New York Strengthens Retaliation Protection for Workers
Under a new law passed this week, employers will face increased fines if they attempt to retaliate against any worker who complains about being underpaid or being mistreated on the job. The fines have been increased from a range of $200-$1,000 per employee violation to $2,000-$10,000.
Retaliation is the second-highest EEOC complaint, closely following race discrimination. The State of New York prohibits the firing, demotion, reassignment or reduction in pay of a worker who files a complaint. Overall, the State Department of Labor collected and paid $24.6 million in 2008 to more than 17,000 workers affected by labor law violations. (See http://www.buffalonews.com/145/story/875948.html)