Employer Obligations Under NYC’s Workers’ Bill of Rights Policy
As of July 1, 2024, a new regulation will require New York City employers to prominently display and provide a copy of a Workers’ Bill of Rights to both current and new employees. NYC’s Workers’ Bill of Rights is being developed by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, in collaboration with various governmental agencies, community groups, and labor organizations. This initiative aims to ensure that employees, prospective employees, and independent contractors in New York City are well-informed about their rights under relevant federal, state, and local laws.
The Workers’ Bill of Rights, available on New York City’s official website, details the rights of employees, covering topics like unionization and rights applicable irrespective of immigration status. Once effective, employers will be required to distribute a copy of the Workers’ Bill of Rights to all employees. New employees must receive this document on or before the first day of work.
Employers will also be required to display the Workers’ Bill of Rights prominently in an area that is easily accessible and visible to all employees. If online platforms or mobile applications are frequently used by an organization to communicate with its workforce, the Workers’ Bill of Rights must also be accessible via these means.
The Workers’ Bill of Rights must be presented in English and any language spoken as a primary language by at least 5% of a company’s employees, provided New York City makes the document available in that language. The term “employee” includes any person who is employed in NYC for more than 80 hours per calendar year, whether the person is employed on a full-time, part-time, or transitional job program basis.
Failure to comply with these regulations may result in a civil penalty of $500. However, for the first violation, employers will be given a notification and a 30-day grace period to rectify the non-compliance.
Employers are urged to familiarize themselves with the upcoming requirements. To ensure compliance and avoid penalties contact Joseph DeGiuseppe of Bleakley Platt & Schmidt’s Labor and Employment Practice Group at 914-287-6144 or jdegiuseppe@bpslaw.com.