New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a package of legislation to boost the state's workforce on Monday. That includes legislation for speed monitoring in work zones, legislation to protect against wage theft and legislation protecting shared work benefits.
The governor also signed a directive to thecommissioner of health to make the New York Hero Act a reality.
"On Labor Day every year, we're reminded of the vital contributions of organized labor to building New York, and that's why I'm signing four pieces of legislation to help workers thrive across our state," Gov. Hochul said. "These bills will make sure workers are paid fair wages, receive good benefits and stay safe on their worksites. Our state is home to a long and proud legacy of supporting working New Yorkers, and we're working to bolster that for the future."
According to Gov. Hochul, the New York Hero Act requires workplace safety and health precautions in response to infectious disease outbreaks. Hochul says this legislation has been talked about for a long time and is needed to keep our communities safe.
"Back when this was signed, we all had this vision the pandemic would be behind us. That didn't happen,” Gov. Hochul said. “This pandemic has continued to rage. It's creating unsafe conditions in some workplaces and if we want to get people back to work and get our kids back to school, we need to have standards not just in law but enforced."
The New York Hero Act was signed into law by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo back in May.