The state now has a system for contractors and subcontractors engaging in public work.
It’s part of an effort to better enforce labor laws and regulations.
Governor Kathy Hochul signed the bill into law, establishing a registration system for those jobs.
“This legislation will help ensure transparency, reduce fraud and ensure taxpayer money goes to contractors who treat their workers with dignity and respect,” Governor Hochul said. “Our workers are the engine of our economy and we must do everything we can to protect their rights.”
This new law requires contractors and subcontractors to register with the Department of Labor by providing a series of disclosures about their businesses every two years. The Department of Labor will determine whether a contractor or subcontractor is fit to register, based on previous labor law and workers compensation law violations, including prevailing wage requirements, and create a publicly available online database. This law will ensure state and local entities engage with contractors and subcontractors that will abide by New York labor laws and regulations.
“Establishing this registration system and database is an essential step in ensuring our public projects, paid for with taxpayer money, are performed by contractors and subcontractors who follow New York’s labor laws,” Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said. “These laws protect workers’ safety and guarantee a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work, and I applaud Governor Hochul for signing legislation that will allow the state and localities to evaluate a contractor’s history when awarding a public project.”
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