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Bill > A04278
NY A04278
NY A04278Enacts the "Empowering People in Rights Enforcement (EMPIRE) Worker Protection Act"; relates to the delegation of state enforcement authority to private actors; authorizes an affected employee, whistleblower, representative organization or an organizational deputy to initiate a public enforcement action on behalf of the commissioner for certain provisions of the labor law, or any regulation promulgated thereunder.
summary
Introduced
02/03/2025
02/03/2025
In Committee
01/07/2026
01/07/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2025-2026 General Assembly
Bill Summary
AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to enacting the "Empowering People in Rights Enforcement (EMPIRE) Worker Protection Act"
AI Summary
This bill, known as the "Empowering People in Rights Enforcement (EMPIRE) Worker Protection Act," allows individuals, whistleblowers, and organizations to bring public enforcement actions on behalf of the state's labor commissioner to address violations of labor laws, particularly when state resources are limited. It defines key terms like "affected employee" (a worker or misclassified individual directly harmed by a violation), "whistleblower" (someone with independent knowledge of violations), "representative organization" (like a union selected to act on behalf of workers), and "organizational deputy" (a labor organization appointed by the state to represent it). The act establishes procedures for these private actors, referred to as "relators," to file claims, outlines how recovered civil penalties will be distributed between the relator and the state, and provides for the recovery of attorney's fees and costs for prevailing relators. It also includes anti-retaliation provisions to protect those who bring these actions and specifies that these rights cannot be waived by private agreements unless they are part of a collectively bargained agreement that provides a forum for enforcement.
Committee Categories
Labor and Employment
Sponsors (71)
Jo Anne Simon (D)*,
George Alvarez (D),
Khaleel Anderson (D),
Michael Benedetto (D),
Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn (D),
Alex Bores (D),
Harry Bronson (D),
Chris Burdick (D),
Pat Burke (D),
Patrick Carroll (D),
Robert Carroll (D),
Sarah Clark (D),
William Colton (D),
William Conrad (D),
Vivian Cook (D),
Catalina Cruz (D),
Brian Cunningham (D),
Maritza Davila (D),
Manny De Los Santos (D),
Joe DeStefano (R),
Jeffrey Dinowitz (D),
Chris Eachus (D),
Harvey Epstein (D),
Emily Gallagher (D),
Eddie Gibbs (D),
Deborah Glick (D),
Jessica González-Rojas (D),
Andrew Hevesi (D),
Larinda Hooks (D),
Jonathan Jacobson (D),
Anna Kelles (D),
Ron Kim (D),
Micah Lasher (D),
Charles Lavine (D),
Grace Lee (D),
Dana Levenberg (D),
Nikki Lucas (D),
Jen Lunsford (D),
Karen McMahon (D),
Demond Meeks (D),
Marcela Mitaynes (D),
Diana Moreno (D),
Steve Otis (D),
Amy Paulin (D),
Steven Raga (D),
Jenifer Rajkumar (D),
Phil Ramos (D),
Karines Reyes (D),
Jonathan Rivera (D),
Gabriella Romero (D),
Linda Rosenthal (D),
Nily Rozic (D),
Angelo Santabarbara (D),
Nader Sayegh (D),
Thomas Schiavoni (D),
Rebecca Seawright (D),
Amanda Septimo (D),
Maryjane Shimsky (D),
Sarahana Shrestha (D),
Tony Simone (D),
Michaelle Solages (D),
Phara Souffrant Forrest (D),
Phil Steck (D),
Al Stirpe (D),
Yudelka Tapia (D),
Al Taylor (D),
Claire Valdez (D),
Latrice Walker (D),
David Weprin (D),
Jordan Wright (D),
Stefani Zinerman (D),
Last Action
referred to labor (on 01/07/2026)
Official Document
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