A Queens lawmaker is urging Governor Kathy Hochul to direct the state Department of Health (DOH) to act under the NY HERO Act to keep workplaces safe.
The landmark bill, passed earlier this year by the Legislature and signed into law by former Governor Andrew Cuomo, requires the DOH to declare a disease, like COVID-19, “a highly contagious, communicable disease that presents a serious risk of harm to public health” before the law’s protections can be implemented. To date, the state’s health agency has not done so, according to state Senator Michael Gianaris.
“While the outgoing administration has been distracted, New York’s challenges have not gone away. The delay in HERO Act implementation has resulted in preventable danger of coronavirus spread in the workplace,” Gianaris said. “The new administration needs to act quickly. Too many workers already sacrificed their health for our community’s benefit. The New York HERO Act recognizes their efforts by giving workers the tools to protect themselves while on the job.”
