NYCLU on the NY Health and Essential Rights Order (NY HERO) Act’s Passage in the State Legislature

ALBANY – The New York State legislature today passed the NY HERO Act, which will create enforceable occupational safety and health standards to protect workers, their families, and their communities from airborne disease infection and from retaliation for raising health and safety concerns. 

In response, the New York Civil Liberties Union issued the following statement from executive director Donna Lieberman:

“No New Yorker should have to face the impossible choice between their health and their paycheck– yet too many, especially Black and Latinx essential workers, have been left without protections for far too long.

“We thank the legislature for recognizing the urgency of enforceable regulations to prevent the spread of airborne infectious diseases in all workplaces, and for providing workers with tools to end retaliation for raising health and safety concerns.  Now is the time for Governor Cuomo to sign this life-saving legislation into law.”