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Advocates urge inclusion of Empire Worker Protection Act in budget to fund labor enforcement
Summary
Advocacy groups told the committees the state should include a California-style enforcement mechanism (the "Empire Act") in the budget to allow private public-enforcement suits and create a funding stream for labor enforcement. Supporters said the measure could bring tens of millions annually to fund DOL staffing and enforcement work.
Popular Democracy in Action and the National Employment Lawyers Association urged lawmakers to include an "Empire Worker Protection Act" in the FY26 budget, a public-enforcement mechanism modeled on California law that would allow whistleblowers, unions and the state to bring public enforcement suits and create a revenue stream to fund labor enforcement.
What supporters said: Jaren Benjamin…
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