Bill > A07863

This bill aims to strengthen worker protections by mandating that New York's labor laws be interpreted broadly and in favor of workers. Specifically, the bill requires courts to construe labor law provisions liberally to accomplish their remedial purposes, which include securing workers' wage floors, ensuring wage recovery, protecting against retaliation, guaranteeing equal pay, and mitigating unemployment impacts. The legislation explicitly directs courts to interpret exceptions and exemptions to labor law requirements narrowly, with the goal of maximizing deterrence of unlawful employer conduct. The bill emphasizes that this liberal interpretation should apply regardless of how similar federal labor laws, such as the Fair Labor Standards Act, have been interpreted in the past. By codifying this interpretive approach, the law seeks not only to protect workers but also to ensure fair competition by preventing law-breaking employers from gaining unfair advantages. The bill will take effect immediately upon passage, signaling the legislature's urgent commitment to robust worker protections.

Housing and Urban Affairs, Labor and Employment

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A7863