When it comes to labor rules and protections, the state’s latest $254 billion budget is a mixed bag for blue-collar New Yorkers, advocates said.
The $254 billion New York State budget passed last month included several measures to address the state’s poverty and affordability crises—like increased tax credits for families and the creation of the first statewide housing voucher program for the homeless.
However, when it comes to labor rules and protections, the budget is a mixed bag for blue-collar New Yorkers, advocates said.
One thing many New Yorkers agree on, including Gov. Kathy Hochul and worker advocates, is the need to address the high costs of living. During her State of the State speech in January, Hochul said that New York’s future depends on “the ability of every family to afford the essentials of life.”
“When we raised the minimum wage and tied it to inflation,” Hochul added, “it was because I believe that when costs go up, your wages should too.”
However, advocates argue that raising wages is pointless if strong protections aren’t in place to ensure workers receive their wages on time, and without having to fight for them through the lengthy wage theft claims process.
Here’s a look at what the budget included around labor and wages.
Pay frequency for manual workers
The budget included changes to Section 191 of the New York Labor Law, which regulates workers’ payment frequency. Manual workers (someone who spends more than 25 percent of their work time each week...
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