While celebrating Labor Day, Governor Hochul announced she has signed eight pieces of legislation aimed at protecting workers in New York. “Coming from a union family, I know how critical organized labor is to building a strong middle class,” the Governor said in a press release. “As we celebrate today’s Labor Day Parade in New York City, we are strengthening our commitment to working families and letting them know we have their backs every step of the way.”
Among the bills signed was the Retail Worker Safety Act, which requires retail employers to develop and implement workplace violence prevention programs and requires employers to provide training on such programs to their employees. To aid employers, the bill also directs the Department of Labor to produce a model workplace violence prevention program. Additionally, retail employers with 500 or more employees will be required to install and provide employees with access to panic buttons that may be in a fixed location, wearable or even via a mobile device.
Assemblymember Karines Reyes, one of the bill’s primary sponsors, said “I am thankful for Governor Hochul’s decision to sign this important legislation. This landmark legislation will guarantee a critical part of New York’s essential workforce, retail workers, with necessary protections to create safer work environments. As retail workers face hostile customers and those seeking to commit retail theft, they need the basic tools to deescalate situations and seek help. This new law allows the NYS Department of Labor to provide a foundation for this vital support and mandates that employers make greater contributions to securing their workforce. I welcome the positive impact that this legislation will have on our workforce and economy, and thank the RWDSU and the many workers that have advocated for this bill’s enactment.”
Another bill Hochul signed was A.9265A/S.8608A, which “requires contractors and subcontractors working on projects that receive state funding to submit payrolls or transcripts to a publicly accessible, certified electronic database that will be developed by the Department of Labor.” Assembly sponsor of the bill, Assemblyman Harry Bronson said, “as Assembly Labor Chair, my priority is to ensure that every worker is paid fairly and there is transparency when public money is invested in projects. The Electronic Payroll Bill, which I worked on with Senator Ramos, mandates that payroll records on public jobs are public information and gives the Department of Labor resources to track these payments and take action against bad actors. I thank the Governor for signing this bill into law which protects both workers and public funds, as well as providing greater fairness and transparency in public projects.”
The other six bills Governor Hochul signed include:
- 4066B/S.5085C, which “requires automobile manufacturers to reimburse dealerships according to retail labor time guides, rather than manufacturer-produced time guides that often underestimate labor time for warranty repairs”;
- 6146B/S.5500B, which requires state agencies to develop a policy on notifying an employee when their disciplinary records are being requested as part of a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request;
- 8876/S.8216A, which “will allow applicants to take relevant competitive civil service exams within 12 months of reaching the required age or educational requirements for that position”;
- 9349/S.8551, which “requires the Department of Civil Service to review and update civil service exam questions no less than every five years”;
- 9386/S.8557, which “allows for a public employee’s provisional credit to qualify for a promotional civil service examination for appointment from an eligible list”; and
- 9935/S.8948, which “requires information regarding judgments about a public employee’s inability to perform their duties due to a disability be provided to the employees and the employee’s representative.”
The Governor’s full press release, which includes statements from various legislators and labor leaders, can be found here: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/celebrate-new-york-city-labor-day-parade-governor-hochul-signs-legislation-improve-safety-and