BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A new year ushers in new laws in New York State.
Here is a breakdown of some.
Minumum wagę
Among them, another increase in New York State minimum wage.
The minimum wage in areas outside of New York City goes from $13.20 per hour to $14.20 per hour. This is the seventh consecutive year of a phased-in wage hike.
Breastfeeding in the workplace changes
Another new law includes greater protections for nursing moms. It is now required that all employers, regardless of size, provide a safe pumping station for new moms equip with running water, electricity and privacy.
“According to this new extended law, they’re going to have to find a spot for these moms,” said Polly Thoman, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and owner of Baby’s Sweet Beginnings.
Thoman says each new mom is by law required to have a 20 minute pumping break every three hours during the work day. Under this new law, employers have to implement written guidelines for employees rights while breastfeeding in the workplace.
“For them to be able to take that time and be able to relax and do what they need to do to provide for their babies with breast milk while they’re away, I would call it an urgent situation,” she said.
Natural Organic Reduction
New York adds to the list as the 6th state to legalize human composting or natural organic reduction. Natural organic reduction is a process of composting a human body.
“They have to figure out how is this all going to be handled,” said Charles Castiglia, President of Lakeside Memorial Funeral Home. “It will take a while for them to go through that process before they get back to us,” he said referring to the state.
Castiglia says there are a lot of unknowns right now with the natural Organix reduction, and who will be responsible for that process.
“This is probably going to end up in the realm of cemeteries as opposed to the funeral homes,” he said. He explains how the process works. “The body is placed in a bin, the recomposing bin for 30 days, and then they have to be placed in another bin for 2-6 weeks. You’re talking roughly two months before the process will be completed.”
Not all are on board with this new law, including the Catholic Church, that opposes it.
All of these new laws went into effect as of Jan 1.
