Labor & Employment

in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 2696: Relates to minimum wage requirements for public employees

This bill (A 2696) requires state and municipal governments to pay all public employees the minimum wage, eliminating previous exemptions. It amends the labor law to explicitly include "state or local government" as an employer under minimum wage rules, removing exceptions that previously allowed lower pay for workers in public institutions (like schools or government offices). The change directly affects public employees at all levels of government who were previously excluded from minimum wage protections under certain exemptions. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates minimum wage for public employees, increasing government spending on labor costs and aligning with public service funding priorities.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRemoves exemptions for public employees from minimum wage, expanding coverage and increasing pay protections for state/local government workers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage Public Employees

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 6199: Relates to disclosure of certain employment statistics of state-assisted construction projects

This bill requires covered contractors and developers receiving state financial assistance for construction projects over $1 million to submit detailed workforce data quarterly starting July 1, 2026. Covered entities must report individual employee details including job title, hours, wages, gender, race/ethnicity (if voluntarily provided), and zip code, along with aggregated data on compensation and demographics. The Department of Labor will anonymize and publicly post this aggregated data online by October 31, 2027, and issue periodic reports on workforce trends. It applies to most state-funded construction projects but excludes certain social service facilities and projects under $1 million in value. The law aims to increase transparency in workforce composition for publicly funded construction.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates transparency in workforce data disclosure to monitor fair employment practices and potential wage/demographic disparities, advancing labor rights transparency.92% confidence

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 2558: Relates to discrimination and retaliation against employees who claim workers' compensation benefits

This bill strengthens protections for workers who file workplace injury claims. It prohibits employers from firing, punishing, or threatening to report immigration status against employees who claim workers' compensation benefits, request claim forms, or testify in related proceedings. Key mechanisms include requiring employers to reinstate affected workers, pay lost wages, and face penalties of $500-$2,500 per violation (paid directly by the employer, not insurers). The law applies to all employees covered under New York’s workers’ compensation system.

Topics ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationProhibits employers from threatening to report immigration status against workers claiming benefits, directly protecting immigrant workers' rights in workplace claims.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentStrengthens worker protections against retaliation for claiming workers' comp, prohibiting termination/punishment and requiring reinstatement/pay.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Workers' Compensation Workplace Safety

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 4428: Relates to establishing an immigrant workers' bill of rights

This bill (A 4428) requires New York's Commissioner of Labor to create and maintain a public website with information about workers' rights under state and federal law, regardless of immigration status - including union organizing rights. It mandates that employers provide this information to all employees by August 1, 2027, in English and any language spoken by at least 5% of their workforce, posting it visibly at workplaces and making it accessible via mobile apps or online. The bill also requires outreach to immigrant workers through hotlines, legal resources, and materials at shelters and immigration centers, with penalties of $500 for non-compliance (after a warning for first offenses). It directly affects immigrant workers, employers, and state agencies like the Division of Immigrant Policies and Affairs.

Topics ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationBill A 4428 establishes an 'immigrant workers' bill of rights' and ensures all workers, regardless of immigration status, are informed of their rights, directly protecting immigrant rights.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates employers to provide workers' rights info including union organizing rights regardless of immigration status, directly protecting workers' rights and strengthening access to legal protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Immigrant Services Work Authorization Collective Bargaining Labor Standards

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 5913: Clarifies the meaning of actively seeking work for purposes of unemployment benefits

Clarifies the meaning of actively seeking work for purposes of unemployment benefits when the claimant is a member of a labor organization; defines "union hiring hall".

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentClarifies union hiring halls as active job search, protecting eligibility for unemployment benefits under labor organization membership, advancing worker benefit access.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Unemployment

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 6310: Prohibits unlawful hiring discrimination by employers and employment agencies based upon an individual's unemployment status

Prohibits unlawful hiring discrimination by employers and employment agencies based upon an individual's unemployment status including decisions with regard to hiring, compensation or the terms thereof, or conditions or privileges of employment.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentPrevents discrimination against unemployed job seekers in hiring, directly protecting workers' rights per bill's explicit prohibition of unemployment-based discrimination.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Employment Discrimination Unemployment

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 30, 2025

S 3842: Relates to providing more predictable and stable schedules for employees in low-wage occupations

Relates to providing more predictable and stable schedules for employees in low-wage occupations; provides that an employer shall pay an employee for at least 4 hours at the basic minimum hourly wage for each day an employee reports for work as instructed but is given less than four hours of work.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires employers to pay 4-hour minimum wage for reported shifts with insufficient work, protecting low-wage workers from lost income due to unpredictable scheduling.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Child Labor Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 4465: Restricts consecutive hours of work for health care workers

This bill restricts health care employers from requiring nurses or health care workers (excluding doctors, residents, and security staff) to work more than their regularly scheduled hours, except in specific emergencies or during ongoing surgical procedures. It defines "regularly scheduled work hours" to include pre-scheduled on-call time and shift report communication, and prohibits using on-call time as a substitute for mandatory overtime. Exceptions include health care disasters, official emergency declarations, unanticipated staffing emergencies, or procedures requiring continuous presence for patient safety. The law aims to protect patient care quality by limiting excessive work hours, without affecting existing rights under other laws or collective bargaining agreements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRestricts excessive work hours for nurses, protecting healthcare workers' well-being and supporting medical staff conditions per bill's explicit language.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRestricts excessive work hours for nurses, protects against mandatory overtime, and defines scheduled hours to include on-call time, advancing worker safety and rights in labor/employment.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Collective Bargaining Labor Standards

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 4048: Increases the minimum wage annually; repealer

This bill, the "Raise the Wage Act," increases New York's minimum wage to $21.25 per hour in New York City by 2028, $17.25 in the city's suburbs (Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester) by 2026, and gradually across the rest of the state. It repeals current static wage provisions and establishes automatic annual adjustments tied to inflation and productivity, mirroring the formula used for upstate wages since 2022. The bill directly affects all hourly workers covered under New York's labor law, particularly in low-wage sectors like home care and childcare. This indexing mechanism aims to prevent future erosion of purchasing power, ensuring wages keep pace with rising living costs.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly raises minimum wage to $21.25/hr in NYC by 2028 and establishes inflation-linked annual adjustments, directly strengthening wage protections for hourly workers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 1698: Enacts the "standing is tiring (sit) act"

Enacts the "standing is tiring (sit) act"; requires employers to provide suitable seats to all employees where the nature of such employees' work reasonably permits seated work; prohibits employers from artificially designing a work space to require standing; requires the department of labor to determine whether the nature of work reasonably permits seated work; creates a private right of action for employees whose employer does not provide seats.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires employers to provide seats where feasible, prohibits forced standing, and creates legal recourse - directly strengthens workplace safety and worker rights per Labor & Employment indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Workplace Safety

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