Recently Asked Questions

[NOTE: This submission is based on real-life questions about the new requirement imposed by New York State Labor Law Section 590(2).]

I heard that as of November 13, 2023, ALL employers in New York must notify an employee of the ability to apply for Unemployment Benefits upon "separation of employment" OR if their regular weekly hours are reduced to below 30.  I have several questions:

Is this true?

Does this new law really apply to ALL employers in New York (even a town or village public library)?

Does the new law apply even if the employee is resigning or retiring?

Does the new law apply to no-show employees or others who may have abandoned their employment?

Is there a form for this notice?

When does this notice have to be provided?

Why was this law passed?

Is there a model policy for this law?

Should what we think of as the personnel policy be called Employee Handbook or Personnel Policy?

Sometime in the past, legal counsel advised a library system I was involved in, that the term "Employee Handbook" is correct. The document under now review at my library has what amounts to the rules of employment - typical sections about what the library provides, what we expect the employee to do etc. and does have a page acknowledging receipt of the document.

So what should it be called?

Thank you!