Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the Warehouse Worker Protection Act, a bill safeguarding warehouse workers from unduly demanding work quotas, is now in effect. The law, signed in December, mandates distribution centers to disclose work speed data to their employees, thus enabling them to better understand their performance metrics and rights. Furthermore, it guards workers from disciplinary measures or termination solely based on the inability to meet undisclosed quotas or performance standards.
The enacted legislation also incorporates key provisions allowing workers to request quota information at any time, protecting them from having to forfeit meal times or limit restroom use to meet quotas, and from employer retaliation concerning quota information requests or violation reporting. The act applies to employers and employees at warehouse distribution centers, classified using the North American Industry Classification System codes. In the event of a perceived violation, employees are allowed to request their personal work speed data or aggregate work speed data for similar roles in their establishment, which employers must furnish within 14 days of the request.
The Warehouse Worker Protection Act is lauded as a major step towards ensuring the fair treatment of warehouse workers, as highlighted by Governor Hochul and Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon. “New York’s warehouse workers deserve to be treated with fairness, dignity, and respect, and we are making a significant stride toward achieving that,” stated Hochul. The law provides the much-needed shield against inhumane quotas and shields workers from retaliation when asserting their rights under this act.
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