On Friday April 3, our second L.E.A.R.N Business Readiness Webinar Series focused on Employers’ Rights, Responsibilities and Strategies During COVID-19. The webinar was hosted by Celia Bigoness, Associate Clinical Professor at Cornell Law School, and four 3rd-year Cornell Law School students who have been providing pro bono legal assistance to small businesses in Tompkins County: Saqeef Ahmad, Jennifer Chu (JD/MBA), Nicole Gould and Nayanthika Ramakrishnan.
The webinar summarized employers’ rights and responsibilities under the law, including both the recently passed federal CARES Act and new New York state laws and regulations. Specific issues covered included:
-Employees’ rights to paid and unpaid leave,
-Transitioning employees from salaried to hourly status,
-Assisting employees in filing for unemployment insurance,
-Continuation of employee healthcare benefits following termination
-Visa options for immigrant employees.
The webinar also discussed the privacy concerns that may arise under both federal and state laws when employers attempt to screen employees for COVID-related health issues, and provided practical tips for what questions employers can (and cannot) ask their employees.