Summary of July 2025 Labor Law Updates for New York, New York
Brought to you by the New York city team of HKM Employment Attorneys, this roundup presents key real, verifiable labor and employment law developments in New York during July 2025. It’s crafted for employees, HR professionals, and compliance leaders seeking up-to-date insights on state-level changes affecting workplace rights and obligations.
July 2025 brought several impactful labor law developments in New York, including leave policy sunsets, expanded notice obligations, industry-specific protections, and evolving federal-state jurisdictional dynamics. For personalized guidance or assistance navigating these changes, contact HKM Employment Attorneys at hkm.com. Our team is ready to help you stay compliant, protect your workforce, and reduce legal risk.
COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave Sunset — Policy Expiration
Type: Legislation / Administrative Update
Date: July 31, 2025
Summary: New York State’s COVID‑19-specific paid sick leave requirement—mandating additional paid sick days for employees under mandatory quarantine or isolation orders—is set to expire on July 31, 2025. Following this sunset, employees will need to rely on previously established paid leave programs such as the New York State Paid Sick Leave Law or New York City’s Earned Safe and Sick Time for COVID‑related absences.
Implications: Employers should promptly update leave policies and employee handbooks to reflect the removal of COVID-specific sick leave mandates. Employee communications should clarify that, from August 1 onwards, any COVID-related leave must be taken under existing leave entitlements. HR teams should also confirm that internal systems no longer track COVID-specific leave separately.
NYC Earned Safe & Sick Time Act (ESSTA) Expanded for Prenatal Leave
Type: Regulation (NYC Department Rulemaking)
Date: Effective July 2, 2025
Summary: New York City enhanced its ESSTA to include paid prenatal personal leave, in addition to sick and safe leave. Effective July 2, 2025, employers must notify employees of their prenatal leave rights using updated written notices. The Notice of Employee Rights, mandated by the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, now includes prenatal leave information.
Implications: Employers with NYC-based employees must revise their employee postings and handbooks to include prenatal leave language. Ensure that updated “Notice of Employee Rights” materials are visibly displayed or distributed. Failing to inform employees of these rights could result in violations of notice requirements under ESSTA.
Fashion Workers Act Now in Effect
Type: Legislation
Date: Effective June 2025 (but relevant and actionable into July)
Summary: The Fashion Workers Act, establishing critical protections for models in New York, came into effect in June 2025. It mandates transparent agency-client contracts, limits agency fees to 20%, guarantees deal memos, contract access, and introduces safeguards against harassment and misuse of AI. It also allows models and content creators more flexibility to terminate agency contracts.
Implications: Agencies operating within New York must align their contracts and operational policies to these requirements. Human resources and legal teams should review existing agreement templates, ensure the issuance of deal memos, and support models in understanding these new rights.
Agricultural Labor Dispute — PORPIGLIA Farms Union Contract Controversy
Type: Arbitration / Labor Relations / Enforcement Dynamics
Date: Reported in July 2025 (ongoing)
Summary: In Marlboro, New York, Porpiglia Farms is refusing to recognize a union contract imposed by the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) following arbitration, arguing federal H-2A visa regulations conflict with agreed terms. The farm’s stance conflicts with New York labor law, which allowed union certification via authorization cards. A contract effective August 2025 through July 2027 remains unenforced.
Implications: Businesses in agriculture and related sectors must stay aware of enforcement developments in labor disputes, especially those involving immigrant or visa-related workforces. Employers should monitor how state labor authorities or courts respond and prepare accordingly.
Conclusion: Looking Back on New York’s Labor Law Updates from July 2025
With recent court rulings refining protections under the NY Human Rights Law, Family and Medical Leave Act, and anti-retaliation statutes, securing experienced local counsel is more important than ever. At HKM Employment Attorneys in New York, our NYC and New Paltz teams—including attorneys Briana Beltran, Artemio Guerra, Marcela Jimenez Rodriguez, and Meagan Rafferty—have obtained over $250 million for employees across practice areas such as discrimination, harassment, FMLA, and more. We offer fearless, no-fee-unless-we-win representation and guide clients through sensitive negotiations, EEOC or ethics filings, and court litigation. If recent NY case developments hit close to home, contact our New York office to see how we can help enforce your workplace rights.
