To embed, copy and paste the code into your website or blog: As discussed in our previous advisory, the New York Legislature passed the New York Health and Essential Rights Act (HERO Act), requiring all New York employers to implement certain health and safety standards and to adopt a prevention plan to address the spread of COVID-19 and other airborne infectious diseases in the workplace. Governor Cuomo signed the legislation on May 5, 2021, after reaching an agreement with the legislature to make amendments to the bill. The amended language is not yet available. However, according to the memo approving the bill, Governor Cuomo secured an agreement with the legislature to make technical changes to the bill, including giving the New York Department of Labor (NYDOL) and employers "more specific instructions in developing and implementing the workplace standards, including a clear timeline and providing for an immediate requirement for employers to cure violations in order to better protect the safety of workers and limit lengthy court litigation to those private rights of action, in limited circumstances where employers are acting in bad faith and failing to cure deficiencies."