S. 9832 Summary

• Establishes the New York State Fashion Workers Act requiring model management companies to register with the Department of Labor and pay registration fees of $500-$700 based on employee count.

• Imposes fiduciary duties on model management companies to act in good faith in models' best interests, including conducting due diligence on safety risks and providing written agreements 24 hours before services commence.

• Prohibits model management companies from charging upfront fees, deducting unauthorized expenses, imposing commissions over 20%, requiring contracts longer than 3 years, or creating digital replicas without separate written consent.

• Requires clients (photographers, designers, retailers, etc.) to pay overtime at 150% of hourly rate for work exceeding 8 hours daily, provide meal breaks, maintain liability insurance, and obtain consent for digital replica use.

• Establishes complaint procedures allowing models to file complaints within 6 years, with civil penalties of up to $3,000 for initial violations and $5,000 for subsequent violations, plus private right of action for actual damages and liquidated damages up to 300% if willful.