Labor, Department of

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Agency Web Site: https://dol.ny.gov/

Mission

The Department of Labor (DOL) connects job seekers to careers, assists the unemployed, partners with businesses to help them compete, and protects workers and the public. Specifically, DOL administers New York’s Unemployment Insurance, Workforce Development, and Worker Protection programs. It also enforces safety and health regulations in the public sector, State labor laws, and Federal statutes related to working conditions, wages and hours, and laws related to public works. DOL is a primary advocate for job creation and economic growth through workforce development and serves as the State’s principal source for labor market information, offering a variety of services designed to help businesses find workers, and people find jobs.

Organization and Staffing

DOL’s central office, located in Albany, is responsible for the Unemployment Insurance Telephone Claims Centers and One-Stop Career Centers located throughout the State. In addition, DOL enforces child labor laws, fosters workplace health and safety, and ensures that employees are paid in accordance with provisions of the Labor Law through statewide district offices staffed based upon geographic workload.

Budget Highlights

The FY 2023 Executive Budget recommends $11.3 billion for the Department. The decline from FY 2022 is attributable to the decrease in unemployment insurance benefit payments which increased in FY 2022 to cover payments resulting from the pandemic.

The FY 2023 Executive Budget recommends a workforce of 2,778 FTEs for DOL, an increase of 83 from FY 2022 workforce levels.

Major Executive Budget actions include investments to strengthen worker protections and workers' rights. The budget will invest $12.4 million in the Department of Labor to enforce worker protections.

• Ban Agreements that Unfairly Impact Workers: The FY 2023 Executive Budget will advance legislation to eliminate non-compete agreements for workers making below the median wage in New York State and legislation to explicitly ban all “no-poach” agreements under State antitrust law, in each case where the worker is not compensated for agreeing to limit their ability to move freely.

• Criminal Sanctions and Enforcement for Wage Theft: Legislation will amend the Labor Law to heighten criminal penalties for employers who knowingly steal wages, with criminal consequences ranging from a Class A misdemeanor for wage theft less than $1,000 to a Class C Felony for wage theft greater than $50,000 per worker or $500,000 in total for a group of workers. Furthermore, this proposal will enhance the Department of Labor’s ability to refer wage theft cases for criminal prosecution.

For more information on this agency's budget recommendations located in the Executive Budget Briefing Book, click on the following link:

Briefing Book – Human Services (PDF)

Program Highlights

Employment and Workforce Solutions

As the designated administrative entity overseeing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I programs, DOL offers a comprehensive set of employment and reemployment services to employers and job seekers. DOL oversees a network of locally operated Career Centers, which provide a single point through which job seekers and businesses can access such services. These services include employment, reemployment, training and retraining services for workers, employers, job seekers, dislocated workers, youth, and veterans. DOL also provides implementation and oversight of the National Apprenticeship Act, facilitating the development and registration of apprenticeship training programs.

Unemployment Insurance

Weekly income is provided to eligible workers who lose their job through no fault of their own to offset the loss of income while they seek employment. Quarterly payroll contributions are made by employers at a rate partially dependent on how frequently an employer's workers access the insurance benefits.

Worker Protection

The Labor Standards Division enforces the New York State Labor Law concerning the minimum wage, child labor, industrial homework, the apparel industry, domestic workers, and seasonal farm labor. The Occupational Safety and Health Division protects private and public employees and the public from hazards arising from employment that are not covered by Federal standards. Protections include issuing licenses and certifications for certain occupations, enforcing asbestos rules and regulations, inspecting specific industries' equipment, health and safety training for workers in the mining industry, performing mold inspections, and providing guidance to private employers to help them comply with Federal safety and health standards. The Bureau of Public Work enforces the labor laws concerning prevailing wage and supplements related to worker protection statutes, including public construction and building service contracts involving State or Local governmental entities and Wicks Law.

Division of Immigrant Policies and Affairs

The Division of Immigrant Policies and Affairs ensures that DOL is accessible to immigrant workers and responsive to their needs. The Division conducts outreach to community groups, legislators, non-governmental organizations, and employers and workers to inform them of available services. It also conducts analyses of DOL policies, procedures and materials to maintain accessibility for immigrants.

Research and Statistics

Economists and analysts provide data on the labor market including economic conditions, labor supply, and wages. The division is also the lead agency in the New York State Data Center (NYSDC) Affiliate program, providing the most comprehensive economic and demographic data for New York State to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Note: Most recent estimates as of 05/11/2020