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NY S05559
Bill
Status
3/20/2025
Primary Sponsor
Brad Hoylman-Sigal
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AI Summary
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Expands protections for employees serving jury duty by adding "discrimination in any other manner" to the existing prohibitions against discharge and penalty for jury service absences
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Creates new civil remedies under Labor Law Section 215 for employees retaliated against for jury duty, allowing civil penalties of $1,000-$10,000 (or $1,000-$20,000 for repeat violators within six years)
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Grants employees the right to bring private civil lawsuits against employers for jury duty retaliation, with remedies including reinstatement, lost wages, front pay, liquidated damages up to $20,000, and reasonable attorneys' fees
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Maintains existing criminal contempt of court penalties while adding these new civil enforcement mechanisms as additional remedies
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Preserves existing wage provisions allowing employers to withhold wages during jury service, except that employers with more than 10 employees must pay the first $40 of daily wages for the first three days of service
Legislative Description
Creates, in addition to the existing sanction of criminal contempt of court, the remedies of labor law civil penalties and employee's right to bring civil action for unlawful discharge, penalty or discrimination on account of the exercise by an employee of a juror's right to be absent from employment by reason of jury service.
Last Action
referred to judiciary
3/20/2025