On September 6, 2023, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul signed an unprecedented amendment into local Penal Law that significantly strengthens the penalties for employers found guilty of committing ‘wage theft’. This quickly-effective amendment falls in line with a prior announcement made by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin J. Bragg on February 16, 2023.
The initial announcement by District Attorney Bragg disclosed a new partnership between his office, the New York State Department of Labor and local law enforcement authorities. The aim of this collaboration was to establish the Worker Protection Unit, a dedicated task force focused on pursuing criminal prosecutions related to wage theft.
The immediate enactment of this amendment underscores the drastic measures New York State is taking to promptly address wage theft. Furthermore, it strongly signals a state-wide commitment to protecting workers’ rights and ensuring fair compensation for labor.
In many jurisdictions, wage theft – the practice of employers deliberately not paying workers for their time and labor – remains shockingly pervasive. Legal professionals and corporate employers within New York State, and indeed across the globe, now have a heightened responsibility to ensure proper wage practices and to prevent falling foul of the strict new legislation.
For more detailed information on the legal ramifications of this law amendment, please visit jdSaprua’s full report, written by Fox Rothschild LLP.