About the Labor Bureau

The Labor Bureau is a part of the Office of the Attorney General’s Division of Social Justice.  The Labor Bureau's mission is to protect the rights of New York workers, in three distinct ways.

First, we conduct our own, affirmative investigations into persistent or repeated violations of labor laws - most commonly, laws that set minimum labor standards, such as wage and hour laws.  When necessary to stop persistent violations and obtain wages owed to affected workers, the Attorney General, through our bureau, sues employers in court. 

Second, we argue in court for the Attorney General on labor matters, including defending the New York State Department of Labor when it is sued.  Most commonly, that happens when the Commissioner of Labor has found that a business violated the law, and the business sues to have her decision overturned.  Besides defending the Commissioner’s rulings, we also defend decisions of the Workers Compensation Board and Unemployment Appeals Board.

Third, the Bureau prosecutes employers for criminal violations of the New York Labor Law, including but not limited to wage and hour law violations, failure to maintain workers’ compensation insurance, and the failure of a contractor on a public work project to pay the prevailing wage.

We also answer questions from the public and try to respond to complaints.  The Labor Bureau’s number is 212-416-8700.