New York Labor Law Section 198-B - "Kick-back" of wages prohibited.

198-b. "Kick-back" of wages prohibited. 1. As used in this section, the term "person" shall include any firm, partnership, association, corporation or group of persons.

2. Whenever any employee who is engaged to perform labor shall be promised an agreed rate of wages for his or her services, be such promise in writing or oral, or shall be entitled to be paid or provided prevailing wages or supplements pursuant to article eight or nine of this chapter, it shall be unlawful for any person, either for that person or any other person, to request, demand, or receive, either before or after such employee is engaged, a return, donation or contribution of any part or all of said employee's wages, salary, supplements, or other thing of value, upon the statement, representation, or understanding that failure to comply with such request or demand will prevent such employee from procuring or retaining employment. Further, any person who directly or indirectly aids, requests or authorizes any other person to violate any of the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a violation of the provisions of this section.

3. Whenever an agreement between a bona fide labor organization and an employer or an association of employers requires that employees shall be paid an agreed wage or rate of wages for their services, it shall be unlawful for any person, either for that person or any other person, to request, demand or receive, either before or after such employee is engaged, that such employee pay back, return, donate, contribute or give any part or all of said employee's wages, salary, supplements or thing of value, to any person, upon the statement, representation or understanding that failure to comply with such requests or demand will prevent such employee from procuring or retaining employment, and any person who directly or indirectly aids, requests or authorizes any other person to violate any of the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a violation of the provisions of this section.

4. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any agent or representative of a duly constituted labor organization acting in the collection of dues or assessments of such organization.

5. A violation of the provisions of this section shall constitute a misdemeanor.


Last modified: February 3, 2019