New York requires employers to provide leave time for employees to donate blood and to provide nursing mothers reasonable break time to express breast milk in the workplace.  Guidelines recently issued by the New York State Commissioner of Labor now require covered employers to notify employees of their rights under these laws.

Starting July 8, 2008, the new blood donation guidelines require that covered New York employers notify all employees in writing about their right to take leave to donate
blood.

New York's blood donation leave law (enacted last year) covers all public and private New York employers with 20 or more employees at one or more worksites. Covered employers must provide employees with no fewer than three hours of unpaid leave time within any 12-month period to donate blood.

The newly effective written-notice requirement provides that covered employers may provide notice of employee rights under the law through posting a notice, providing a
written statement in an employee's paycheck or other mailing, or including the notice in an employee handbook. New employees should be notified at the time of hire, and all employees should be notified on an annual basis by no later than January 15.


Click here to read the entire article.