New NY Laws That Could Impact You In 2022

NEW YORK STATE — Each year, hundreds of laws are passed in Albany that affect the entire state. But not all of them go into effect right away.

There are new laws that were recently passed that are going to be coming into effect in 2022. From wage increases to family leave rules to marijuana sales, here are the ones you need to know about.

Styrofoam Ban

People are still ordering out and having tons of food delivered. But the packaging that food comes in will be changing in 2022.

In 2020, New York passed the nation's strongest ban of polystyrene, single-use foam food containers and packing peanuts. Starting next year, those materials are all banned.

The state says that foam packing is one of the largest contributors of litter and pollutes many waterways and wildlife areas. When polystyrene foam is thrown away, it can last for years and break down into microplastics, which find their way back into foods.

Polystyrene is hard to recycle, and there isn't much demand for it anyway. So the state is banning the material to protect the environment.

Employer Monitoring

Under a law going into effect in 2022, employers will have to tell their employees if they are being monitored, and how.

Employers will have to alert employees if their internet, email and phone usage is being monitored. The employers will have to notify all employees about the monitoring, and give new employees a written notice explaining how they will be monitored.

Any employer caught violating the new law will be fined $500 for the first offense, $1,000 for the second offense and $3,000 for the third and subsequent offenses.

Whistleblower Protections

Amendments to the state's whistleblower law go into effect in 2022, and they will help protect whistleblowers more thoroughly.

The changes expand coverage to protect former employees and independent contractors who bring criminal actions to light, and also broadens the definition of "retaliatory acts" that employers are not allowed to engage in. If an employee is retaliated against, the new amendments also give them more remedies to seek recompense.

Minimum Wage Increase

On Dec. 31, 2021, Long Island is getting its final minimum wage increase. The minimum wage increases that were passed in 2016 are still going into effect, and many people will see wages increase in 2022. Increases were phased in over many years.

For 2022, minimum wages on Long Island and Westchester will go from $14 to $15 an hour, which will be the final wage increase. $15 is the new minimum wage, which New York City employers have had to pay since 2019.

Wages in the rest of New York state are raising to $13.20 an hour. The increases to $15 will be set later for the rest of the state.

Marijuana Sales

Though recreational marijuana for adults was legalized in New York in 2021, the sale of the substance is still not allowed.

Municipalities across the state have until Dec. 31, 2021 to pass a law opting out of the sale of recreational marijuana. Many Long Island municipalities have.

Though there is no set date, sales of marijuana products are expected to begin in 2022.

Changes to Solitary Confinement

The HALT Solitary Confinement Act was passed in 2021 and goes into effect next year. It limits the amount of solitary confinement for an incarcerated person to 15 days.

Rules adopted by the United Nations, called the Nelson Mandela Rules, call solitary confinement of more than 15 days torture. The law will bring New York into line with those new rules. It will also expand the definition of solitary confinement and eliminate its use for vulnerable incarcerated populations.

It also establishes guidelines for humane conditions in solitary confinement, outlines reporting requirements and adds due process protections by prohibiting placement in solitary confinement prior to a disciplinary hearing and by allowing access to a lawyer.