News

Department of Labor Releases NY HERO Act Plans

On Tuesday, July 6, 2021, the New York State Department of Labor (DOL) published Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Standards and Model Plans for various industries as part of the NY HERO Act, which was signed into law on May 5, 2021. For details, visit the DOL website.

The new law requires all private employers, irrespective of size, to institute safety plans for dealing with such aspects as workplace cleaning and handwashing, the use and availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks, quarantine protocols and social distancing. The DOL has provided the following resources:

As private employers in New York State, you now have until August 5, 2021, to either adopt one of the model plans or develop an alternative plan that meets or exceeds the requirements in the Standard. It is recommended employers carefully review the Standard and the applicable model prevention plan(s) and determine whether to adopt one of the model plans or develop and adopt a compliant alternative prevention plan. You will be required to provide a copy of the adopted airborne infectious disease exposure prevention plan as well as post it in a visible and prominent location within your funeral home(s).

It is also important to note (per the DOL website):

The airborne infectious disease exposure prevention plans must go into effect when an airborne infectious disease is designated by the New York State Commissioner of Health as a highly contagious communicable disease that presents a serious risk of harm to the public health.

Currently, while employers must adopt plans as required by the law, as of the date of this writing no designation has been made and plans are not required to be in effect.

PrePlan Funeral Trust Receives Clean Audit Report

In December 2019, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the "Preneed Trust Accountability Act". This law requires any entity holding preneed funds - such as banks, credit unions and funeral trusts - to abide by a higher, uniform set of best financial practices. Specifically, these entities have to undergo an annual audit which will provide more financial information to consumers (and funeral homes) about their preneed accounts.

While NYSFDA's funeral trust, PrePlan Funeral Trust, undergoes quarterly testing and annual audits, this is the first year under the new law. We're pleased to share that PrePlan again received an unqualified ("clean") audit report.

What does this mean? All of our investments are fully secure and compliant, checks and balances are in place, and all legal requirements are met. The Gold Standard. Our commitment to you.

If you currently have funds invested in PrePlan, we're happy to share our audit report with you. Please contact Melissa Sargalis, Director of Preneed Trust Services, to request a copy of the report.

If you use another trust administrator for your families' preneed accounts, be sure to get a copy of their audit report. For your reference, a list of specific requirements can be found here (log-in required).

As always, thank you for your membership and active participation in NYSFDA. We are honored to serve you and look forward to providing Gold Standard service now and in the future.

Governor Cuomo Declares March 11, 2021 'Funeral Directors Recognition Day'

(03.11.2021) Following an unprecedented year, and in recognition of funeral service professionals' unwavering commitment to your local communities, Governor Andrew Cuomo has proclaimed March 11, 2021 Funeral Directors Recognition Day in New York State. An honor well-deserved!

Plus, as declared by Congress in 2008, March 11 is National Funeral Director Recognition Day. Visit us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) to see how we celebrated our members, their continued support and loyalty, and the incredible impact they make in their local community each and every day.