June 11, 2014
By Neal Tepel
Albany, NY – New York State is on pace to recover over $38 million this year for workers. Recovered for more than 14,000 workers in just the first four months of 2014 is $12.7 million in back wages and damages.
“This is money that these workers rightfully earned,” said Commissioner Rivera. “We are enforcing the law to make sure that businesses pay workers the wages to which they are entitled. If a business is breaking the law, it will pay up. I commend Department of Labor staff members who, every day, are helping workers.”
Between January and March 2014, the Department of Labor’s Division of Labor Standards opened 1,230 cases and closed 2,150. The number of closed cases increased 65 percent over the same timeframe in 2013.
The reduction in open cases is due, in part, to policy and operational improvements, said Rivera. For example, the agency is referring more cases to compliance conferences to expedite resolution. As cases are processed more expeditiously, workers are receiving the money owed to them more quickly.
Anyone with questions about minimum wage or other labor standards issues, or to file a complaint, should call: 1-888-4NYSDOL (469-7365).
