Relates to awards to employees who prevail in actions on kick-back claims

Latest action Jan 7, 2026

Relates to awards to employees who prevail in actions on kick-back claims; provides that such employees shall be entitled to the full amount of what was received, liquidated damages, attorney's fees and prejudgment interest.

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Where it stands

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

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

New York State Senate

Amends the Labor Law.

Committee

Labor · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Labor · New York State Senate.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

This bill codifies that if an employee wins a kick-back claim, the employee will be entitled to the wages, supplements and other things of value received.

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

Recorded votes

Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateMay 29, 2025Result: passed
(55) (1) (0) (7)
Vote: Committee vote · Labor
Senate LaborMay 14, 2025Result: passed
(13) (0) (0) (0)

The sponsor's argument

Why Jessica Ramos says this is needed

In 2022, the New York State Court of Appeals held that there is no private right of action in New York Labor Law § 198-b, which prohibits requiring employees to kickback any portion of their pay to any person in order for the worker to keep their employment. The court's decision upended the common belief that a worker could bring a private suit under such circumstances. The New York State Attorney General's Office has received complaints from workers who were required to make kickback payments and who-because of the Appeals Court's decision-can only obtain relief if the Attorney General's office pursues the matter. This amend- ment is necessary to ensure that workers have the right and the ability to recover these stolen wages. It also will bring this wage theft stat- ute back in line with the other wage theft statutes in the labor law, such as unpaid wages and illegal deductions, which have an express private right of action.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Full history

Jan 7, 2026
Died in Assembly
DIED IN ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO LABOR
NY Senate
May 29, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
May 29, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
May 29, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO LABOR
NY Assembly

Show full history (4 earlier events)

May 19, 2025
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
May 15, 2025
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate
May 14, 2025
1ST Report CAL.1118
1ST REPORT CAL.1118
NY Senate
Feb 6, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO LABOR
NY Senate

About this record

Summary: The summary comes from NY Open Legislation, the New York State Senate's public record. For more, see How we handle summaries.
Source: From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Nov 1, 2026. About our data

Read the record

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.

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