March 25 marked the 114th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, one of the deadliest workplace tragedies in American history. At this year’s ceremony at the Triangle Fire Memorial, NYSDOL Commissioner Roberta Reardon was on hand with elected, business, advocacy and community leaders to honor the 146 lives lost—young immigrant women and men who perished due to unsafe working conditions. Their sacrifice ignited a movement for workers’ rights that continues to shape labor laws today. Each year, as we remember this heartbreaking event, we renew our unwavering commitment to worker safety. At the New York State Department of Labor, we work hand-in-hand with employers to uphold rigorous safety standards, ensuring every workplace is not only compliant but continuously evolving to protect its workers. Because at NYSDOL, we believe that safeguarding workers isn't just the right thing to do—it’s an essential part of creating a thriving, successful business. Free Programs and Services to Help Your Business Grow The NYSDOL has a variety of free programs and services available to help you hire the right people to help you grow your business. Business Jumpstart – provides specialized, intensive services and resources for individuals who are thinking of starting a new business or expanding their current business. Discover information about finding the best candidates out there through resources like our virtual career centers, recruitment services, and human resource consultation specialists. Contact our Business Engagement team through the interest portal to learn more! Virtual Career Center – The VCC is New York State’s premier online job search site. We use artificial intelligence to match businesses with qualified candidates. Tap into the state’s workforce pipeline and find qualified candidates that fit the specific needs of your business. The platform is easy to use, giving users access to ranked lists of candidates and the ability to review resumes and communicate directly with candidates. Businesses can sign up at: dol.ny.gov/virtual-career-center. New York State Job Bank – The Job Bank is New York’s primary resource for job postings and job seeker resumes. Businesses can use the Job Bank to increase exposure for your job listings, index postings directly from your company’s website, post seasonal jobs, and search the resumes of thousands of job seekers. If you aren’t already taking advantage of the Job Bank, visit https://myjobsny.usnlx.com to post your jobs for free today. |
New York State Department of Labor has created a one-stop shop for businesses looking to take advantage of New York State’s many hiring incentives, tax credits and funding opportunities. Employers doing business in New York State have a wide variety of tax credit and hiring incentive opportunities available to them that they may not know about. Here are just a few of the opportunities available to businesses right now: Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) – Earn up to $2,400 in federal tax savings for hiring individuals with barriers to employment. Qualified individuals must complete at least 120 hours of work to qualify for partial WOTC credit ($1,500) and over 400 hours for full WOTC credit ($2,400). To learn more about what groups qualify, visit: https://dol.ny.gov/wotc-program. Workers (with Disabilities) Employment Tax Credit (WETC) – Earn $2,100 in state tax credits when you employ people with disabilities who currently receive vocational rehabilitation services. There is no limit to the number of qualified hires, and employers can receive this tax credit for each individual hired. To learn more, visit: https://dol.ny.gov/workers-disabilities-employment-tax-credit. Federal Bonding Program (FBP) – The Federal Bonding Program provides six months of no-cost fidelity bonding coverage to businesses that hire job seekers facing multiple barriers to employment. Learn more about the FBP at: https://dol.ny.gov/federal-bonding-program-0. New York Youth Jobs Program – The New York Youth Jobs Program helps disadvantaged young people successfully enter the world of work. Businesses may earn tax credits of up to $7,500 per youth for full-time employment, $3,750 per youth for part-time employment. Download our fact sheet to learn more. |
The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) wants to remind all business owners that New York labor law grants parents the right to express milk at work for up to three years following childbirth. By law, employees are entitled to 30 minutes of paid break time to express milk, in addition to their regular mealtime and any other paid breaks. Employers must provide a private, designated space for pumping, which:
- Cannot be a restroom or toilet stall
- Must have a functioning lock or sign warning the location is in use and not accessible to others
- Must contain a chair and small table or other flat surface
- Be well lit
- Provide an electrical outlet
- Be close to accessible, clean water
- Must be shielded from view and inaccessible to other employees, customers, or the public while in use
Employees are not required to use the designated space, but employers must still provide an appropriate private area. For more information on employee rights related to breastfeeding, chestfeeding, and expressing milk in the workplace, visit: health.ny.gov/supportbreastfeeding. ICYMI: Your Employees can File Taxes for Free with Direct File It’s tax season, and New York State is making it easy to e-file for free with Direct File. For employees whose wages were less than $200,000 – or $250,000 if filing a joint return – they may qualify for Direct File. Taxes can be filed on a computer, tablet, or mobile device using Direct File, with language support for English and Spanish. Help your employers—and yourself—save some money this tax season by filing with Direct File. Visit the New York State Tax Department’s website at tax.ny.gov and search keyword "direct file". |
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