Assemblymember Carl Heastie, Senator Diane Savino, Make the Road New York, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500, and supporters from labor, community and business laud the New York State Assembly for today's passage of the Wage Theft Prevention Act. The WTPA was sponsored by Sentor Savino in the Senate and Assemblymember Heastie in the Assembly.  Governor Paterson issued a message of necessity Monday, ensuring that the bill could come up for a vote in the Assembly. It will now go back to his desk for a signature.

The Wage Theft Prevention Act will increase penalties and tighten enforcement of the New York laws protecting workers from wage theft. The National Employment Law Project estimates that more than $1 billion is stolen annually from NYC workers alone by unscrupulous employers. Advocates project that the WTPA will bring in approximately $50 million in increased savings and revenues to help the state government save valuable programs currently threatened by the fiscal crisis. The bill protects law abiding businesses from unfair competition with employers who reduce labor costs by stealing workers' minimum wages and overtime pay.