NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS FOR WAGE...
The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) is accepting submissions as part of a new $5 million grant program designed to support District Attorneys in undertaking new criminal wage theft investigations. The Criminal Wage Theft Investigations Grant Program, part of Governor Kathy Hochul’s Enacted Fiscal Year 2027 Budget, is designed to help local prosecutors build their capacity to fight wage theft from the ground up and further safeguard the state’s workforce.
New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, “Wage theft is not just a labor violation—it is a crime that robs New York workers of their hard-earned money. By partnering with District Attorneys across the state, this program provides critical resources that will support the work to hold bad actors accountable. I thank Governor Hochul for continuing to protect the wages of New York workers.”
The Criminal Wage Theft Investigations Grant Program will help local prosecutors investigate and prosecute criminal wage theft cases, which can include:
- Failure to pay at the minimum wage rate
- Not paying mandated overtime
- Stealing tips
- Misclassifying workers
Grant funding is flexible and can cover important operational costs, including staff time, overtime, hiring new investigators or Assistant District Attorneys, training, and equipment. NYSDOL will also provide technical assistance and training.
Who is Eligible?
The funding is available to all District Attorneys’ offices across New York State. Individual awards are expected to range from $250,000 to $500,000, depending on office size and scope of work. NYSDOL plans to make funding available in different areas throughout New York to help build capacity to combat wage theft statewide. Offices that have not previously pursued criminal wage theft cases are encouraged to apply.
How to Apply
Interested District Attorneys' offices must submit a brief, one-page Letter of Interest (LOI) via email to [email protected] no later than October 19, 2026, by 5:00 PM. The email subject line must read: Criminal Wage Theft Investigations Grant Program. Only organizations that submit an LOI will be considered for the formal solicitation. Any questions about the grant or the submission process may also be sent to [email protected].
Fighting Wage Theft
In 2025, NYSDOL recovered over $35 million in lost wages and collected $2.2 million in penalties from wage theft-related cases. The funds were recovered from more than 5,000 employers and represent the highest annual amount since 2015. Since Governor Hochul took office in 2021, NYSDOL has recovered and returned more than $130 million to nearly 125,000 workers.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
