New York Delivers Good News to Employers in Battle Over Frequency of Payments Law for Manual Workers: 4 Top Takeaways
Businesses with New York employees are breathing a sigh of relief now that the state has finally addressed a hot button (and expensive) issue that has plagued them for nearly six years. A state court first ruled in 2019 that manual workers had the right to sue for frequency of pay claims – and the workers could essentially receive damages equal to half their wages for up to six years . In response to pleas from employers, and after a failed attempt last year, Governor Hochul successfully pushed an amendment through that addresses concerns over the exorbitant damages. The amendments took effect on May 9 and apply to both pending and future cases . Here’s what employers need to know. How Did We Get Here? Weekly Pay for Manual Workers: New York’s Frequency of Payments Law requires employers to pay “manual workers” weekly, within seven days after the end of the week in which wages are earned . The New York Labor Law defines a manual worker as a “mechanic, workingman, or l...