Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the NY Hero Act, giving an array of essential workers in New York new on-the-job protections.
Essential workers from healthcare professionals to Amazon warehouse employees have been calling upon the head of state to sign a new bill for months now. From rallying outside of the Governor’s Midtown office to staging protests outside of businesses that have failed to provide staff with proper PPE and other safety protocols, advocates say this new law will help save lives.
“This is an incredible victory for the health and safety of immigrant, Black and brown essential workers who have put their lives on the line to protect our communities and keep our state going throughout the pandemic. As New York State begins to re-open, the NY HERO law will enforce adequate workplace COVID-19 protections and ensure a seat at the table for employees to improve safety conditions at work. We applaud Assemblymember Reyes and Senator Gianaris for leading the effort to enact this vital legislation that will help save workers’ lives, help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and create permanent workplace protections,” according to a statement from Make the Road NY, an immigration advocacy group..
