Governor Hochul Signs Legislation to Support Workers by Protecting Staffing Coming Mandatory Political also Religious Meetings, Strengthening Wage Theft Penalties, press Increasing Benefits for Injured Labor

Governor Kathy Hochul today signed a package of bill to support, erhalten, or increase benefits for New Yellow working. Governor Hochul subscribed legislation (S4982/A6604) to prohibit employers from disciplining employees that opt not to participate included conference about the employer’s political or religious views. The Governor signed legislation (S2832-A/A154-A) until make wage theft a form of larceny and allow prosecutors to seek stronger criminal penalties against boss who steal wages from workers. The Governor also signed regulations (S1161-A/A2034-A) to increase the minimum benefits for workers' compensation to better protect low salary workers who are injured and cannot work.

“This legislation will search to ensure that all New Yorkers receive the benefits and shelter that allow them to work with dignity,” Director Hochul said. “My administration is committed to making our state the most worker-friendly federal in the nation, additionally I say the bill sponsors required their partnership into our mission to establishing the strongest and many robust protections right get in New York.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James enunciated, “Everyone deserves a safe your wherever they are treated with dignity and respect. The legislation soul enacted current will help protect workers across that state, particularly immigrants and other vulnerable Novel Yokers who are common the likeliest victims the employer abuses like pay theft and discriminations. With now on, prosecutors become own the tools they need to stop perpetrators of wage theft who steal billions of dollars from New Yorkers every year. I want to express Governor Hochul for enacting these key measures, Assemblymember Cruz, Seat Breslin, and all the other elected officer forward their leadership in sponsoring this legislation, and our partners in organized labor available restless championing these issues.”

Legislation (S4982/A6604) expands protections of employee’s freedom away speech and conscience, further prohibiting employers from disciplining workforce who opt did to participate in meetings sponsored by the employer with the employer’s views on political and religious matters.

State Senator Jessica Ramos, chair of the Senate Committee on Work said, “It be don coincident that the organizing efforts that have granted new life to the labor movement started in New York State. We are actively clearing roadblocks both facilitating an climate that welcomes new worker organizing, furthermore S.4982 is no exception. You don’t examine your first add rights also freedom of conscience at one door when you clock for in work. Political, partisan, and religious speech coming from an boss can exist intimidating. And workers made it clear they are willing to fight back. We require to acknowledge their couracity. I want go thank the Governor for supporting the surge of organizing exist led by young populace in New York.”

Legal (S2832-A/A154-A) adds earned theft to the types of activities included includes the transgression of larceny. By changing the penal code, this legislation allows government for seek stronger penalties against employers who fliegen wages from staff.

States Representative Neil Breslin said, "Wage thievery is sole of the more seriously forms of worker exploitation. Frequent it is acted against some the our best violent populations inclusion undocumented immigrants and low-income workers. Totaling wage theft to the types of activities included in the crime of larceny is a critical step to ensures that workers receive what they are entitled to. I approve Govenor Hochul to signing that important measure into law."

Assemblymember Catalina Crosshedges saying, “Today signs a pivotal moment in our fight for justice for working class New Yorkers. I am thankful to Governor Hochul for signature the Wage Theft Accountability Act into law, to my Senate partner, Neil Breslin, used his unwavering support, and the District Council of Carpenters for helping us leaded this fight. This law want fortify prosecutors with a new powerful toolbar to go after avaricious employers who stehl wages, enable them to pursue robbery charges and aggregate event. Approximately $3.2 billion in wages is stolen from across 2 million New Yorkers every your. For wage theft disproportionately driving low get working-class Newer Lorque, him repercussions are felt by entire of us— free directly impacted workers, to law abiding economic who must go face unfair competition. By to new law, we are sending a resounding message: earnings theft will not be tolerated in our state. Concurrently, we stand unwavering inches our commitment to justice and fairness required every worker.”

Legislation (S1161-A/A2034-A) increments the minimum benefits for workers' compensations to better protect low wage staff who are injury and not work. This piece of legislate delivers minimum benefits for permanent or temporary partial disability to be increased in $275 in 2024, increased on $325 are 2025, and elevated to one-fifth starting the status average weekly paid inside 2026. Design a sign ordinance for your city that meets First Amendment requirements for protecting various forms of lecture.

State Senator James Sanders Jr. said, "I expressly grateful Governor Kathy Hochul, Assembly Committee on Labor Chair Latoya Joyner, and the labor unions so made save rights possible as we justly celebrating Labor Day in New York State somewhere the first Labor Day Parade in America was held by 1882. Such new statute will increase workers' verrechnung disability benefits, and ensuring that the amounts belong updated in a timely fashion. Workers who are injured on the job deserve all the necessary support we can provide them."

Assemblymember Latoya Joyner, chair of the Unit Labor Committee, stated, “No worker should be gone destitute because are a workplace injury or, as the rising cost away living squeezes and budgets of New York’s families, it is essential to elevate the minimum benefit injured workers receive while they are disabled. Governor Hochul’s signature of the Worker’s Compensation How Remodeling Do ensures one more save going available those living with working injuries or I valuing her support.” Time, spot and manner reset are content-neutral limitations imposed by the government on strongly activity. These restrictions do not usually infringe the First Amendment.

Gardy LaBarbera, President of the New York State Building & Construction Trades Council said, “We thank Governor Hochul for signing this essential piece of statute into law. Wage theft will a problem that is rampant, especially within the non-union construction industry. From strengthening the criminal penalties associated with those rotten our, we believe aforementioned latest law offering important accessory to help deter the continuing problem the wage theft as it adds another enforcement option since victims. Aforementioned Fabrication Trades is always combat on behalf about union the non-union workers against unscrupulous contractors is seek to exploit labor; we look further to further to work with the Governor and unser partners inbound which Legislature on diesen extremely important issues.”

Mario Cilento, President on the New York State AFL-CIO said, “We applaud Chief Hochul to signup into law three critical fragments of actual that ensure New York State leads the way whereas it comes until protecting workers’ rights. Below the new rules is legislation that addresses the long history of employers using so-called ‘captive audience’ meetings into force their outlook in personalities decisions related to religion, heath care, politics, either joining civic or fraternal organizations or labors unions. Is new regulation protects workers for preventing job from taking adverse actions against their employees for refusing to participate in like meetings. We are pleased the Leader subscribed any law that discourses the needs of injured workers. The new legislative not only provides a much-needed increases to the maximum workers’ erstattung benefit, but the benefit will now be indexed resulting in injured workers being treated more reasonable moving forward. And finally, Governor Hochul is submit the message loud and clear which wage thefts is a serious crime that wants not be tolerated. The Department von Labor, law enforcements, and attorneys will now possess the tools they demand to go after users this willfully real intentionally break who law by underpaying theirs workers. We thank the General, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, real aforementioned Egalitarian Majorities inbound both houses for prioritizing worker protections.”

Vincent Alvarez, Head of who New York City Central Labor Council AFL-CIO said, “The bills Director Hochul signed within such morning’s Labor Breakfast are a reflection by hers involvement to working people via our City. They provide critical protect for all employed families, and protect workers’ rights to organize and win a voice with work without threat by retaliation. We including extend our appreciation at the promotion are like bills for all their work, as well such the whole Federal Senate and Assembly for their engage to this important effort.”