New York State Labor Department Deputizes Ordinary People To Assist in its Efforts to Enforce Wage Laws

Source: New York State Labor Department

Januray 26, 2009

As if employers did not have enough to worry about in New York City and Long Island, last week State Labor Commissioner M. Patricia Smith announced the Labor Department’s latest effort to address alleged wage violations by employers: the creation of “New York Wage Watch.” Like a typical Neighborhood Crime Watch program, Wage Watch will allow ordinary citizens from select community groups to attempt to improve compliance with New York’s labor laws. The select participating groups – which under its pilot program will be limited for the first six months – will hold training sessions within their assigned geographic region designed to educate employees on their rights, distribute literature to employees in supermarkets, Laundromats, nail salons and other industries, and make referrals to an assigned “point person” within the State Department of Labor of any serious violations of the law. The Wage Watch also is designed to assist employers in improving labor law compliance by referring their compliance questions to the Department of Labor’s “point person.”

Pilot program participants – which include some labor unions – are set to receive their first training sessions on February 7, 2009. The Labor Department is seeking additional groups to participate in the program.

Employers throughout New York State – in particular New York City and Long Island – should ensure they are in compliance with all applicable labor laws, and if not, take the appropriate steps to ensure they come into compliance before the Labor Department or one of these newly formed Wage Watch groups intervenes.

A copy of the Labor Department’s press release may be found at http://www.labor.state.ny.us/pressreleases/2009/Jan26_2009.htm

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