Bill Text: NY S05786 | 2011-2012 | General Assembly | Amended
Bill Title: Relates to permitted deductions from wages.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-06-18 - PRINT NUMBER 5786A [S05786 Detail]
Download: New_York-2011-S05786-Amended.html
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K ________________________________________________________________________ 5786--A 2011-2012 Regular Sessions I N S E N A T E June 16, 2011 ___________ Introduced by Sens. YOUNG, BRESLIN, KRUEGER, O'MARA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to permitted deductions from wages; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM- BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: 1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 193 of the labor law, as added by 2 chapter 548 of the laws of 1966, is amended to read as follows: 3 1. No employer shall make any deduction from the wages of an employee, 4 except deductions which: 5 a. are made in accordance with the provisions of any law or any rule 6 or regulation issued by any governmental agency INCLUDING REGULATIONS 7 PROMULGATED UNDER PARAGRAPH C AND PARAGRAPH D OF THIS SUBDIVISION; or 8 b. are expressly authorized in writing by the employee and are for the 9 benefit of the employee[;], provided that such authorization is VOLUN- 10 TARY AND ONLY GIVEN FOLLOWING RECEIPT BY THE EMPLOYEE OF WRITTEN NOTICE 11 OF ALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE PAYMENT AND/OR ITS BENEFITS AND THE 12 DETAILS OF THE MANNER IN WHICH DEDUCTIONS WILL BE MADE. WHENEVER THERE 13 IS A SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IN THE TERMS OR CONDITIONS OF THE PAYMENT, 14 INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY CHANGE IN THE AMOUNT OF THE DEDUCTION, 15 OR A SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IN THE BENEFITS OF THE DEDUCTION OR THE DETAILS 16 IN THE MANNER IN WHICH DEDUCTIONS SHALL BE MADE, THE EMPLOYER SHALL, AS 17 SOON AS PRACTICABLE, BUT IN EACH CASE BEFORE ANY INCREASED DEDUCTION IS 18 MADE ON THE EMPLOYEE'S BEHALF, NOTIFY THE EMPLOYEE PRIOR TO THE IMPLE- 19 MENTATION OF THE CHANGE. SUCH AUTHORIZATION SHALL BE kept on file on 20 the employer's premises FOR THE PERIOD DURING WHICH THE EMPLOYEE IS 21 EMPLOYED BY THE EMPLOYER AND FOR SIX YEARS AFTER SUCH EMPLOYMENT ENDS. 22 NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, EMPLOYEE AUTHORIZATION FOR DEDUCTIONS EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD13171-03-2 S. 5786--A 2 1 UNDER THIS SECTION MAY ALSO BE PROVIDED TO THE EMPLOYER PURSUANT TO THE 2 TERMS OF A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. Such authorized deductions 3 shall be limited to payments for: 4 (I) insurance premiums[,] AND PREPAID LEGAL PLANS; 5 (II) pension or health and welfare benefits[,]; 6 (III) contributions to A BONA FIDE charitable [organizations, payments 7 for] ORGANIZATION; 8 (IV) PURCHASES MADE AT EVENTS SPONSORED BY A BONA FIDE CHARITABLE 9 ORGANIZATION AFFILIATED WITH THE EMPLOYER WHERE AT LEAST TWENTY PERCENT 10 OF THE PROFITS FROM SUCH EVENT ARE BEING CONTRIBUTED TO A BONA FIDE 11 CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION; 12 (V) United States bonds[, payments for]; 13 (VI) dues or assessments to a labor organization[,]; 14 (VII) DISCOUNTED PARKING OR DISCOUNTED PASSES, TOKENS, FARE CARDS, 15 VOUCHERS, OR OTHER ITEMS THAT ENTITLE THE EMPLOYEE TO USE MASS TRANSIT; 16 (VIII) FITNESS CENTER, HEALTH CLUB, AND/OR GYM MEMBERSHIP DUES; 17 (IX) CAFETERIA AND VENDING MACHINE PURCHASES MADE AT THE EMPLOYER'S 18 PLACE OF BUSINESS AND PURCHASES MADE AT GIFT SHOPS OPERATED BY THE 19 EMPLOYER, WHERE THE EMPLOYER IS A HOSPITAL, COLLEGE, OR UNIVERSITY; 20 (X) PHARMACY PURCHASES MADE AT THE EMPLOYER'S PLACE OF BUSINESS; 21 (XI) TUITION, ROOM, BOARD, AND FEES FOR PRE-SCHOOL, NURSERY, PRIMARY, 22 SECONDARY, AND/OR POST-SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS; 23 (XII) DAY CARE, BEFORE-SCHOOL AND AFTER-SCHOOL CARE EXPENSES; 24 (XIII) PAYMENTS FOR HOUSING PROVIDED AT NO MORE THAN MARKET RATES BY 25 NON-PROFIT HOSPITALS OR AFFILIATES THEREOF; and 26 (XIV) similar payments for the benefit of the employee. 27 C. ARE RELATED TO RECOVERY OF AN OVERPAYMENT OF WAGES WHERE SUCH OVER- 28 PAYMENT IS DUE TO A MATHEMATICAL OR OTHER CLERICAL ERROR BY THE EMPLOY- 29 ER. IN MAKING SUCH RECOVERIES, THE EMPLOYER SHALL COMPLY WITH REGU- 30 LATIONS PROMULGATED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR THIS PURPOSE, WHICH 31 REGULATIONS SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, PROVISIONS GOVERNING: 32 THE SIZE OF OVERPAYMENTS THAT MAY BE COVERED BY THIS SECTION; THE 33 TIMING, FREQUENCY, DURATION, AND METHOD OF SUCH RECOVERY; LIMITATIONS ON 34 THE PERIODIC AMOUNT OF SUCH RECOVERY; A REQUIREMENT THAT NOTICE BE 35 PROVIDED TO THE EMPLOYEE PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF SUCH RECOVERY; A 36 REQUIREMENT THAT THE EMPLOYER IMPLEMENT A PROCEDURE FOR DISPUTING THE 37 AMOUNT OF SUCH OVERPAYMENT OR SEEKING TO DELAY COMMENCEMENT OF SUCH 38 RECOVERY; THE TERMS AND CONTENT OF SUCH A PROCEDURE AND A REQUIREMENT 39 THAT NOTICE OF THE PROCEDURE FOR DISPUTING THE OVERPAYMENT OR SEEKING TO 40 DELAY COMMENCEMENT OF SUCH RECOVERY BE PROVIDED TO THE EMPLOYEE PRIOR TO 41 THE COMMENCEMENT OF SUCH RECOVERY. 42 D. REPAYMENT OF ADVANCES OF SALARY OR WAGES MADE BY THE EMPLOYER TO 43 THE EMPLOYEE. DEDUCTIONS TO COVER SUCH REPAYMENTS SHALL BE MADE IN 44 ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATIONS PROMULGATED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR THIS 45 PURPOSE, WHICH REGULATIONS SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, 46 PROVISIONS GOVERNING: THE TIMING, FREQUENCY, DURATION, AND METHOD OF 47 SUCH REPAYMENT; LIMITATIONS ON THE PERIODIC AMOUNT OF SUCH REPAYMENT; A 48 REQUIREMENT THAT NOTICE BE PROVIDED TO THE EMPLOYEE PRIOR TO THE 49 COMMENCEMENT OF SUCH REPAYMENT; A REQUIREMENT THAT THE EMPLOYER IMPLE- 50 MENT A PROCEDURE FOR DISPUTING THE AMOUNT OF SUCH REPAYMENT OR SEEKING 51 TO DELAY COMMENCEMENT OF SUCH REPAYMENT; THE TERMS AND CONTENT OF SUCH A 52 PROCEDURE AND A REQUIREMENT THAT NOTICE OF THE PROCEDURE FOR DISPUTING 53 THE REPAYMENT OR SEEKING TO DELAY COMMENCEMENT OF SUCH REPAYMENT BE 54 PROVIDED TO THE EMPLOYEE AT THE TIME THE LOAN IS MADE. 55 S 2. Subdivisions 2 and 3 of section 193 of the labor law, subdivision 56 2 as added and subdivision 3 as renumbered by chapter 160 of the laws of S. 5786--A 3 1 1974 and subdivision 3 as added by chapter 548 of the laws of 1966, are 2 amended to read as follows: 3 2. DEDUCTIONS MADE IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN EMPLOYER SPONSORED PRE-TAX 4 CONTRIBUTION PLAN APPROVED BY THE IRS OR OTHER LOCAL TAXING AUTHORITY, 5 INCLUDING THOSE FALLING WITHIN ONE OR MORE OF THE CATEGORIES SET FORTH 6 IN PARAGRAPH B OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, SHALL BE CONSIDERED 7 TO HAVE BEEN MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH A OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF 8 THIS SECTION. 9 3. A. No employer shall make any charge against wages, or require an 10 employee to make any payment by separate transaction unless such charge 11 or payment is permitted as a deduction from wages under the provisions 12 of subdivision one of this section OR IS PERMITTED OR REQUIRED UNDER ANY 13 PROVISION OF A CURRENT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. 14 B. NOTWITHSTANDING THE EXISTENCE OF EMPLOYEE AUTHORIZATION TO MAKE 15 DEDUCTIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBPARAGRAPHS (IV), (IX), AND (X) OF PARA- 16 GRAPH B OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION AND DEDUCTIONS DETERMINED BY 17 THE COMMISSIONER TO BE SIMILAR TO SUCH DEDUCTIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH 18 SUBPARAGRAPH (XIV) OF PARAGRAPH B OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, 19 THE TOTAL AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF SUCH DEDUCTIONS FOR EACH PAY PERIOD SHALL 20 BE SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING LIMITATIONS: (I) SUCH AGGREGATE AMOUNT SHALL 21 NOT EXCEED A MAXIMUM AGGREGATE LIMIT ESTABLISHED BY THE EMPLOYER FOR 22 EACH PAY PERIOD; (II) SUCH AGGREGATE AMOUNT SHALL NOT EXCEED A MAXIMUM 23 AGGREGATE LIMIT ESTABLISHED BY THE EMPLOYEE, WHICH LIMIT MAY BE FOR ANY 24 AMOUNT (IN TEN DOLLAR INCREMENTS) UP TO THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT ESTABLISHED 25 BY THE EMPLOYER UNDER SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH; (III) THE 26 EMPLOYER SHALL NOT PERMIT ANY PURCHASES WITHIN THESE CATEGORIES OF 27 DEDUCTION BY THE EMPLOYEE THAT EXCEED THE AGGREGATE LIMIT ESTABLISHED BY 28 THE EMPLOYEE OR, IF NO LIMIT HAS BEEN SET BY THE EMPLOYEE, THE LIMIT SET 29 BY THE EMPLOYER; (IV) THE EMPLOYEE SHALL HAVE ACCESS WITHIN THE WORK- 30 PLACE TO CURRENT ACCOUNT INFORMATION DETAILING INDIVIDUAL EXPENDITURES 31 WITHIN THESE CATEGORIES OF DEDUCTION AND A RUNNING TOTAL OF THE AMOUNT 32 THAT WILL BE DEDUCTED FROM THE EMPLOYEE'S PAY DURING THE NEXT APPLICABLE 33 PAY PERIOD. INFORMATION SHALL BE AVAILABLE IN PRINTED FORM OR CAPABLE 34 OF BEING PRINTED SHOULD THE EMPLOYEE WISH TO OBTAIN A LISTING. NO 35 EMPLOYEE MAY BE CHARGED ANY FEE, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, FOR ACCESS TO, 36 OR PRINTING OF, SUCH ACCOUNT INFORMATION. 37 C. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WAGE DEDUCTIONS REQUIRED OR AUTHORIZED IN A 38 CURRENT EXISTING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, AN EMPLOYEE'S AUTHORI- 39 ZATION FOR ANY AND ALL WAGE DEDUCTIONS MAY BE REVOKED IN WRITING AT ANY 40 TIME. THE EMPLOYER MUST CEASE THE WAGE DEDUCTION FOR WHICH THE EMPLOYEE 41 HAS REVOKED AUTHORIZATION AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE, AND, IN NO EVENT MORE 42 THAN FOUR PAY PERIODS OR EIGHT WEEKS AFTER THE AUTHORIZATION HAS BEEN 43 WITHDRAWN, WHICHEVER IS SOONER. 44 [3.] 4. Nothing in this section shall justify noncompliance with arti- 45 cle three-A of the personal property law relating to assignment of earn- 46 ings, [nor] WITH SECTION TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE OF THIS CHAPTER RELATING 47 TO COMPANY STORES OR with any other law applicable to deductions from 48 wages. 49 S 3. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall 50 have become a law and shall expire and be deemed repealed 3 years after 51 such effective date.