Real Tips Real Estate: Closing Dates

A highly popular question in the transactional area of law. Does "on or about" or "on or before" mean on that date, around that date, within 30 days of that date? How can a buyer or seller plan for the closing date? Andrew Lieb, Esq explains what these terms mean and how to set expectations for buyers and sellers in this 3 minute clip.

New Law: Nuisance Call Act - RE Brokers Be Warned - Telemarketers Must Give a Warning to Avoid Heavy Fines

On December 6, 2019, S4777, the Nuisance Call Act, became law and telemarketers must now give specific information to customers starting on March 5, 2020, the effective date of the law, or face heavy fines.

Under the Nuisance Call Act, General Business Law section 399-z now requires that a "telemarketer or seller [] inform[s] the customer that he or she may request that his or her telephone number be added to the seller's entity specific do-not-call list" where the telemarketer must immediately end the call if the customer so elects.

This is serious - fines can be up to $11,000 per violation if you fail to give this information.

Real Estate Brokers must advise all of their associated Real Estate Salespersons immediately and train their teams. In fact, a defense to a fine includes that "the person has trained his or her personnel in the requirements of this section."

Get your training today at Lieb Compliance, LLC.

2019 Year in Review: Andrew Lieb, Esq., Lieb at Law, P.C.

Andrew Lieb, Esq. shares his greatest professional accomplishment in 2019 in the New York Real Estate Journal. Read the full article here. 

REAL ESTATE & LAW: A LOOK BACK AT 2019 AND A LOOK AHEAD

Andrew Lieb shares some highlights of the extraordinary changes in the law that control the sales, rentals and litigation landscape of real estate. This is a must read for real estate professionals, homeowners, landlords and tenants.

Read the full article published in Behind The Hedges here. 

Employers May be Exposed to a Sex Discrimination Lawsuit From...an Alleged Harasser?

In this “Me Too” era, it is logical that an employer’s reflexive reaction to receiving a complaint of harassment from a female employee is to immediately fire the alleged male harasser. However, while the employer may believe that firing the male employee will protect the employer from a lawsuit by the female employee, such impulsive action without a thorough unbiased investigation may expose the employer to a sex discrimination lawsuit filed by . . . the alleged male perpetrator. 

Read the full article by Mordy Yankovich, Esq. published in the Suffolk Lawyer here. 

Reminder for Employers: Minimum Wage Rates and Salary Threshold for Overtime Exemptions Increased as of December 31, 2019

Effective December 31, 2019, the minimum wage increased throughout New York State as follows:

1) Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester Counties: $13 per hour.
2) New York City (employers with ten (10) or fewer employees): $15 per hour. 
3) Remainder of New York State: $11.80 per hour.
4) Fast Food Employees Outside of New York City: $13.75 per hour.


In addition, effective December 31, 2019, the salary threshold for employees to qualify under the Executive and Administrative Exemptions (i.e. not entitled to overtime compensation) increased as follows:
1) Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester Counties: $975 per week.


2) New York City (employers with ten (10) or fewer employees): $1,125 per week. 
3) Remainder of New York State: $885 per week. 

For more information, see the following Minimum Wage Orders: Miscellaneous Industries and Occupations; Hospitality Industry.