Salvatore Puccio has counseled and represented clients in a variety of fields including health care, cannabis, hospitality industry, construction, and landscaping. He has particular experience in counseling clients concerning the employer-employee relationship including the defense of wage and hour lawsuits, age, race, gender, national origin, and disability discrimination and sexual harassment lawsuits, compliance with workplace regulations and employment statutes, including COVID-19 laws and regulations. He designs, implements and conducts anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training and regulars oversees investigations for organizations of all sizes.
Sal’s practice includes the defense of many federal and state class action lawsuits, including defense of FLSA, NYLL, and data breach class actions. His practice also includes complex commercial litigation matters and has represented clients in breach of contract matters, managed care disputes, partnership disputes and breakups, antitrust matters, construction litigation, and landlord/tenant disputes.
Sal previously served as the General Counsel for Breast Cancer Help, Inc., on a pro bono basis, and was an adjunct professor at New York Institute of Technology.
He is frequently asked to participate in speaking engagements and training programs for organizations and clients on topics including employment law, cannabis law, healthcare law, or a combination of the laws.
Thirty-Three Garfunkel Wild attorneys were selected by their peers for inclusion in 2022 New York Metro Super Lawyers, and 2022 New York Metro/Upstate New York Rising Stars.
Garfunkel Wild, P.C., a premier law firm with a specialty in health law, is pleased to announce the formal launch of the firm’s multi-disciplinary Cannabis Law Practice Group to help clients navigate the rapidly evolving cannabis landscape and conflicting federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
Thirty-Six Garfunkel Wild attorneys were selected by their peers for inclusion in 2020 New York Metro Super Lawyers, and 2020 New York Metro/Upstate Rising Stars.
Thirty-Four Garfunkel Wild attorneys were selected by their peers for inclusion in 2019 New York Metro Super Lawyers, and 2019 New York Metro Rising Stars.
On Tuesday, April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) promulgated a final rule banning most non-compete agreements, in any industry, and is set to become effective 120 days after its publication in the Federal Register (the “Final Rule”).
On April 23, 2024, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a final rule expanding eligibility for overtime pay (the Rule). This is a federal rule and will set the floor for eligibility for overtime pay nationwide. Individual states may require even higher minimum salary thresholds.
Garfunkel Wild's Salvatore Puccio will present at Ambulatory Surgery Center Association’s ASCA 2024, April 17-20, 2024. He will present “HR Highlights for the Healthcare Provider”.
Join Garfunkel Wild’s Andrew L. Zwerling and Salvatore Puccio as they provide practical guidance on how to create a company-wide evaluation system and guidance on best practices for delivering positive and difficult messages to staff.
As of January 1, 2024, employers with 100 or more employees in certain high-hazard industries, including some defined health care providers, must submit electronically to OSHA detailed information concerning workplace injuries and illnesses reported on their OSHA Form 300 Log and Form 301 Incident Report from the previous calendar year via OSHA’s new Injury Tracking Application.
On January 10, 2024, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) published a long-awaited final rule addressing when employers should classify workers as independent contractors or employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Join Andrew L. Zwerling and Salvatore Puccio as they walk you through common oversights and provide practical guidance to help streamline your termination process, including the “dos and don’ts” you will want to follow once you decide to proceed with the termination.
On June 5, 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) published a much anticipated Final Rule surrounding vaccination and related requirements surrounding the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
Garfunkel Wild's Salvatore Puccio will present at Ambulatory Surgery Center Association’s ASCA 2023, May 17-20, 2023. He will present the panel “Medical and Legal Marijuana.”
On February 21, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) issued a decision that reversed its prior position and held that the inclusion of broad non-disparagement and confidentiality provisions in severance agreements is unlawful. This decision appears to apply equally to both union and non-union employees.
Garfunkel Wild Partner Salvatore Puccio and Partner Lauren Levine will present at the National Business Institute Live Online Seminar - How to Bring New York Employee Handbooks Into Compliance on March 8, 2023.
On January 5, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) unveiled a proposed rule that would essentially ban the use of noncompete clauses in employment agreements. The proposed rule would also require employers to rescind current noncompete clauses and inform their current and former employees that they have stopped enforcement of such clauses.
On December 7, 2022, President Biden signed the Speak Out Act into law (the “Act”). The Act voids the enforceability of any predispute non-disclosure or non-disparagement clause that has the effect of prohibiting employees from talking about potential future instances of sexual harassment/assault in the workplace.
Garfunkel Wild’s Marianne Monroy, Salvatore Puccio & Lauren Levine will present on The Nassau Academy of Law CLE “How Not to Put Your Clients in “Jeopardy”: What is, “Update Their Employee Handbooks?” on October 5, 2021.
Garfunkel Wild’s Andrew Zwerling and Salvatore Puccio will present the webinar “Legalized Medical and Recreational Marijuana: Navigating The Ever-Shifting Landscape For Employers” on June 29, 2021.
Salvatore Puccio, co-authored the article “Avoiding Pandemic Predicaments: Be ready to navigate the changing landscape brought on by COVID-19,” published in the May 2021 edition of Outpatient Surgery Magazine.
Lauren Levine, Marianne Monroy and Salvatore Puccio Will Present At ASCAS – Handling Covid-19 Employee Vaccinations, Leave Entitlements & Protocol Violations on February 18, 2021.
Garfunkel Wild’s Marianne Monroy, Salvatore Puccio, and Lauren Levine will present the webinar “Handling COVID-19 Employee Vaccinations, Updated Leave Entitlements & Addressing Violations of COVID-19 Protocols” on January 26, 2021.
Garfunkel Wild’s Andrew Zwerling, Marianne Monroy, Salvatore Puccio, and Lauren Levine will present the webinar “An Employer’s Practical Guide To Facing Day-To-Day Coronavirus Challenges” on April 20, 2020.
Garfunkel Wild’s Andrew Zwerling, Marianne Monroy, Salvatore Puccio, and Lauren Levine will present the webinar “Navigating A Murky Landscape: An Employer’s Guide To Responding To The Challenges of COVID-19” on March 30, 2020.
Sandra M. Jensen and Salvatore Puccio presented at the Healthcare Financial Management Association’s (Hfma) Region 2 Fall Institute on October 10, 2019
Marianne Monroy and Salvatore Puccio will present at the FCMA’s Webinar – Navigating Sexual Harassment in the Workplace for Managers & Supervisors on May 9, 2019.
Andrew l. Zwerling, Marianne Monroy and Salvatore Puccio will present at the Hudson Valley Annual Institute on April 4, 2019.
Additional speaking & writing
Speeches and Events
2022 Ambulatory Surgery Center Association’s Annual Conference “Human Resources Hot-Button Issues Facing Employers” – April 27, 2022
Handling COVID-19 Employee Vaccinations, Ambulatory Surgery Center Association’s Webinar Series, February 18, 2021
Handling COVID-19 Employee Vaccinations, Updated Leave Entitlements & Addressing Violations of COVID-19 Protocols, Garfunkel Wild Webinar, January 26, 2021
What should facilities be doing with renewed OSHA enforcement?, 7th Annual ASC & Healthcare Management Complimentary Virtual Symposium, November 18, 2020
Childcare in the COVID-19 Era; The Return to School Scenario Facing Employers, Garfunkel Wild Webinar, September 3, 2020
HR Updates: Sex, Drugs and Wage and Hour, Ambulatory Surgery Center Association’s (ASCA) 2020 Virtual Conference & Expo, July 10, 2020
Returning to Work in the COVID-Era: Employee Issues, What to Expect and How to Prepare, Garfunkel Wild Webinar, June 12, 2020
An Employer’s Practical Guide To Facing Day-To-Day Coronavirus Challenges, Garfunkel Wild Webinar, April 20, 2020
Navigating A Murky Landscape: An Employer’s Guide To Responding To The Challenges of COVID-19, Garfunkel Wild Webinar, March 30, 2020
Legal Update, Healthcare Financial Management Association’s (HFMA) Region 2 Fall Institute, New York, October 10, 2019
Navigating Sexual Harassment in the Workplace for Managers and Supervisors, Fairfield County Medical Association’s (FCMA) Webinar, May 9, 2019
Employee Engagement: Best Practice Considerations, Hudson Valley Annual Institute 2019, New York, April 4, 2019
Labor and Employment Law, ADP’s New Age Workplace Compliance Blackstone Lunch and Learn, New York, June 7, 2018
Master the Employee Overtime Rules, Ambulatory Surgery Center Association’s (ASCA) Annual 2018 Conference, Boston, MA, April 14, 2018
Publications
Avoiding Pandemic Predicaments: Be ready to navigate the changing landscape brought on by COVID-19, Outpatient Surgery Magazine, May 2021
"New Insights for ERISA Standards On Benefits Determinations," Law 360, February 5, 2016