirus Response Act
U.S. Department of Labor Releases Initial Guidance on the Federal Family First Coronavirus Response Act
Federal Family First Coronavirus Response Act Signed Into Law
New York State Enacts Coronavirus Response Bill Including Paid Sick Time and Other Statutory Benefits
Family First Coronavirus Response Act: What Employers Need to Know
Coronavirus Concerns Grow As World Health Organization Declares Pandemic
Coronavirus Concerns Continue as CDC Issues Additional Travel Notices
New Jersey to Consider Mandatory Anti-Harassment Training and Other Significant Expansions of the NJ Law Against Discrimination
CDC Releases Guidance for Employers Regarding the Coronavirus
Coronavirus and the Workplace: What Employers Need To Know
Mandatory Severance Pay for Mass Layoffs Looms in New Jersey
By Evandro Gigante, Laura Fant and Arielle E. Kobetz on Posted in Workplace Restructuring and WARN
New York City Extends Human Rights Law Protections and Training Requirements to Freelancers and Independent Contractors
Sweeping Changes Coming to Colorado Wage and Hour and Vacation Pay Rules
By Evandro Gigante and Laura Fant on Posted in Vacation policy, Wage and Hour
Emerging Trend: ADA Does Not Cover Potential Future Disabilities
By Harris Mufson, Laura Fant and Jacob L. Hirsch on Posted in Accessibility & Accommodation, Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation
Westchester County, New York Issues Guidance and Mandatory Notices for Safe Time Leave Law
By Allan Bloom, Laura Fant and Arielle E. Kobetz on Posted in Leaves of Absences, Workplace Policies and Procedures
