Rising Domestic Violence and Abuse During COVID-19: How Workplaces Can Help Those in Need

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a silent health crisis has been flourishing with domestic violence on the rise. Please join us for a discussion on the implications of this development for the workplace and how employers can support and serve as a resource for victims. 

We are honored that Carmelyn P. Malalis, Commissioner and Chair of the New York City Commission on Human Rights, will speak on the NYC Human Rights Law's workplace and housing protections for people who have experienced sexual harassment, sexual violence or intimate partner violence. We will be joined by Emily Hoffman, of the Office of Labor Policy and Standards, who will discuss the New York City Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (ESSTA) and her agency’s enforcement position regarding employers’ obligations under this law.

Crowell & Moring attorneys will provide practical guidance on complying with ESSTA, as well as the city and state discrimination and harassment laws that are already in place to protect victims of domestic violence. We will also discuss workplace policy updates for 2021. 

Geoffrey Dunham, from NLRB’s Region 2, will discuss the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and how employers’ policies and practice may impact a victim’s ability to exercise their rights under the NLRA as they engage in mutual aid and protection. Mr. Dunham will also discuss the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) recent decisions and their impact on handbooks.

Panelists:

• Mae Hsieh, Board Member & Development Chair, Womankind
• Yasmeen Hamza, CEO, Womankind
• Carmelyn P. Malalis, Commissioner and Chair, New York City Commission on Human Rights
• Emily Hoffman, Agency Attorney, Office of Labor Policy and Standards, New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, formerly the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA)
• Geoffrey Dunham, Supervisory Attorney, National Labor Relations Board, Region 2
• Eric Su, Partner, Crowell & Moring, together with other Crowell & Moring attorneys