Kavanagh, Rozic Reduce Environmental Impact of State Operations with Legislation Enabling Opt Out of Paper Pay Stubs

Kavanagh, Rozic Announce Passage of Legislation to Allow All State Employees to Receive Online Pay Stubs

Albany, NY — Senator Brian Kavanagh (D-Manhattan/Brooklyn) and Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D-Queens) announced the passage of legislation they authored (A4867/S2328) that would enable all state employees to get their paycheck information online. The bill passed both the Assembly and Senate with bipartisan support and now awaits the Governor’s signature.

Currently, a large number of State employees -- even those enrolled in a direct deposit program -- still receive printed copies of their pay stubs by mail or delivered by hand at their workplace. This legislation would require the state to give employees the option of receiving their pay stub electronically, with the same information that is currently printed on paper pay stubs. Currently the paperless option is only available at the discretion of the individual state agency where the employee works and it has been implemented only to a limited extent.

“As technology advances, state government needs to keep pace,” said Assemblywoman Rozic. “By allowing all state employees to access their pay stub information online, we can cut costs—both financially and environmentally. This common-sense legislation is just one of the many ways we can modernize government and keep up with the times.”

“This legislation, which received unanimous support in the Senate, will help to reduce the environmental impact of state operations while providing a secure, convenient way for all employees to access essential information about their compensation, benefits, and retirement contributions,” said Senator Kavanagh. “It will also enable the state to save money on paper, printing, and postal costs, at a time when we face a budget crisis that is going to challenge us to ensure that critical services are adequately funded.”

“This legislation codifies the process that is already in place by our office for those agencies who participate in the New York State Payroll Online system, allowing employees to quickly access their payroll information. It also saves the state money and cuts down on paper waste,” New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said. “Our Payroll System is one of the largest systems in the country. We’re working to provide broad access and information to state employees to make their lives easier. I thank Senator Brian Kavanagh and Assemblywoman Nily Rozic for pushing this legislation.”

The Office of the New York State Comptroller already implements NYS Payroll Online, a service that allows some state employees to view and update certain employee payroll information and opt out of receiving paper pay stubs. The initiative has been operating since 2014. The requirements of this bill can be met by expanding access to that system. Minnesota, Florida, Kentucky and South Dakota all have similar programs in place.

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