NY State Has New Registration System Enforcing Labor Laws

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The State of New York has recently signed legislation establishing a new registration system for all contractors and subcontractors engaged in public work and covered private projects to enforce existing labor laws better. As a result, any contractors planning to bid on covered projects should know they must register with the NY Department of Labor (NYDOL) beforehand.

This new law creates a registration system that allows the NYDOL to vet the contractor to see if they had any previous labor law violations, including prevailing wage, and ensure that only responsible contractors are approved to bid on New York covered projects. The intent is to ensure transparency, reduce fraud, and ensure taxpayers’ money goes only to contractors who treat their employees well.

Under this new law, a contractor must register with the NYDOL by providing a series of disclosures about their businesses every two years. This legislation is now in effect. Details may be found at https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/S5994.