New York state made a few changes to state labor regulations that take effect here at the end of 2022.
Labor Postings Now Required Electronically
Employees have been required to post certain notices about federal and state labor laws in a place where employees can easily view them. Usually we find these in offices or break rooms, sometimes collecting a bit too much dust, because they should be reviewed and updated at least once per year. Governor Hochul recently signed A7595/S6805 requiring employers to provide digital versions of any federal or state notices that are already required for posting. These digital notices may be provided on a company website or via email. Employers must also notify employees that the postings are available electronically. NYS Department of Labor does provide electronic copies of posters. The federal government also provides a FirstStep poster advisor for employers.
Pay Transparency
The governor also signed legislation requiring all employers with 4 or more employees to disclose a pay rate or “range of compensation” whenever advertising for a job, promotion, or transfer opportunity. The law defines the “range of compensation” in this way: “the minimum and maximum annual salary or hourly range of compensation for a job, promotion, or transfer opportunity that the employer in good faith believes to be accurate at the time of the posting of an advertisement for such opportunity.” This law does not take effect until September 17th, 2023. NYS Department of Labor must formulate rules and provide public outreach about how this law will be implemented, so stay tuned for more information.
Minimum Wage
Of course, the state also mandated that minimum wage in upstate New York will rise to $14.20/hour on December 31, 2022, so employers should update their payrolls accordingly. Minimum wage is already at $15/hour in all other regions of the state. See details at the NY state minimum wage site.
