Employment Law Counsel for Long Island Employers
We represent employers — not employees. If you own or operate a business on Long Island and need an attorney who understands the legal exposure that comes with having a workforce, you're in the right place.
New York Employment Law Moves Fast. Your Agreements Should Keep Up.
New York has some of the most active employment legislation in the country, and Long Island businesses absorb that exposure in full. The Trapped at Work Act, evolving non-compete enforcement standards, wage transparency requirements, and the NY HERO Act have all reshaped what employers are required to do, and what they’re legally prohibited from doing. Most business owners find out they’re behind when a dispute is already in motion.
Our work as employment law attorneys for employers is built around getting ahead of that exposure. We draft and review employment agreements, independent contractor agreements, and non-compete clauses. We counsel employers on HR compliance as New York’s legislative landscape shifts. And we help businesses that are already facing a classification or agreement dispute understand their position and their options.
Four Areas of Employment Law Where Employers Face the Most Risk
Every employment relationship carries legal weight. These four practice areas cover the situations where Long Island employers are most likely to face liability — and where the right agreements and counsel make the biggest difference.
Employment Agreements
A handshake hire is a liability waiting to surface. A properly drafted employment agreement defines compensation, duties, termination conditions, and confidentiality obligations before either party has a reason to dispute them. We draft employment agreements that protect your business from day one of the working relationship.
Non-Compete Agreements
Non-compete enforcement in New York is in active legal flux. Federal and state-level challenges to non-compete clauses have changed what courts will and won't uphold. We draft non-compete agreements that are calibrated to current enforcement standards — and we advise employers on what's enforceable before they rely on a clause that won't hold.
HR Compliance for Employers
New York wage laws, paid leave requirements, workplace notice obligations, and anti-harassment training mandates apply to businesses of nearly every size. Compliance isn't a one-time project — it's an ongoing relationship with a legal landscape that keeps changing. We provide HR compliance counsel for Long Island employers who want to stay current without hiring a full-time HR department.
Independent Contractor Agreements
Misclassification is one of the most common and costly mistakes small business owners make. The IRS and New York State apply different tests to determine whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor — and the consequences of getting it wrong include back taxes, penalties, and benefits liability. We draft independent contractor agreements that reflect the actual nature of the working relationship and hold up to scrutiny.
Your Landlord Has Counsel. You Should Too.
Commercial landlords — particularly institutional ones leasing space along Sunrise Highway, in Nassau County office parks, or in Suffolk County industrial corridors — typically use attorneys to draft and manage their leases. Those documents are written to protect the landlord's interests. That's not a criticism; it's just how commercial real estate works.
What it means for you is that the lease sitting in your inbox is not a neutral starting point. It's a first offer. We'll tell you what's worth pushing back on and what's standard enough to accept — so you can negotiate from an informed position rather than guessing.
Frequently Asked Questions for Long Island Employers
What employment laws apply to small businesses in New York?
New York imposes employment obligations on businesses of nearly every size. Small employers must comply with state wage and hour laws, paid sick leave requirements, anti-harassment training mandates, and workplace notice posting requirements. Federal laws like the FLSA also apply. The threshold at which specific obligations kick in varies by law — which is why a compliance review is worth doing before you assume a requirement doesn't apply to you.
When should I have an employment attorney review my agreements?
Before you hire your first employee, before you bring on an independent contractor, and before you terminate anyone. Those are the three moments where an unreviewed agreement — or the absence of one — creates the most exposure. If you already have agreements in place that haven't been looked at in a few years, that's worth a review too, particularly given how much New York employment law has changed recently.
What is the difference between an employee and an independent contractor in New York?
New York applies a multi-factor test that looks at the degree of control the business exercises over how the work is done, not just how the relationship is labeled. Factors include whether the worker sets their own hours, uses their own tools, works for multiple clients, and whether the work is core to the business's operations. A written independent contractor agreement is necessary — but it's not sufficient on its own. The actual working relationship has to match the classification.
Are non-compete agreements enforceable in New York?
New York courts have historically applied a reasonableness standard to non-compete clauses, looking at geographic scope, duration, and whether the restriction is tied to a legitimate business interest. Recent federal rulemaking and state-level legislative activity have created additional uncertainty around enforcement. Whether a non-compete clause will hold depends heavily on how it's drafted and the specific facts of the employment relationship. We advise employers on what's currently enforceable before they rely on a clause in a dispute.
Does New York have specific rules about wage transparency and pay disclosure?
Yes. New York's pay transparency law requires employers with four or more employees to include a salary or hourly wage range in job postings. Employers must also keep records of job descriptions and compensation ranges. Violations can result in civil penalties. If your hiring process doesn't currently reflect these requirements, an HR compliance review is a practical starting point.
Employment Lawsuits Are Expensive. Prevention Is the Better Investment.
The cost of a single employment dispute — between legal fees, management time, and potential damages — routinely exceeds what years of proactive counsel would have cost. The agreements you put in place before a hire, before a contractor engagement, and before a termination are the ones that determine your exposure when something goes wrong.
When you work with us, you work directly with the attorney handling your matter. Not a paralegal, not an associate. We’re a business-law-only firm based in Amityville, serving employers across Suffolk County, Nassau County, and Long Island. Our practice is built around the legal needs of business owners, and employment law is one of the highest-stakes areas we handle.
