Lance's Corner

NYSDOL Issues April 2025 Newsletter

Apr 30, 2025

The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) has issued its April 2025 newsletter, which can be read below.

NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

April 2025

National Apprenticeship Day: Launch Your Own Program

vid1

Click Play to Watch

If you've ever considered sponsoring a registered apprenticeship in your business, there's no better day to take that first step than today, National Apprenticeship Day!

New York State registered apprenticeships are a fantastic way for employers to create and sustain a highly skilled workforce tailored to the specific needs of their business. The benefits of sponsoring a registered apprenticeship include:

  • Increased efficiency and productivity
  • Increased employee retention and attendance
  • Improved employer/employee relationships
  • A broader, more diverse pool of applicants
  • An immediate return on investment
  • An improved corporate culture

Not sure if your business qualifies for an apprenticeship? Not a problem! Registered apprenticeships are compatible in nearly every industry. From jewelers to piano builders, we have successful apprenticeships in an incredibly diverse set of career fields. If you think that your business would thrive with an apprenticeship, we can make it happen.
To learn more about sponsoring an apprenticeship, please visit our Registered Apprenticeship Webpage.

 

Free Programs and Services to Help Your Business Grow

 

The New York State Department of Labor is here to help businesses of all sizes succeed! We offer a host of tools and services to assist with your hiring needs:

  • New York State Virtual Career Center (VCC) - Jump into the VCC and post your job openings in a snap! This advanced technology platform matches you with the perfect candidates fast, making hiring a breeze.
  • New York State Job Bank - Struggling to find the right talent? Dive into our Job Bank! With over 135,000 listings across a spectrum of industries, it’s your go-to for snagging top-notch pros.
  • Host Your Own Career Fair - Nothing beats face-to-face connections. Host a Career Fair or a Custom Recruitment event to meet skilled hopefuls and fill your ranks with the best.

Contact your local Business Services Representative to start building your workforce!

 

Responsible Workforce Training: Ensuring a Safe & Skilled Cannabis Industry

 The New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has launched the Responsible Workforce Training program—a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to ensure all cannabis industry workers are equipped with essential safety, compliance, and responsibility training.

 

The following training courses are now available:

  • Cannabis Product Safety & Responsibility – Developed by OCM, this course focuses on protecting health and safety in the regulated cannabis industry. It includes essential information on cannabis product safety, consumer protection, and state regulations that impact daily cannabis operations.  
  • Cannabis Workforce Responsibility – Developed by NYSDOL, this course highlights labor standards, worker rights, and workplace health and safety. 

New York is the first state to require and develop this type of training for the cannabis workforce! This free program eliminates financial barriers to education and ensures both workers and consumers are protected. Access the training courses here.

 

Celebrate the Small Businesses in Your Community During Small Business Month

 Small businesses are a core feature of New York's economy and vital contributor to the economic health and culture of local communities. The NYSDOL is thrilled to highlight the important contributions of small businesses everywhere during the month of May for National Small Business Month.

 

The NYSDOL offers a variety of free services to support small businesses and entrepreneurs, including: 

  • Business Jumpstart - Get specialized assistance with recruiting and training employees, learn about hiring incentives, and receive technical assistance for your individual business needs.
  • Self-Employment Assistance Program (SEAP) - SEAP allows qualified New Yorkers who are out of work to start their own business while collecting unemployment insurance (UI) benefits.
  • Virtual Career Center The VCC is New York State’s premier online job search site. We use artificial intelligence to match businesses with qualified candidates.  

For more information about the various ways the NYSDOL can help your small business, visit our Business Services page or contact the NYSDOL small business liaison.


Retail Worker Safety Act Coming in June

New York State and the Department of Labor are committed to ensuring that all New Yorkers feel safe on the job. The Retail Worker Safety Act (RWSA) is New York State's latest effort to address rising incidents of workplace violence by increasing protections for retail employees. The RWSA is a significant step toward addressing safety concerns in New York State.

This law mandates that retail employers with 10 or more employees implement a workplace violence prevention policy as well as annual training on de-escalation techniques, emergency procedures, and active shooter response. With these measures in place, workers will have the tools to effectively handle potential threats.

For large retailers—those with 500 or more employees—the RWSA requires them to install silent response buttons by January 1, 2027. These devices will connect to on-site security personnel or managers.
The Retail Worker Safety Act will go into effect June 2, 2025.

USDOL Issues Comprehensive Employer Guidance on Long COVID

The United States Department of Labor (USDOL) has issued a comprehensive set of resources that can be accessed below for employers on dealing with Long COVID.

Supporting Employees with Long COVID: A Guide for Employers

The “Supporting Employees with Long COVID” guide from the USDOL-funded Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) and Job Accommodation Network (JAN) addresses the basics of Long COVID, including its intersection with mental health, and common workplace supports for different symptoms.  It also explores employers’ responsibilities to provide reasonable accommodations and answers frequently asked questions about Long COVID and employment, including inquiries related to telework and leave.

Download the guide

Accommodation and Compliance: Long COVID

The Long COVID Accommodation and Compliance webpage from the USDOL-funded Job Accommodation Network (JAN) helps employers and employees understand strategies for supporting workers with Long COVID.  Topics include Long COVID in the context of disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), specific accommodation ideas based on limitations or work-related functions, common situations and solutions, and questions to consider when identifying effective accommodations for employees with Long COVID.  Find this and other Long COVID resources from JAN, below:

Long COVID, Disability and Underserved Communities: Recommendations for Employers

The research-to-practice brief “Long COVID, Disability and Underserved Communities” synthesizes an extensive review of documents, literature and data sources, conducted by the USDOL-funded Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) on the impact of Long COVID on employment, with a focus on demographic differences.  It also outlines recommended actions organizations can take to create a supportive and inclusive workplace culture for people with Long COVID, especially those with disabilities who belong to other historically underserved groups.

Read the brief

Long COVID and Disability Accommodations in the Workplace

The policy brief “Long COVID and Disability Accommodations in the Workplace” explores Long COVID’s impact on the workforce and provides examples of policy actions different states are taking to help affected people remain at work or return when ready.  It was developed by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) as part of its involvement in USDOL’s State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED) initiative.

Download the policy brief

Understanding and Addressing the Workplace Challenges Related to Long COVID

The report “Understanding and Addressing the Workplace Challenges Related to Long COVID” summarizes key themes and takeaways from an ePolicyWorks national online dialogue through which members of the public were invited to share their experiences and insights regarding workplace challenges posed by Long COVID.  The dialogue took place during summer 2022 and was hosted by USDOL and its agencies in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Surgeon General.

Download the report

Working with Long COVID

The USDOL-published “Working with Long COVID” fact sheet shares strategies for supporting workers with Long COVID, including accommodations for common symptoms and resources for further guidance and assistance with specific situations.

Download the fact sheet

COVID-19: Long-Term Symptoms

This USDOL motion graphic informs workers with Long COVID that they may be entitled to temporary or long-term supports to help them stay on the job or return to work when ready, and shares where they can find related assistance.

Watch the motion graphic

A Personal Story of Long COVID and Disability Disclosure

In the podcast “A Personal Story of Long COVID and Disability Disclosure,” Pam Bingham, senior program manager for Intuit’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Tech team, shares her personal experience of navigating Long COVID symptoms at work.  The segment was produced by the USDOL-funded Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology (PEAT) as part of its ongoing “Future of Work” podcast series.

Listen to the podcast

HHS OIG Issues Annual Report on State MFCUs

Per the notice below, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued its annual report on the performance of state Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs).

Medicaid Fraud Control Units Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Report (OEI-09-24-00200) 

Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs) investigate and prosecute Medicaid provider fraud and patient abuse or neglect. OIG is the Federal agency that oversees and annually approves federal funding for MFCUs through a recertification process. This new report analyzed the statistical data on annual case outcomes—such as convictions, civil settlements and judgments, and recoveries—that the 53 MFCUs submitted for Fiscal Year 2023.  New York data is as follows:

Outcomes

  • Investigations1 - 556
  • Indicted/Charged - 9
  • Convictions - 8
  • Civil Settlements/Judgments - 28
  • Recoveries2 - $73,204,518

Resources

  • MFCU Expenditures3 - $55,964,293
  • Staff on Board4 - 257

1Investigations are defined as the total number of open investigations at the end of the fiscal year.

2Recoveries are defined as the amount of money that defendants are required to pay as a result of a settlement, judgment, or prefiling settlement in criminal and civil cases and may not reflect actual collections.  Recoveries may involve cases that include participation by other Federal and State agencies.

3MFCU and Medicaid Expenditures include both State and Federal expenditures.

4Staff on Board is defined as the total number of staff employed by the Unit at the end of the fiscal year.

Read the Full Report

View the Statistical Chart

Engage with the Interactive Map

GAO Issues Report on Medicaid Managed Care Service Denials and Appeal Outcomes

The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes.  GAO found that federal oversight is limited because it doesn't require states to report on Medicaid managed care service denials or appeal outcomes and there has not been much progress on plans to analyze and make the data publicly available.  To read the GAO report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes, use the first link below.  To read GAO highlights of the report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes, use the second link below.
https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106627.pdf  (GAO report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes)
https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106627_high.pdf  (GAO highlights on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes)

CMS Issues Latest Medicare Regulatory Activities Update

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued its latest update on its regulatory activities in the Medicare program.  While dentistry is only minimally connected to the Medicare program, Medicare drives the majority of health care policies and insurance reimbursement policies throughout the country.  Therefore, it always pays to keep a close eye on what CMS is doing in Medicare.  To read the latest CMS update on its regulatory activities in Medicare, use the link below.
https://www.cms.gov/training-education/medicare-learning-network/newsletter/2024-03-14-mlnc