Governor Signs Amendment To
Wage Theft Protection Act

On December 29, 2014, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed a bill eliminating the requirement that before February 1 of each year, employers, including nonprofits, notify and receive written acknowledgement from every worker about their rate of pay, allowances, pay day, etc. According to the signing statement, legislative leaders and the Governor have agreed to a chapter amendment to make this change effective immediately. Accordingly, given the pending enactment of this chapter amendment, the Department of Labor will not require annual statements in 2015. Businesses, however, are still required to notify employees as required at the time of hire.

The Wage Theft Prevention Act (WTPA) took effect on April 9, 2011. The law requires employers to give written notice of wage rates to each new hire. The notice must include:

  • Rate or rates of pay, including overtime rate of pay (if it applies)
  • How the employee is paid: by the hour, shift, day, week, commission, etc.
  • Regular payday
  • Official name of the employer and any other names used for business (DBA)
  • Address and phone number of the employer's main office or principal location
  • Allowances taken as part of the minimum wage (tips, meal and lodging deductions)

The notice must be given both in English and in the employee's primary language (if the Labor Department offers a translation). The Department currently offers translations in the following languages: Spanish, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Korean, Polish and Russian.

The employer may provide its own notice, as long as it includes all of the required information, or use the Department's sample notices.