Requires or allows licensing entities to suspend business licenses for certain businesses that are charged or convicted of wage theft

Where it stands

Passed one of the two chambers; it still needs the other.

Labor · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Labor · New York State Senate.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

Section 1 amends section 190 of the Labor Law to add definitions for "successor business," "agency," and "license." Section 2 amends subdivision one of section 196 of the Labor Law to add a new paragraph f which requires the Commissioner of Labor, upon notifi- cation by the court of the conviction of an employer for wage theft, to direct the suspension of the employer's license to do business in the state; outlines the process to be followed by the Commissioner upon being so notified in order to determine whether and for how long such employer's license to do business should be suspended, up to but not exceeding two years; and sets out due process protections for the employer including notice and an opportunity to be heard. This section also requires the court to notify the Commissioner of Labor of an employer's conviction for wage theft. Section 3 amends section 198-a of the Labor Law by adding new subdivi- sions 4 and 5 to permit a court to prohibit an employer charged with wage theft from applying for a license to operate a business under a different business name and/or opening or operating a successor business engaged in the same or equivalent trade or activity for the pendency of the criminal proceeding, and to require the court to notify the Commis- sioner of Labor when an employer is convicted of wage theft under this section. Section 4 amends section 662 of the Labor Law by adding new subdivisions 3 and 4 to permit a court to prohibit an employer charged with wage theft from applying for a license to operate a business under a differ- ent business name and/or opening or operating a successor business engaged in the same or equivalent trade or activity for the pendency of the criminal proceeding, and to require the court to notify the Commis- sioner of Labor when an employer is convicted of wage theft under this section. Section 5 amends the Criminal Procedure Law by adding a new section 380.98 which requires the court to notify the Commissioner of Labor upon judgment of conviction of an employer for wage theft. Section 6 amends subdivision 3-a of section 500.10 of the Criminal Procedure Law by adding a new paragraph (k) which permits the court to prohibit an employer charged with wage theft from applying for a license to operate a business under a different business name and/or opening or operating a successor business engaged in the same or equivalent trade or activity for the pendency of the criminal proceeding. Section 7 amends the Criminal Procedure Law by adding a new section 530.15 which permits the court, when a criminal action charging wage theft is pending against an employer, to prohibit the employer so charged from applying for a license to operate a business under a different business name and/or opening or operating a successor business engaged in the same or equivalent trade or activity for the pendency of the criminal proceeding. Section 8 sets the effective date. JUSTIFICATION:; New York's Wage Theft Protection Act, passed in 2010, aimed to ensure that hardworking New Yorkers had recourse under the law if their employ- er failed to pay their wages (L. 2010, ch. 564). Along with requiring clear notice to employees of pay rates and the employer's identity, and strengthening payroll and recordkeeping requirements, the Act gave the Commissioner of Labor increased enforcement powers and enhanced the penalties for employers who fail to comply or engage in retaliation. In 2021, the Labor Law was amended by the No Wage Theft Loophole Act, which clarified that New York's Labor Law "completely and without exception" prohibits failure to pay earned wages and imposes liability on the employer (L. 2021, ch. 397). In 2023, the Penal Law was amended to include wage theft in the definition of criminal larceny and to allow prosecutors to seek stronger penalties against employers who steal wages from workers (L. 2023, ch. 353). Despite these and other efforts by the legislature to ensure that work- ers' wages are not wi

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Recorded votes

• Vote: Floor vote

  NY SenateApr 20, 2026Result: passed

  Voted yes (53)Voted no (6)Voted present (0)Absent (4)

  See member positions for the vote on Apr 20, 2026 (Floor vote)

• Vote: Committee vote · Labor

  Senate LaborMar 25, 2026Result: passed

  Voted yes (12)Voted no (1)Voted present (0)Absent (0)

  See member positions for the vote on Mar 25, 2026 (Committee vote · Labor)

• Vote: Committee vote · Labor

  Senate LaborJan 28, 2026Result: passed

  Voted yes (12)Voted no (1)Voted present (0)Absent (0)

  See member positions for the vote on Jan 28, 2026 (Committee vote · Labor)

• Vote: Floor vote

  NY SenateJun 11, 2025Result: passed

  Voted yes (54)Voted no (5)Voted present (0)Absent (4)

  See member positions for the vote on Jun 11, 2025 (Floor vote)

• Vote: Committee vote · Labor

  Senate LaborMay 14, 2025Result: passed

  Voted yes (13)Voted no (0)Voted present (0)Absent (0)

  See member positions for the vote on May 14, 2025 (Committee vote · Labor)

Full history

1. Apr 20, 2026

   Sent to the executive

   DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY

   NY Senate

2. Apr 20, 2026

   Passed a chamber

   PASSED SENATE

   NY Senate

3. Apr 20, 2026

   Referred to committee

   REFERRED TO LABOR

   NY Assembly

4. Mar 30, 2026

   Advanced to Third Reading

   ADVANCED TO THIRD READING

   NY Senate

5. Mar 26, 2026

   2ND Report CAL.

   2ND REPORT CAL.

   NY Senate

About this record

Summary

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Cosponsors

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Party colors

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Source

From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Nov 2, 2026. About our data

Read the record

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