Index
New York Wage Theft Prevention Act
Summary
New York heavily penalizes employers who steal wages or fail to provide transparent pay documentation. The law mandates strict written notice requirements for all new hires.
Rights & Rules
- 01.When you are hired, your employer MUST give you a written notice stating your exact rate of pay, how you are paid (hourly, salary, commission), and your regular payday.
- 02.You must sign this notice, and the employer must keep it on file.
- 03.Every time you are paid, you MUST receive a detailed pay stub (wage statement) that lists your hours worked, rate of pay, gross wages, and all specific deductions.
- 04.The law covers almost all private-sector employees in New York State.
Penalties
- 01.If an employer fails to give you the written notice at hiring, they can be fined $50 per day (up to $5,000).
- 02.If they fail to give proper pay stubs, they can be fined $250 per workday (up to $5,000).
- 03.Employers guilty of actual wage theft can face criminal prosecution and be forced to pay 'liquidated damages' (100% of the stolen wages on top of the original amount owed).
Verified Citations
New York Labor Law Section 195
Source"Every employer shall: 1. provide his or her employees, in writing in English and in the language identified by each employee as the primary language of such employee, at the time of hiring, a notice containing the following information: the rate or rates of pay and basis thereof..."