NEW YORK - Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Samuel A.A. Levine announced settlements against Walgreens, Allstar Security & Consulting, Calzedonia (Intimissimi) and Kinship Coffee for violating New York City's worker protection laws.
The four companies will pay a combined $2.1 million in restitution to more than 1,600 workers, along with more than $218,000 in civil penalties and costs. Since the start of the Mamdani administration, DCWP has secured more than $10.1 million in restitution for New York City workers.
"When a company shorts a worker on their schedule or their time off, that worker pays for it - missing their kid's pickup, losing a shift they were counting on, scrambling to find childcare with two days' notice," said Mayor Mamdani. "These laws exist because working families deserve stability on the job. If corporations choose to break them, they will pay what they owe."
"Everyone's time is valuable but too often, workers are treated as if theirs isn't," said Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su. "I've spent my career fighting for workers to get paid what they're owed and to be treated with basic dignity on the job. Respect for workers' time is about both. When an employer drops a schedule on their workers without notice or punishes them for not being able to take a last minute shift, it's an abuse of power. And with these actions, we are sending a clear message that it's against the law."
"For too many workers, receiving a work schedule at the last minute or being wrongly denied time off can disrupt child care arrangements, interfere with educational opportunities, and make it harder to make ends meet," said DCWP Commissioner Samuel A.A. Levine. "The Fair Workweek and Protected Time Off Laws were enacted to provide workers with the stability and predictability they deserve. These actions will provide over two million dollars to workers whose rights were violated and serve as a reminder that DCWP will continue taking decisive action against employers, including national corporations like Walgreens, that violate workplace protections."
Walgreens will pay more than $1.6 million in restitution to more than 570 workers at three Brooklyn stores, along with $163,000 in civil penalties. DCWP found the company failed to provide workers with 72 hours' advance notice of work schedules and required employees to work additional hours without the notice or consent mandated under the Fair Workweek Law, among other violations. Allstar Security & Consulting will pay $270,000 in restitution to more than 900 workers, plus $30,000 in civil penalties and costs, after failing to provide paid protected time off required under the City's Protected Time Off Law.
Calzedonia, owner of SoHo-based lingerie retailer Intimissimi, will pay more than $154,000 in restitution to more than 50 workers, along with more than $15,000 in civil penalties and costs. The company violated the Fair Workweek Law by failing to provide 72 hours' advance notice of schedules, requiring employees to work additional hours without proper notice or consent and canceling shifts with insufficient notice.
Kinship Coffee will pay more than $67,000 in restitution to more than 90 workers, along with more than $9,000 in civil penalties and costs, for violating the City's Protected Time Off Law at three Queens locations.
NYC Worker Protection Laws
DCWP enforces New York City's Fair Workweek Law, which gives retail and fast-food workers more predictable schedules and compensation for certain schedule changes, helping workers better balance work, family and school. Research shows that among the 10 jurisdictions nationwide with fair workweek protections, New York City workers have experienced the greatest improvements in scheduling stability due to DCWP's enforcement of the law.
For retail workers, New York City employers must:
- Provide work schedules at least 72 hours in advance. Not schedule on-call shifts.
- Not cancel scheduled shifts with less than 72 hours' notice.
- Not require employees to work additional hours with less than 72 hours' notice unless the employee voluntarily agrees.
For fast food workers, employers must:
- Provide regular schedules that remain consistent week-to-week.
- Post schedules at least 14 days in advance.
- Pay required premiums for schedule changes and "clopening" shifts.
- Allow workers to decline additional shifts and "clopening" shifts.
- Offer additional regular hours to existing employees before hiring new staff;
- Not terminate workers or reduce their hours by more than 15% without just cause.
- Reinstate laid off employees by seniority when hours become available.
DCWP also enforces the Protected Time Off Law, formerly known as the Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law. Covered employees are entitled to up to 40 or 56 hours of time off each year, depending on employer size, as well as unpaid protected time off and paid prenatal leave.
Workers who believe their rights have been violated can https://www.nyc.gov/site/dca/workers/worker-rights.page file a complaint by visiting nyc.gov/workers. Complaints may be filed anonymously regardless of immigration status, and employers are prohibited from retaliating against workers who exercise their rights.
