Key Changes to New York’s Wage Theft Prevention Act Become Law

After a delay of nearly six months, on December 29, 2014, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into a law a bill (A 8106-C, S5885-B) that amends the state’s Labor Law, including the Wage Theft Prevention Act (the WTPA), and the law’s application to limited liability companies, contractors and successor employers. The key provisions of the amendments, which become effective on February 27, 2015, (i) eliminate the burdensome annual wage notice requirement; (ii) significantly increase penalties for non-compliance with the WTPA; (iii) expand contractor accountability, successor liability and personal liability for violations; and (iv) create a Wage Theft Prevention Enforcement Account.