Source: Newsday

On October 14, 2002 Newsday reported that "backed by local representatives from a variety of faiths, [NY] Gov. George Pataki in Cedarhurst yesterday signed into law a bill that requires employers to make reasonable efforts to accommodate their employees' religious observances. The bill, introduced in the State Senate by Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre), strengthens an existing state law. The earlier law required employers to accommodate their workers' Sabbath and holiday observances, unless it would impose an undue hardship on the company. But a series of state court rulings set the financial standard of undue hardship so low that it was difficult for employees, especially when dealing with scheduling, to win such cases."