With the new calendar year fast approaching, approximately 100 principals and school administrators tuned in to a webinar to better understand how New York’s Paid Family Leave Law (PFLL) will affect their institutions when it takes effect at the start of the new year.

The one and a half hour-long webinar was hosted by Agudath Israel of America’s Yeshiva Services Division and featured presentations by attorneys Arielle Kobetz and Evandro Gigante of the labor and employment law department at Proskauer, a leading international law firm with offices in New York City and beyond.

After offering a general overview of the PFLL and contrasting the new legislation with the existing federal Family Medical Leave Act, the webinar provided attendees with a five-point checklist to help them come up to speed on the new laws.

With just days left until the end of the year, Ms. Kobetz stressed the importance of schools being aware of the changes that are about to take place.

“Employers need to know about PFLL before January 1st so they can contact their insurance carriers to ensure the proper coverage is in place and to begin implementing the necessary payroll deductions,” said Ms. Kobetz. “Employers will also be required to provide notice to their employees about their rights and obligations under the law.”

The webinar also gave a brief overview of New York City’s Earned Sick Time Act which affects any employee at a covered institution who works more than 80 hours in a calendar year within the five boroughs.

Following the presentation, participants took advantage of a question and answer period to further discuss the new law and its ramifications for their respective yeshivas. Making sure that schools understand the complex nuances and often changing legislation that can affect their day to day operations is of prime importance to the Agudah’s Yeshiva Services Division.

“One of the major aspects of our work is to give yeshivas the tools to be in compliance with various governmental laws and regulations,” explained Mrs. Deborah Zachai, director of education affairs at Agudath Israel of America.

Rabbi Yisroel Twersky, administrator of the Tomer Devorah girls’ school in Boro Park, said that he was grateful to the Agudah for organizing the event, giving schools an opportunity to learn about the new legislation directly from legal professionals.

“This is something that many of us knew very little about and the question and answer session was particularly helpful,” said Rabbi Twersky. “People were able to discuss scenarios that play out in yeshivas that wouldn’t happen in the business world and it was helpful to be able to talk to people who specialize in this field. Without this kind of direct guidance geared to yeshivas we could have made a lot of mistakes when the new law goes into effect.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)