Senator Alesi Supports Measure to Reduce Administrative Costs for New York Businesses

James S. Alesi

March 1, 2012

Legislation Eliminates an Employer’s Annual Notice Requirement    

The Senate acted yesterday to pass a bill to amend the “Job Theft Prevention Act of 2010,” to alleviate burdensome administrative provisions with aggregate costs in the millions of dollars. 

The bill (S.6063A) would repeal the “Job Theft Prevention Act of 2010”  requirement that placed additional administrative costs on every private-sector employer in New York by mandating that each year, a written notice on wages be provided by all private-sector employers to New York State employees.  In addition, a written acknowledgement of the receipt of this notice had to be obtained from every employee by their employer and maintained for six years. 

“Regulations, such as the annual notice requirement, have made doing business in New York – especially in Upstate – less desirable than in other states,” said Senator Alesi.  “As Chairman of Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business, I support measures that lower the cost of doing business in New York and make our State more business friendly by cutting the red tape and reducing the bureaucracy that plagues New York businesses.  This bill will continue my efforts to move New York in a positive direction by bringing relief to overburdened businesses and encouraging economic growth.”

The Wage Theft Prevention Act took effect last April, and since then, the Department of Labor has conceded that wage compliance is an issue for a small percentage of New York State employers, despite the universal application of this annual pay notice requirement.  Moreover, this modification to the Wage Theft Prevention Act leaves in place its most significant reforms intended to assure payment of all wages earned by employees.    

The bill has been sent to the Assembly. 

 

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