By: Cristina N. Hyde, JD Last month, the New Jersey Supreme Court reasoned that an oral promise of employment could give rise to a valid claim for reliance damages. Specifically focusing on the legal theory of promissory estoppel, the court emphasized that if evidence existed that a promise had been made with the knowledge that…
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P.L. 2021, c. 16, 19 & 25: With the swipe of a pen, Governor Murphy ushers in a new chapter for a legal weed industry in NJ and closes the book on certain criminal penalties
By: Cristina N. Hyde, JD Earlier this week, New Jersey joined a dozen other states in legalizing marijuana for recreational use when Governor Murphy signed three new bills into law. Altogether, the new legislation concerns the legalization and decriminalization of adult use cannabis. The bills allow for purchase and sale at state-licensed dispensaries and ease…
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Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals: Navigating accommodation requests under the Fair Housing Act.
By: Cristina N. Hyde, JD Last winter, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released updated guidance to clarify housing providers’ obligations under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) when asked to accommodate an animal intended to provide assistance with a disability. There are two types of animals that fit this description: service…
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HIPAA Safe Harbor Bill Signed Into Law: OCR to consider mitigation efforts when evaluating HIPAA violations
By: Cristina N. Hyde, JD On January 5, 2021, the President signed H.R. 7898 – the HIPAA Safe Harbor Bill – into law. The new legislation amends the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act; addressing health information technology as it relates to security practices. The full text of the new public law…
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EEOC Guidance Update: Employers can require employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
By Cristina N. Hyde, J.D. Last month the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released guidance stating that employers can require employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Knowing that the vaccine’s arrival would raise questions related to the applicability of various Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws, the EEOC guidance states very clearly that EEO laws “do…
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NY Permanent Paid Sick Leave Reminder: Employees may now begin to use accrued leave
By: Cristina N. Hyde, JD Last April, New York State took steps to permanently bolster existing paid leave laws in recognition of the crises caused by COVID-19 and in anticipation of future public health emergencies. Senate Bill S7506B, which took effect on September 30, 2020, included modifications to New York’s Labor Law; establishing specific leave…
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Assembly Bill No. 21: The New Year brings New Jersey new rules for marijuana use and possession.
By: Cristina N. Hyde, JD After New Jersey’s citizens approved a constitutional amendment legalizing the adult use of cannabis last November, attention shifted to the state legislature to create enabling regulations in order to implement the referendum. The legislation, known as the “NJ Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act“ was passed by both…
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No more “bad” hair: The CROWN Act passes the United States House of Representatives and continues to gain strength at state and local levels
By: Cristina N. Hyde, JD As 2020 comes to a close, many are striving to learn from the trials of this incredibly difficult year and make positive changes. Aside from the COVID-19 pandemic, our country was challenged to confront the existing and equally insidious disease of systemic racism. While the battle is far from over,…
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Assembly Bill No. 543: New legislation updates training requirements for psychologists.
By: Cristina N. Hyde, J.D. On October 29, 2020, new legislation updating training requirements for psychologists passed both houses of the New Jersey Legislature. If signed into law, A543 would change the current requirements for licensure from the State Board of Psychological Examiners in two important ways. First, in order to account for professional opportunities…
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Assembly Bill No. 485: The “Home Based Jobs Creation Act” addresses outmoded local ordinances in support of home-based businesses.
By: Cristina N. Hyde, J.D. On October 21, 2020, the Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee unanimously voted in favor of Assembly Bill No. 485, The “Home Based Jobs Creation Act.” In recognition of the increase in the number of individuals working from home, and the expectation that home-based businesses will continue to multiply, the…