Bill > S04424

This bill enacts the "Anti-Waiver of Employment Rights Act" to protect employees from contractual provisions that limit their legal rights and remedies. Specifically, the bill invalidates any express or implied contractual agreements that waive or restrict an employee's substantive or procedural rights under labor and human rights laws. The legislation aims to address court decisions that have allowed employers to require employees to sign waivers that shorten statutes of limitations or eliminate rights to collective action. The bill provides two key exceptions to the waiver prohibition: first, waivers mutually agreed upon in the settlement of a good faith dispute not initiated by the employer, and second, agreements made upon or after an employee's termination. The bill also includes a severability clause to ensure that if any part of the law is found invalid, the rest of the law remains in effect. Importantly, the bill does not diminish existing employee rights under other laws or collective bargaining agreements and does not apply to dispute resolution processes in collective bargaining agreements or waivers expressly authorized by statute. The law will take effect immediately and applies to both labor law and executive law, providing comprehensive protection for employee rights across different legal domains.

Housing and Urban Affairs, Labor and Employment

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4424