Bill Text: NY S05786 | 2011-2012 | General Assembly | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
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-Introduced.html
                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         5786
                              2011-2012 Regular Sessions
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                     June 16, 2011
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  Sen. YOUNG -- (at request of the Department of Labor) --
         read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to  be  committed  to
         the Committee on Rules
       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
   23  UNDER  THIS SECTION MAY ALSO BE PROVIDED TO THE EMPLOYER PURSUANT TO THE
   24  TERMS OF A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. Such  authorized  deductions
   25  shall be limited to payments for:
   26    (I) insurance premiums[,] AND PREPAID LEGAL PLANS;
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD13171-01-1
       S. 5786                             2
    1    (II) pension or health and welfare benefits[,];
    2    (III) contributions to A BONA FIDE charitable [organizations, payments
    3  for] ORGANIZATION;
    4    (IV)  PURCHASES  MADE  AT  EVENTS  SPONSORED BY A BONA FIDE CHARITABLE
    5  ORGANIZATION AFFILIATED WITH THE EMPLOYER WHERE AT LEAST TWENTY  PERCENT
    6  OF  THE  PROFITS  FROM  SUCH  EVENT ARE BEING CONTRIBUTED TO A BONA FIDE
    7  CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION;
    8    (V) United States bonds[, payments for];
    9    (VI) dues or assessments to a labor organization[,];
   10    (VII) DISCOUNTED PARKING MADE AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYEES ON  PREMISES  NOT
   11  OWNED  OR  OPERATED  BY  THE EMPLOYER OR DISCOUNTED PASSES, TOKENS, FARE
   12  CARDS, VOUCHERS, OR OTHER ITEMS THAT ENTITLE THE EMPLOYEE  TO  USE  MASS
   13  TRANSIT,  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, EMPLOY-
   14  ERS MAY DEDUCT FROM EMPLOYEE WAGES CHARGES ASSOCIATED  WITH  PARKING  ON
   15  THE  EMPLOYER'S  PREMISES  PROVIDED THAT SUCH EMPLOYER HAD BEEN CHARGING
   16  EMPLOYEES FOR PARKING ON OR BEFORE THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF MAY,  TWO  THOU-
   17  SAND ELEVEN;
   18    (VIII) FITNESS CENTER, HEALTH CLUB, AND/OR GYM MEMBERSHIP DUES;
   19    (IX)  CAFETERIA  AND  VENDING MACHINE PURCHASES MADE AT THE EMPLOYER'S
   20  PLACE OF BUSINESS AND PURCHASES MADE AT GIFT SHOPS  OPERATED  BY  HOSPI-
   21  TALS, COLLEGES, OR UNIVERSITIES;
   22    (X) PHARMACY PURCHASES MADE AT THE EMPLOYER'S PLACE OF BUSINESS;
   23    (XI)  TUITION, ROOM, BOARD, AND FEES FOR PRE-SCHOOL, NURSERY, PRIMARY,
   24  SECONDARY, AND/OR POST-SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS;
   25    (XII) DAY CARE, BEFORE-SCHOOL AND AFTER-SCHOOL CARE EXPENSES;
   26    (XIII) PAYMENTS FOR HOUSING PROVIDED AT NO MORE THAN MARKET  RATES  BY
   27  NON-PROFIT HOSPITALS OR AFFILIATES THEREOF; AND
   28    (XIV) similar payments for the benefit of the employee.
   29    C. ARE RELATED TO RECOVERY OF AN OVERPAYMENT OF WAGES WHERE SUCH OVER-
   30  PAYMENT  IS DUE TO A MATHEMATICAL OR OTHER CLERICAL ERROR BY THE EMPLOY-
   31  ER. IN MAKING SUCH RECOVERIES, THE  EMPLOYER  SHALL  COMPLY  WITH  REGU-
   32  LATIONS   PROMULGATED  BY  THE  COMMISSIONER  FOR  THIS  PURPOSE,  WHICH
   33  REGULATIONS SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, PROVISIONS  GOVERNING:
   34  THE  SIZE  OF  OVERPAYMENTS  THAT  MAY  BE  COVERED BY THIS SECTION; THE
   35  TIMING, FREQUENCY, DURATION, AND METHOD OF SUCH RECOVERY; LIMITATIONS ON
   36  THE PERIODIC AMOUNT OF SUCH  RECOVERY;  A  REQUIREMENT  THAT  NOTICE  BE
   37  PROVIDED  TO  THE EMPLOYEE PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF SUCH RECOVERY; A
   38  REQUIREMENT THAT THE EMPLOYER IMPLEMENT A PROCEDURE  FOR  DISPUTING  THE
   39  AMOUNT  OF  SUCH  OVERPAYMENT  OR  SEEKING TO DELAY COMMENCEMENT OF SUCH
   40  RECOVERY, THE TERMS AND CONTENT OF WHICH  SHALL  BE  ACCEPTABLE  TO  THE
   41  COMMISSIONER; AND A REQUIREMENT THAT NOTICE OF THE PROCEDURE FOR DISPUT-
   42  ING THE OVERPAYMENT OR SEEKING TO DELAY COMMENCEMENT OF SUCH RECOVERY BE
   43  PROVIDED TO THE EMPLOYEE PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF SUCH RECOVERY.
   44    D.  REPAYMENT  OF  ADVANCES OF SALARY OR WAGES MADE BY THE EMPLOYER TO
   45  THE EMPLOYEE. DEDUCTIONS TO COVER  SUCH  REPAYMENTS  SHALL  BE  MADE  IN
   46  ACCORDANCE  WITH  REGULATIONS  PROMULGATED  BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR THIS
   47  PURPOSE, WHICH  REGULATIONS  SHALL  INCLUDE,  BUT  NOT  BE  LIMITED  TO,
   48  PROVISIONS  GOVERNING:  THE  TIMING,  FREQUENCY, DURATION, AND METHOD OF
   49  SUCH REPAYMENT; LIMITATIONS ON THE PERIODIC AMOUNT OF SUCH REPAYMENT;  A
   50  REQUIREMENT  THAT  NOTICE  BE  PROVIDED  TO  THE  EMPLOYEE  PRIOR TO THE
   51  COMMENCEMENT OF SUCH REPAYMENT; A REQUIREMENT THAT THE  EMPLOYER  IMPLE-
   52  MENT  A  PROCEDURE FOR DISPUTING THE AMOUNT OF SUCH REPAYMENT OR SEEKING
   53  TO DELAY COMMENCEMENT OF SUCH REPAYMENT, THE TERMS AND CONTENT OF  WHICH
   54  SHALL  BE  ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMMISSIONER; AND A REQUIREMENT THAT NOTICE
   55  OF THE PROCEDURE  FOR  DISPUTING  THE  REPAYMENT  OR  SEEKING  TO  DELAY
       S. 5786                             3
    1  COMMENCEMENT  OF  SUCH REPAYMENT BE PROVIDED TO THE EMPLOYEE AT THE TIME
    2  THE LOAN IS MADE.
    3    S 2. Subdivisions 2 and 3 of section 193 of the labor law, subdivision
    4  2 as added and subdivision 3 as renumbered by chapter 160 of the laws of
    5  1974  and subdivision 3 as added by chapter 548 of the laws of 1966, are
    6  amended to read as follows:
    7    2. DEDUCTIONS MADE IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN EMPLOYER  SPONSORED  PRE-TAX
    8  CONTRIBUTION  PLAN  APPROVED BY THE IRS OR OTHER LOCAL TAXING AUTHORITY,
    9  INCLUDING THOSE FALLING WITHIN ONE OR MORE OF THE CATEGORIES  SET  FORTH
   10  IN  PARAGRAPH  B OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, SHALL BE CONSIDERED
   11  TO HAVE BEEN MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH A OF SUBDIVISION  ONE  OF
   12  THIS SECTION.
   13    3.  A.  No employer shall make any charge against wages, or require an
   14  employee to make any payment by separate transaction unless such  charge
   15  or  payment  is permitted as a deduction from wages under the provisions
   16  of subdivision one of this section OR IS PERMITTED OR REQUIRED UNDER ANY
   17  PROVISION OF A CURRENT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT.
   18    B. NOTWITHSTANDING THE EXISTENCE OF  EMPLOYEE  AUTHORIZATION  TO  MAKE
   19  DEDUCTIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBPARAGRAPHS (IV), (IX), AND (X) OF PARA-
   20  GRAPH  B OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION AND DEDUCTIONS DETERMINED BY
   21  THE COMMISSIONER TO BE SIMILAR TO SUCH  DEDUCTIONS  IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH
   22  SUBPARAGRAPH  (XIV)  OF  PARAGRAPH B OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION,
   23  THE TOTAL AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF SUCH DEDUCTIONS FOR EACH PAY PERIOD  SHALL
   24  BE SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING LIMITATIONS: (I) SUCH AGGREGATE AMOUNT SHALL
   25  NOT  EXCEED  A  MAXIMUM  AGGREGATE LIMIT ESTABLISHED BY THE EMPLOYER FOR
   26  EACH PAY PERIOD; (II) SUCH AGGREGATE AMOUNT SHALL NOT EXCEED  A  MAXIMUM
   27  AGGREGATE  LIMIT ESTABLISHED BY THE EMPLOYEE, WHICH LIMIT MAY BE FOR ANY
   28  AMOUNT (IN TEN DOLLAR INCREMENTS) UP TO THE MAXIMUM  AMOUNT  ESTABLISHED
   29  BY  THE  EMPLOYER  UNDER  SUBPARAGRAPH  (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH; (III) THE
   30  EMPLOYER SHALL NOT PERMIT  ANY  PURCHASES  WITHIN  THESE  CATEGORIES  OF
   31  DEDUCTION BY THE EMPLOYEE THAT EXCEED THE AGGREGATE LIMIT ESTABLISHED BY
   32  THE EMPLOYEE OR, IF NO LIMIT HAS BEEN SET BY THE EMPLOYEE, THE LIMIT SET
   33  BY  THE  EMPLOYER;  (IV) THE EMPLOYEE SHALL HAVE ACCESS WITHIN THE WORK-
   34  PLACE TO CURRENT ACCOUNT INFORMATION DETAILING  INDIVIDUAL  EXPENDITURES
   35  WITHIN  THESE  CATEGORIES OF DEDUCTION AND A RUNNING TOTAL OF THE AMOUNT
   36  THAT WILL BE DEDUCTED FROM THE EMPLOYEE'S PAY DURING THE NEXT APPLICABLE
   37  PAY PERIOD.  INFORMATION SHALL BE AVAILABLE IN PRINTED FORM  OR  CAPABLE
   38  OF  BEING  PRINTED  SHOULD  THE  EMPLOYEE  WISH  TO OBTAIN A LISTING. NO
   39  EMPLOYEE MAY BE CHARGED ANY FEE, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, FOR ACCESS  TO,
   40  OR PRINTING OF, SUCH ACCOUNT INFORMATION.
   41    C.  WITH  THE EXCEPTION OF WAGE DEDUCTIONS REQUIRED OR AUTHORIZED IN A
   42  CURRENT EXISTING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, AN EMPLOYEE'S AUTHORI-
   43  ZATION FOR ANY AND ALL WAGE DEDUCTIONS MAY BE REVOKED IN WRITING AT  ANY
   44  TIME.  THE EMPLOYER MUST CEASE THE WAGE DEDUCTION FOR WHICH THE EMPLOYEE
   45  HAS REVOKED AUTHORIZATION AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE, AND, IN NO EVENT  MORE
   46  THAN  FOUR  PAY  PERIODS OR EIGHT WEEKS AFTER THE AUTHORIZATION HAS BEEN
   47  WITHDRAWN, WHICHEVER IS SOONER.
   48    [3.] 4. Nothing in this section shall justify noncompliance with arti-
   49  cle three-A of the personal property law relating to assignment of earn-
   50  ings, [nor] WITH SECTION TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE OF THIS CHAPTER RELATING
   51  TO COMPANY STORES OR with any other law applicable  to  deductions  from
   52  wages.
   53    S  3.  This  act  shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
   54  have become a law and shall expire and be deemed repealed 3 years  after
   55  such effective date.
feedback