On January 6, 2026, the New York Assembly introduced bill A9452 (Amendment), which would substantially amend the “Trapped at Work Act” (TAWA).
As we explained, TAWA prohibits all employers—including subsidiaries and contractors—from requiring current or prospective workers to sign employment-related promissory notes as a condition of employment.
Signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul on December 19, 2025, TAWA went into effect immediately. However, in her approval memo, the Governor noted that the legislation contained ambiguities, including that it “would have prohibited certain voluntary tuition assistance programs that provide real benefits to their participants.” Her approval was conditioned on an agreement with the Legislature to address those concerns, resulting in introduction of the Amendment less than three weeks after the law’s enactment. The Amendment would benefit employers and employees by clarifying TAWA’s parameters.
This Amendment seeks to do multiple things: clean up the definitions section of TAWA; provide more detail about what types of payments are protected and which repayment agreements may be enforceable; clarify who can bring a complaint against an employer and the penalty associated with any violation; and delay the effective date of the agreement. In practice, while TAWA is already in effect, it is likely that the effective date will be pushed forward, offering employers some reprieve and an opportunity to adjust affected...
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