NY lawmakers approve domestic worker rights

By MICHAEL VIRTANEN

ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York lawmakers have passed bills to require overtime pay after eight-hour workdays and at least one day off weekly for more than 200,000 housekeepers, nannies and other domestic workers in the state.

"New York has long been a leader in protecting the rights of workers. We enacted child labor laws long before the federal government did and were the first to pass labor protections for those toiling in sweatshops," said Sen. Diane Savino, a Staten Island Democrat. She said the legislation would not apply to casual laborers like baby sitters and occasional house cleaners. It would take effect Jan. 1. 
 

Assemblyman Keith Wright, a Manhattan Democrat and sponsor of the Assembly bill that passed 98-44 last year, said Tuesday he'd been working on the legislation for six years and had doubted this day would come.

AP article also appeared in:
 
The Miami Herald:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/06/01/1658836/ny-lawmakers-approve-domestic.html

Los Angeles Times:
http://www.latimes.com/business/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-us-domestic-worker-rights,0,4999619.story

Seattle Times:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012006389_apusdomesticworkerrights.html

Boston Globe:
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2010/06/01/ny_lawmakers_approve_domestic_worker_rights/

Atlanta Journal Constitution
http://www.ajc.com/business/ny-lawmakers-approve-domestic-539693.html

Newsday:
http://www.newsday.com/business/ny-lawmakers-approve-domestic-worker-rights-1.1972079

Philadelphia Inquirer
http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/business/95379529.html
 
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/nyregion/02domestic.html

 

To Read More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/01/AR2010060103923.html