BILL NUMBER:  S284

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the general municipal law, in
relation to prohibiting local laws requiring the reporting of certain
employee wage information

 PURPOSE :  This bill would prohibit local laws requiring the
reporting of certain wage information.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section 1 - Amends the general municipal law by adding a new section
99-x.

Section 2 - Effective date

 EXISTING LAW :

Section 195 of the Labor Law requires every employer to provide its
employees with a written notice at the time of hiring, and annually
thereafter, regarding the employee's rate of pay; whether by hour,
shift, day, week, salary, piece, commission, or other; allowances,
including tip, meal, or lodging allowances; the regular pay day
designated by the employer; the employer's name and any "doing
business as" names; the employer's main office physical address and a
mailing address; the employer's telephone number; and any other
              

information deemed material and necessary by the Commissioner of
Labor.

The Commissioner of Labor is authorized to request and receive
employee information in accordance with his or her general powers
pursuant to Labor Law § 21 and the Commissioner's investigatory and
enforcement powers related to alleged wage-related violations pursuant
to Labor Law §§ 196 and 196-A.

 JUSTIFICATION :  Employers in New York State are under increasing
pressure from high costs and government mandates. This has limited the
State's ability to entice businesses to locate in New York and to
create new jobs and grow the State's economy.

This bill is necessary to ensure that employers are not burdened by
any new paperwork and filing mandates regarding employee employment
and wage information. The purported purpose of wage notification
mandates is to ensure employers pay wages to their employees in
accordance with Labor Law Article 6. The problem is that unscrupulous
employers who may be underpaying their employees will not disclose
this abuse through wage reporting and notice requirements and,
therefore, expanding such requirements on responsible employers,
including mandating that employer file wage and employment information
with State or local agencies would be illogical and irresponsible.

The fact is that the majority of employers value their employees and
comply with the many existing requirements related to information
posting of and providing notice of employee wage and employment
information. Under current state law, employers are not required to
submit employment and wage information compiled in accordance with
Article 6 of the Labor Law with the Department of Labor or any other
state or local agency. This bill merely clarifies that employers do
not have to provide such information to any state or local agency
except as required pursuant to an investigation or enforcement of
alleged violations of law.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :  S.7825 - 2011-2012; S.3362/A.7801 - 2013-2014

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS : None

 EFFECTIVE DATE :  This bill shall take effect immediately after it
shall have become a law.