Bill Now Requires GCs, Subs to Submit Payrolls to Certified Electronic Database
NEW YORK—In advance of the New York City Labor Day Parade, on Sept. 7, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed eight pieces of legislation aimed at protecting New York State’s workforce as well as improving their ability to grow and prosper in New York State.
An important bill signed into law for the construction trades was A.9265A/S.8608A, which requires contractors and subcontractors working on covered public projects to submit their payrolls or transcripts to a publicly accessible, certified electronic database that will be developed by the Department of Labor.
Assemblymember 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 Sen. (Jessica) Ramos, mandates that payroll and 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.”
“Coming from a union family, I know how critical organized labor is to building a strong middle class,” Gov. Hochul said. “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.”
NYS Conference of Operating Engineers President Thomas A. Callahan said, “The Electronic Certified Payroll Bill levels the playing field for good union contractors, creating a tool to expose the unscrupulous contractors who cheat their workers.”
New York State Building Trades President Gary LaBarbera discussed the fair and safe working conditions the new law creates. “A key component of this is preventing employers from taking advantage of their workers and instilling more dignified wage practices. The bill requires contractors to be transparent about their payrolls as a part of this legislative package, as it will only create more accountability amongst employers and help ensure workers are properly compensated.”
New York City District Council of Carpenters Executive Secretary-Treasurer Joseph Geiger said, “Creating an online statewide, certified payroll electronic system is long overdue” and “will make it much more difficult for unscrupulous contractors to cheat while giving those at the forefront of protecting workers and taxpayer money an invaluable tool to hold lawbreakers accountable.”
Other bills signed into law in early September included:
S.8358C/A.8947C establishes the Retail Worker Safety Act, which requires retail employers to provide training and information to employees to prevent workplace violence based on a model workplace violence prevention training program produced by the State’s Department of Labor.
S.5085C/A.4066B requires automobile manufacturers to reimburse dealerships according to retail labor time guides, rather than manufacturerproduced time guides that often underestimate labor time for warranty repairs.
S.5500B/A.6146B requires state agencies responding to a freedom of information request for public employee disciplinary records to develop a policy to notify the employee of the request. S.8216A/A.8876 will allow applicants to take relevant competitive civil service exams within 12 months of reaching the required age or educational requirements for that position.
S.8551/A.9349 requires the Department of Civil Service to review and update civil service exam questions no less than every five years.
S.8948/A.9935 requires information regarding judgments about a public employee’s inability to perform their duties due to a disability be provided to the employee and the employee’s representative.
S.8557/A.9386 allows for a public employee’s provisional credit to qualify for a promotional civil service examination for appointment from an eligible list.