Haylor Risk Management Blog

On Monday, Governor Kathy Hochul directed the commissioner of health to designate COVID-19 as a highly contagious, communicable disease that presents a risk of harm to the public health under New York State's HERO Act. This means private employers must implement their workplace exposure prevention plans. (NY HERO Act) 

These workplace exposure prevention plans were required to be adopted by August 5th and then posted for employees by the September 4th deadline.

The Hero Act Law applies to all New York State private employers, regardless of size.  

As many of you know, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the New York Health and Essential Rights Act (NY HERO Act) into law this past May. The law mandates extensive new workplace health and safety regulations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

NYS has developed a new Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Standard, a Model Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Plan, and industry-specific model plans for the prevention of airborne infectious diseases. Employers are required to comply within 30 days from the DOL release date.   The standard and prevention plan were released this week so the clock is ticking toward that August 5th deadline.