Senate Bill S8587

2019-2020 Legislative Session

Declares agreements exempting employers from liability for negligence related to the COVID-19 pandemic void and unenforceable

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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2019-S8587 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A10838
Current Committee:
Senate Rules
Law Section:
General Obligations Law
Laws Affected:
Add §5-322.4, Gen Ob L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:
S128, A390

2019-S8587 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Declares agreements exempting employers from liability for negligence related to the COVID-19 pandemic void and unenforceable.

2019-S8587 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2019-S8587 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8587
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               June 16, 2020
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  LIU  --  read  twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT to amend the general obligations law, in  relation  to  declaring
   agreements  exempting  employers from liability for negligence related
   to the COVID-19 pandemic void and unenforceable
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  general  obligations  law is amended by adding a new
 section 5-322.4 to read as follows:
   § 5-322.4. AGREEMENTS EXEMPTING EMPLOYERS FROM  LIABILITY  FOR  NEGLI-
 GENCE  RELATED  TO  THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC VOID AND UNENFORCEABLE. 1. ANY
 PROVISION IN ANY CONTRACT, AGREEMENT OR UNDERSTANDING  RELATING  TO  THE
 EMPLOYMENT, HIRING OR RETAINING OF THE SERVICES OF ANY PERSON, INCLUDING
 BUT  NOT LIMITED TO EMPLOYEES, INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS AND INTERNS, THAT
 EXEMPTS THE EMPLOYER OR HIRING PARTY  FROM  LIABILITY  FOR  DAMAGES  FOR
 PERSONAL  INJURY  OR  DEATH  CAUSED  BY OR RESULTING FROM THE EMPLOYER'S
 NEGLIGENCE IN CONNECTION WITH THE EMPLOYER'S OR HIRING PARTY'S  HANDLING
 OF  MEASURES RELATED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE VOID
 AS AGAINST PUBLIC POLICY AND WHOLLY UNENFORCEABLE.
   2. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL NOT PRECLUDE  AN  EMPLOYER  OR
 HIRING  PARTY  FROM REQUIRING INDEMNIFICATION FOR DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF
 PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH CAUSED BY OR RESULTING FROM THE NEGLIGENCE OF A
 PARTY OTHER THAN THE EMPLOYEE, INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR AND INTERN, WHETH-
 ER OR NOT THE EMPLOYER OR HIRING PARTY IS PARTIALLY NEGLIGENT.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD16725-01-0

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