S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6407
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
March 26, 2013
___________
Introduced by M. of A. KATZ -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the executive law and the penal law, in relation to
implementing stricter penalties for unlawful wage discrimination and
creating the crime of unlawful wage discrimination
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 296 of the executive law is
amended by adding a new paragraph (a-1) to read as follows:
(A-1)(I) NO EMPLOYER SHALL DISCRIMINATE, WITHIN ANY ESTABLISHMENT IN
WHICH INDIVIDUALS ARE EMPLOYED, BETWEEN EMPLOYEES ON BASIS OF SEX BY
PAYING WAGES TO EMPLOYEES IN SUCH ESTABLISHMENT AT A RATE LESS THAN THE
RATE AT WHICH HE OR SHE PAYS WAGES TO EMPLOYEES OF THE OPPOSITE SEX IN
SUCH ESTABLISHMENT FOR EQUAL WORK ON JOBS THE PERFORMANCE OF WHICH
REQUIRES EQUAL SKILL, EFFORT, AND RESPONSIBILITY, AND WHICH ARE
PERFORMED UNDER SIMILAR WORKING CONDITIONS. PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT AN
EMPLOYER WHO IS PAYING A WAGE RATE DIFFERENTIAL IN VIOLATION OF THIS
PARAGRAPH SHALL NOT, IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS
PARAGRAPH, REDUCE THE WAGE RATE OF ANY EMPLOYEE.
(II) IN ADDITION TO ANY CIVIL CAUSES OF ACTION, A PERSON THAT KNOWING-
LY DISCRIMINATES UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THIS PARAGRAPH, MAY BE CHARGED
WITH THE CRIME OF UNLAWFUL WAGE DISCRIMINATION PURSUANT TO THE
PROVISIONS OF SECTION 245.07 OF THE PENAL LAW.
S 2. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 245.07 to read
as follows:
S 245.07 UNLAWFUL WAGE DISCRIMINATION.
A PERSON IS GUILTY OF UNLAWFUL WAGE DISCRIMINATION WHEN HE OR SHE
KNOWINGLY, PAYS WAGES AT A RATE LESS THAN THE RATE PAID TO EMPLOYEES OF
THE OPPOSITE SEX WITHIN THE SAME ESTABLISHMENT FOR EQUAL WORK ON JOBS
THE PERFORMANCE OF WHICH REQUIRES EQUAL SKILL, EFFORT, AND RESPONSIBIL-
ITY, AND WHICH ARE PERFORMED UNDER SIMILAR WORKING CONDITIONS.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09274-01-3
A. 6407 2
UNLAWFUL WAGE DISCRIMINATION IS A CLASS C FELONY.
S 3. Subdivision 1 of section 80.10 of the penal law is amended by
adding a new paragraph (f) to read as follows:
(F) FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS, WHEN THE CONVICTION IS FOR THE CLASS C
FELONY OF UNLAWFUL WAGE DISCRIMINATION.
S 4. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law.