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Laws

2021

Requiring third-party food delivery services to provide a description of the telephone numbers listed in connection with food service establishments
Law Effective Date: December 27, 2021
Some third-party food delivery services generate and advertise unique telephone numbers for the food service establishments with which they contract, and collect a fee when customers use that unique telephone number for food or beverage orders from the establishments. This bill would require these services, if listing any telephone number for an establishment, to include that establishment’s direct telephone number, and if also including a unique telephone number, to provide a description of the telephone numbers. The description must identify each type of telephone number and any fees associated with their use. The Commissioner of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection would be required to promulgate rules defining the content, size and location of the description. Read Local Law 92 of 2021.

Prohibiting the inclusion of a food service establishment's products on a third-party food delivery platform without a written agreement authorizing such inclusion, and to provide penalties
Law Effective Date: December 27, 2021
This bill would prohibit third-party food delivery services – defined in this bill as any website, mobile application or other internet service that sells and offers delivery or pickup of food and beverages from a food service establishment owned by another entity – from listing food service establishments on their application or website and making deliveries from such establishments, without a written agreement between the delivery service and the establishment. It would also prohibit the delivery services from requiring the establishments, in these written agreements, to indemnify the delivery service or their independent contractors or agents for certain damage that occurs after food or beverages leave the establishment. Violations of this bill would be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $500 per day per establishment with respect to which a violation was committed. The Commissioner of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection would be required to conduct outreach about the requirements of this bill. Read Local Law 91 of 2021.

Data on orders placed through third-party food delivery services
Law Effective Date: December 27, 2021
This bill would require third-party food delivery services, entities that provide food service establishments with online order and delivery services, to share monthly information on customers who have placed a food or beverage order with an establishment, if that establishment requests the information. The information would consist of the customer’s name, phone number, e-mail address, delivery address and the contents of their orders, as described in Proposed Int. No. 2335-A. Customers would be able to opt out of the sharing of this information, and the service would be required to provide a clear disclosure to customers explaining what information would be shared with the establishment. The establishment fulfilling the customer’s order would be permitted to retain that information, which must be provided in a machine-readable format. Services could not limit the establishments’ use of the information, but the bill would prohibit the establishments from selling, renting or disclosing the information without express consent from the customer, and the customer would be able to withdraw their consent to using their information. The bill would also permit customers to request that the establishment delete their information. Read Local Law 90 of 2021.

Providing paid time to employees who accompany a child to receive a COVID-19 vaccination injection or care for a child with COVID-19 vaccine side effects.
Law Effective Date: December 24, 2021, available retroactively to November 1, 2021
This bill would amend the City’s Earned Safe and Sick Time Act. Under the bill, an employee who is a parent or legal guardian of a child would be entitled to four hours of COVID-19 child vaccination time per vaccine injection for each child. The parent would be permitted to be absent to accompany their child to receive the vaccine, or care for the child due to side effects from the vaccine. COVID-19 child vaccination time would be paid at the employee’s regular rate of pay and would be in addition to the employee’s accrual or use of existing safe/sick time. It would be required to be paid by the next regular pay date. An employer could require that within seven days an employee provide documentation that their child was vaccinated. An employer could not require the employee to work additional hours to make up for the original hours the employee was unavailable, or find a replacement employee to cover the their hours, because the employee used COVID-19 child vaccination time. The bill’s requirements could not be waived, notwithstanding certain collective bargaining agreements. The bill would provide for relief and penalties for a failure to provide COVID-19 child vaccination time. It contains a 60-day phase-in period during which the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection would give written notice and a cure period before enforcing against employers who do not provide the new COVID-19 vaccination leave. The bill would expire and be deemed repealed on December 31, 2022. Read Local Law 172 of 2021.

Restricting single-use plastic beverage straws, beverage stirrers and beverage splash sticks, and to repeal chapter 4 of title 16 of such code, relating to rechargeable batteries.
Law Effective Date: November 1, 2021
This bill would restrict food service establishments – such as restaurants, cafes, delis, bars, grocery stores and food trucks – from providing single-use plastic straws, stirrers and splash sticks to customers. Providing single-use plastic stirrers and splash sticks of any kind would be prohibited. Providing non-compostable, single-use plastic straws would be prohibited except upon request. For customers who request a non-compostable plastic straw, food service establishments would be required to provide one free of charge, without inquiring about the reason for the request. To refuse to provide a non-compostable plastic straw or to inquire about the reason for the request could constitute a violation of the City’s Human Rights Law. Food service establishments would additionally be required to stock non-compostable plastic straws to fulfill customer requests, and would have to post signs advertising the straws’ availability at self-serve stations. Compostable plastic straws would be permitted to be given out upon request only for use on-premises, and only if the food service establishment properly separates and disposes of those straws through a commercial composting provider. Food service establishments who violate the provisions of this bill would be liable for civil penalties. This bill would also repeal Chapter 4 of Title 16 of the Administrative Code pertaining to the recycling of rechargeable batteries, which is currently governed by State law. Read Local Law 64 of 2021.

Severance pay for hotel service employees.
Law Effective Date: October 5, 2021. Note: Repeal date is June 1, 2022.
TThe bill would require severance pay for hotel service employees in the event of: 1) the closure of a hotel to the public, provided that the hotel has not, by October 11, 2021, recalled at least 25% of employees and reopened to the public by November 1, 2021; or 2) a mass layoff of at least 75% of employees. Employees eligible for severance pay would be owed $500 per week, for up to 30 weeks. This requirement would not apply to a hotel that has closed permanently and has or is in the process of converting to an alternate use, provided that employees are offered severance of at least 20 days pay per year of service and provided that the severance is specifically tied to the conversion. The obligation to provide severance would end when an employee is recalled, or, for a closed hotel, when the hotel reopens to the public and recalls 25% of employees. Read Local Law 104 of 2021.

Small Business Relief Package
Law Effective Date: Varies. Note: Enactment date for LL80 of 2021 is July 18, 2021 and for LL 98 of 2021 is September 26, 2021.
This bill would provide civil penalty relief from certain sanitation, health, transportation, consumer affairs, noise control and buildings violations. It would set fixed penalties at the bottom of existing penalty ranges, lower existing penalty ceilings (or sometimes set a lower fixed amount), or lower existing fixed penalties. In certain instances, the bill would allow a cure period for a first violation, or it would eliminate the civil penalty for a first violation. This bill would also clarify that submission of proof of cure for consumer affairs and health violations is an admission of liability only if the proof is accepted by the relevant agency, repeal a number of requirements and prohibitions in the Administrative Code to provide relief for small businesses, and make an administrative change to the storefront registry filing requirement.Read Local Law 80 of 2021.
This bill would update Consumer Protection Law (CPL) penalty amounts and make clear that DCWP can seek daily penalties for deceptive conduct. The bill would also clarify DCWP’s power to combat online deceptive practices and define as deceptive a business’s failure to provide transactional document translations. The bill would make explicit the forms of relief for CPL violations that DCWP can seek at OATH and allow DCWP to initiate a state court case through a proceeding. This bill would also reinstate the licensing scheme for industrial laundries and businesses that engage in industrial laundry delivery and create a separate regulatory scheme for retail laundries. Additionally, this bill would codify a higher civil penalty for persons who harass DCWP personnel and require amusement operators to inform DCWP of any accidents. Finally, this bill would make technical corrections in title 20 of the Administrative Code and revise an effective date provision of local law number 80 for 2021. Read Local Law 98 of 2021.
Get information about changes to business requirements enforced by DCWP.

Extending the limitation on fees charged to food service establishments by third-party food delivery services.
Law Effective Date: August 17, 2021
This bill would amend an existing law that prohibits third-party food delivery services - entities that provide food service establishments with online order and delivery services - from charging such establishments more than 15% per order for delivery and more than 5% per order for all other fees only when certain conditions apply. This bill would instead prohibit such charges from the anticipated end date of those conditions until February 17, 2022. It would also clarify the types of transaction fees exempted from these limits on charges. Read Local Law 94 of 2021.

Extending the prohibition of certain telephone order charges by third-party food delivery services.
Law Effective Date: August 17, 2021
This bill would amend an existing law that prohibits third-party food delivery services - entities that provide food service establishments with online order and delivery services - from charging such establishments for telephone orders that did not result in a transaction during the call. Under the existing law, such charges are prohibited only when certain conditions apply. This bill would instead prohibit such charges from the anticipated end date of those conditions until February 17, 2022. Read Local Law 93 of 2021.

Requiring businesses to notify customers of the use of biometric identifier technology and prohibiting the sale of biometric identifier information.
Law Effective Date: July 9, 2021
This bill addresses the increased collection and use of biometric identifier information, such as the use of facial recognition technology, by commercial establishments to track consumer activity. The bill prohibits the sale of biometric identifier information. It also requires certain commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants, and entertainment venues, to post signage notifying consumers if they collect biometric identifier information. The bill provides for a private right of action that allows for judgments of $500 for failing to post signage or negligently selling/sharing biometric information and $5,000 for the intentional or reckless sale of biometric information. The bill requires the Chief Privacy Officer to conduct outreach and education to affected commercial establishments. Read Local Law 3 of 2021.

Wrongful Discharge of Fast Food Employees
Law Effective Date: July 4, 2021
This proposed bill would prohibit fast food employers from terminating the employment of a fast food employee without just cause. This proposed bill provides for arbitration guidelines to mediate disputes between fast food employers and fast food employees and specific remedies for those terminated for just cause. Read Local Law 2 of 2021.
Read 01/05/2021 press release: Mayor de Blasio Signs "Just Cause" Worker Protection Bills for Fast Food Employees.

Fast Food Employee Layoffs
Law Effective Date: July 4, 2021
This bill would require that when a fast food employer needs to layoff employees, that such employer discharge employees by inverse seniority, i.e. those hired last will be discharged first. This proposed bill provides for arbitration of disagreements between fast food employers and fast employees and entitles laid off fast food employees to schedule pay premiums. Read Local Law 1 of 2021.

Establishing a board to review workplace health and safety guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Law Effective Date: February 28, 2021
This bill would establish a board to review the workplace health and safety guidance that agencies and private employers issued to employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. The board would hold two public hearings a year to solicit testimony from employees, relevant experts, and stakeholders and make recommendations on protocols for future public health emergencies based on an assessment of the testimony and any submitted guidance. The board would consist of 9 members: the Commissioners of Health and Mental Hygiene, Citywide Administrative Services, Consumer and Worker Protection, and Office of Labor Relations; two Mayoral appointees; two appointees by the Speaker of the Council; and one appointee by the Public Advocate. The board would submit a preliminary report after the first hearing and, by December 15, 2021, a final report to the Mayor and Speaker of the Council. The board would dissolve 180 days after submission of the final report. Read Local Law 22 of 2021.

Expanding the availability of food vendor permits, creating an office of street vendor enforcement, and establishing a street vendor advisory board
Law Effective Date: Some provisions immediately, some 90 or 180 days after enactment, some one or two years after enactment. Note: Enactment date is February 28, 2021.
This bill would gradually expand the number of permits to vend food on the streets and sidewalks of New York City. A number of new permits, now referred to as supervisory licenses, would be issued in batches each year beginning in 2022 until 2032. The new supervisory licenses require at least one supervisory licensee to be present at a pushcart at all times. This new requirement will not be applied to existing permits until 2032, at which time a supervisory licensee must be present at any cart to operate. The bill will also create a new dedicated vending law enforcement unit, which would exclusively enforce vending laws. It would focus on areas of the City with known vending enforcement challenges, but will respond to vending complaints and violations throughout the City. The bill would also create a street vendor advisory board, to assess the effectiveness of the enforcement unit and the roll-out of new permits, and examine and make recommendations pertaining to vending laws.Read Local Law 18 of 2021.
Read mayoral letter designating the Office of Street Vendor Enforcement to be established in DCWP.

Displaced Hotel Service Workers and Hotel Service Disruption Notifications
Law Effective Date: January 26, 2021
A Local Law to establish protections for displaced hotel service workers in the event of a change in control of a hotel, such as a sale or bankruptcy. Read Local Law 99 of 2020.

2020

Prohibition of Cashless Establishments
Law Effective Date: November 19, 2020
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting food stores and retail establishments from refusing to accept payment in cash. Read Local Law 34 of 2020.

Allowing food service establishments to charge a COVID-19 recovery charge.
Law Effective Date: October 17, 2020
Restaurants have struggled since the onset of COVID-19 and the associated in-person dining restrictions went into effect, forcing many out of business with many others barely surviving. However, current rules prohibit restaurants from charging any fees other than the listed price of food and drink, even if such surcharge is clearly disclosed. This bill would help restaurants by temporarily allowing them to add a “COVID-19 Recovery Charge” of up to 10% of a customer’s total bill. The menu and bill would need to clearly disclose this charge. This surcharge would be permitted until 90 days after full indoor dining is once again permitted. Read Local Law 100 of 2020.

Requiring City Employers to Provide Earned Safe and Sick Time to Employees
Law Effective Date: September 30, 2020
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring city employers to provide earned safe and sick time to employees. Read Local Law 97 of 2020.

Changing the name of the Department of Consumer Affairs to the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection
Law Effective Date: August 28, 2020
A Local Law to amend the New York City Charter and Administrative Code to change the name of the Department of Consumer Affairs to the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, establish the Office of Labor Standards and the Division of Paid Care as offices within the Department, and update references to these offices and other agency nomenclature. The bill also clarifies the Department’s powers to seek restitution on behalf of consumers and workers related to any law within its jurisdiction. It also designates the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearing as the tribunal in which the Department may begin proceedings to recover civil penalties and grants the Commissioner the power to adopt, reverse, modify, or remand OATH trial decisions for additional proceedings. Finally, the bill repeals the Consumers Council established under §2204 of the New York City Charter and the Tow Advisory Board. Read Local Law 80 of 2020.

Lead Package
Law Effective Date: August 9, 2020
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to investigations of lead-based paint hazards by independent and certified inspectors, and contractor certifications for construction activities that disturb lead-based paint, and to repeal subdivision 9 of section 20-386 and subdivision 15 of section 20-393 of such administrative code, relating to salespersons for home improvement businesses. Read Local Law 31 of 2020.

License, permit, consent and registration renewal extensions, and requiring at least 45 days notice for renewal following the COVID-19 emergency.
Law Effective Date: May 26, 2020. Note: This local law takes effect immediately and expires and is deemed repealed on March 1, 2021.
This bill requires city agencies to publish a list of any licenses, permits, consents or registrations that are not covered by the renewal extension provided for by section four of the Mayor’s Emergency Executive Order Number 107 issued on April 14, 2020. This list must be made available on agency websites no later than 14 days after the enactment of this bill. In addition, this bill requires that all renewal deadlines be no earlier than 45 days after section four of the Mayor’s emergency order lapses. For licenses, permits, consents or registrations that expire on or after March 12, 2020 and are for a term of less than 45 days, the renewal extension provided for in this bill shall only be for the original duration of such license, permit, consent or registration. Read Local Law 57 of 2020.

COVID-19 Relief Package - Requiring the waiver and refund of certain sidewalk cafe revocable consent fees, and providing for the repeal of such provision upon the expiration thereof.
Law Effective Date: May 26, 2020. Note: This local law takes effect immediately and expires and is deemed repealed on March 1, 2021.
On March 17, 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, several businesses were ordered to close. Restaurants were required to stop providing dine-in service. As restaurants face unprecedented financial losses and can no longer utilize their sidewalk cafes during the state of emergency, this bill requires the City to waive and/or refund all revocable consent fees for unenclosed sidewalk cafes due between March 1, 2020 and February 28, 2021. Enclosed sidewalk café consent fees would be waived for the duration of the Mayor’s Emergency Executive Order No. 105 published on April 4, 2020. Read Local Law 54 of 2020.

2019

Prohibiting street vending on certain streets in Dyker Heights in Brooklyn beginning on Thanksgiving Day until New Year’s Day.
Law Effective Date: November 17, 2019
This bill prohibits street vending on certain streets in Dyker Heights beginning on Thanksgiving until New Year’s day. The prohibited streets are bounded on the west by 10th Avenue, on the south by 86th Street, on the east by 13th Avenue and on the north by 81st Street in the borough of Brooklyn. The ban is in effect from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00am the following day. Read Local Law 191 of 2019.

Mandating audits of the records of process servers and creating a notification system regarding licensed process servers who have had their licenses suspended, revoked or who have had renewal denied.
Law Effective Date: October 6, 2019
This bill would require that the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) annually audit the records of at least 20% of licensed process servers who have served at least one summons, subpoena, notice, citation or other process for a housing court proceeding. The bill would also require that process servers notify the DCA every six month if they have served process for a housing court proceeding. This bill would further require that the DCA post on its website, and notify process serving agencies, when a process server has been disciplined, or where the process server’s license has been suspended, revoked, or license renewal is denied. Read Local Law 112 of 2019.

Requiring the dept of veterans' services to provide veterans with outreach and education on issues related to higher education.
Law Effective Date: June 29, 2019
This bill would require the Department of Veterans’ Services to provide outreach and engagement to veterans about issues related to higher education, including government programs and other resources available to veterans, how to minimize student debt, student loan repayment options, the risks of for-profit or fraudulent colleges and trade schools and how to identify them, and lower-cost alternatives to for-profit higher education. The Department would make the educational materials available on its website, at each Veterans Resource Centers, and in printed form upon request.Read Local Law 123 of 2019.

Requiring that bail bond agents make certain disclosures
Law Effective Date: February 2, 2019
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring that bail bond agents make certain disclosures. This bill would provide to consumers of bail bond businesses and bail bond referral businesses information regarding their rights and basic information about the businesses themselves. Many bail bond businesses engage in unscrupulous business practices, and this bill would arm consumers with information, in multiple languages, so that they can avoid being taken advantage of. Read Local Law 143 of 2018.

Disclosure of premium or compensation charged by bail bond agents
Law Effective Date: February 2, 2019
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to disclosure of premium or compensation charged by bail bond agents. This bill would set up a complaint mechanism at the Department of Consumer Affairs for consumers of bail bond services to report violations of the maximum allowed bail bond premiums set by the New York Insurance Law. It would also require the Department to refer those violations to the Police Department for enforcement. Read Local Law 142 of 2018.

2018

Earned Sick and Safe Time Act
Law Effective Date: May 5, 2018
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York in relation to safe time for victims of family offense matters, sexual offenses, stalking and human trafficking, and their family members. Read Local Law 199 of 2017.
Read 05/07/2018 press release: De Blasio Administration Annouces Paid Safe Leave Law Now in Effect.
Read 11/06/2017 press release: Paid Safe Leave: New York City Expands Paid Leave to Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking and Trafficking Survivors.

Repealing Cabaret Law
Law Effective Date: March 27, 2018
This bill repeals the requirement in the Administrative Code for public dance halls, cabarets, and catering establishments to obtain a license, but retains various security measures in the law. Establishments previously required to obtain a cabaret license must continue to abide by requirements 1) to install and maintain security cameras and, 2) if they employ security guards, to ensure such security guards are licensed pursuant to state law and to maintain a roster of such security guards. Read Local Law 214 of 2017.
Read 11/27/2017 press release: Mayor de Blasio Signs Sweeping Legislation to Repeal Cabaret Law.

Setting Caps on Retail Dealer Licenses
Law Effective Date: February 24, 2018
This bill expands the current requirement to possess a retail dealer license to sell cigarettes to include all retailers that sell any type of tobacco products. The bill will also restrict the availability of new retail dealer licenses by capping the number of tobacco retailer licenses in each community district at half the current number. The community district caps would not affect existing licensees who may continue to renew their licenses. Read Local Law 146 of 2017.
Read 08/28/2017 press release: Mayor de Blasio Signs Sweeping Legislation to Curb Smoking, Tobacco Usage.

Increasing the Retail Cigarette Dealer License Fee
Law Effective Date: February 24, 2018
This bill would raise the biennial fee for a Cigarette Retail Dealer License from $110 to $200. This license is required to sell tobacco directly to consumers. Read Local Law 143 of 2017.
Read 08/28/2017 press release: Mayor de Blasio Signs Sweeping Legislation to Curb Smoking, Tobacco Usage.

Prohibiting Pharmacies from Selling Tobacco Products
Law Effective Date: February 24, 2018
This bill would prohibit pharmacies, or retail stores that contain pharmacies, from selling tobacco products. Read Local Law 142 of 2017.
Read 08/28/2017 press release: Mayor de Blasio Signs Sweeping Legislation to Curb Smoking, Tobacco Usage.

Regulation of Electronic Cigarettes
Law Effective Date: January 25, 2018
This bill would require a license to sell electronic cigarettes, similar to the license that is currently required to sell cigarettes. It would also cap the number of electronic cigarette retailers at half the current number, by community district, with the reduction in number coming through attrition. Existing sellers would be able to continue to renew their license so long as they meet all applicable licensure requirements. Read Local Law 144 of 2017.
Read 08/28/2017 press release: Mayor de Blasio Signs Sweeping Legislation to Curb Smoking, Tobacco Usage.

2017

Fair Workweek: Establishing General Provisions Governing Fair Work Practices.
Law Effective Date: November 26, 2017
This bill will make the schedules of fast food employees more predictable. It will create general provisions for a fair work week chapter of the Administrative Code and will require certain fast food employers to provide employees with an estimate of their work schedule upon hire and a work schedule 14 days in advance (including all shifts). This bill will require a premium to be paid to employees for schedule changes made by the employer with less than 14 days’ notice to the employee (a greater schedule change premium is as the start of the first shift nears). Changes to schedules will will canceling, shortening, or moving shifts, adding additional hours to scheduled shifts, and adding shifts. This bill is part of a package of bills aimed at improving working conditions related to employee work schedules. The bill also renumbers, without substantive change, provisions on shipboard gambling to make room for new provisions administered by the Department of Consumer Affairs. Read Local Law 107 of 2017.
Read 05/30/2017 press release: Mayor de Blasio Signs Legislation to Better Promote Safety, Fairness and Transparency for All New Yorkers.

Fair Workweek: Requiring Fast Food Employers to Offer Work Shifts to Current Employees.
Law Effective Date: November 26, 2017
This bill would require fast food employers with available hours to offer shifts to existing employees before hiring new employees. This bill is intended to provide part-time fast food workers with a path toward additional hours and full-time employment, should they want it. Employers would only be required to offer hours to current employees up until the point at which the employer would be required to pay overtime, or until all current employees have rejected available hours, whichever comes first. Only after the employer had exhausted options to provide shifts to current workers would the fast food employers be free to hire additional part-time workers. This bill is part of a package of bills aimed at improving working conditions related to employee work schedules. Read Local Law 106 of 2017.

Fair Workweek: Banning “Clopenings” in Fast Food Restaurants.
Law Effective Date: November 26, 2017
TThis bill would ban “clopenings” for fast food employees; fast food employers would not be allowed to require fast food workers to work back-to-back shifts when the first shift closes the establishment and the second shift opens it the next day, with fewer than 11 hours in between. The employer will need to pay pay an employee who works a “clopening” shift $100 for each instance that such employee works such shifts. Read Local Law 100 of 2017.

Fair Workweek: Prohibiting On-call Scheduling for Retail Employees.
Law Effective Date: November 26, 2017
This bill will ban the practice of “on-call scheduling” for retail employees. On-call scheduling is when an employer requires an employee to be available to work, to contact the employer or to wait to be contacted by the employer, to determine whether the employee must report to work. This bill will prohibit retail employers from cancelling, changing or adding work shifts within 72 hours of the start of the shift (except in limited cases). The bill also requires a retail employer to: post the schedule for the retail employees’ schedule 72 hours before the beginning of the scheduled hours of work, to provide (upon request by the a retail employee) a written copy of said employee’s work schedule for any week worked within the prior three years, or to provide (upon request by the a retail employee at the work location) the most current version of the work schedule for all retail employees at the at work location. Read Local Law 99 of 2017.

Pay Deductions Law
Law Effective Date: November 26, 2017
This bill would allow fast food employees to designate part of their salary to a not-for-profit of their choosing and require employers to deduct and remit such donation to such not-for-profit. Read Local Law 98 of 2017.

Immigration Service Providers
Law Effective Date: August 23, 2017
This bill would amend Subchapter 14 to impose stricter guidelines for providers and further protect customers against immigration services fraud and unauthorized practice of the law. Providers would be required to include specific language in their contracts related to the provider’s duties and limitations, as well as the customer’s rights. Additionally, providers would have to post required signage in English, as well as in any languages in which they provide or offer to provide services. Providers would be prohibited from offering and providing services that should only be provided by an attorney, and from making statements that could lead a customer to believe that the provider is an attorney or an immigration expert. Additionally, this bill would require that the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) provide periodic reports to the Council with information regarding the number, type, source and result of complaints against providers. Read Law.
Download the Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Immigration Assistance Service Providers.

Protections for Freelance Workers
Law Effective Date: May 15, 2017
This bill would establish and enhance protections for freelance workers. Specifically: the right to written contract, the right to be paid timely and in full and the right to be free of retaliation. The bill would create penalties for violations of these rights, including statutory damages, double damages, injunctive relief and attorney’s fees. Individual cause of action would be adjudicated in state court. Where there is evidence of a pattern or practice of violations, the Corporation Counsel may bring civil action to recover, on behalf of the City, civil penalty of not more than $25,000. This bill would also require the Office of Labor Standards (OLS) to receive complaints, create a navigation program, and to gather data and report on the effectiveness of the law. Read Local Law 140 of 2016.
Read 11/16/2016 press release: Mayor Bill de Blasio Signs Legislation Strengthening Protections for Freelance Workers.

Establishment of a Division of Paid Care
Law Effective Date: February 27, 2017
A Local Law to amend the New York city charter and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the establishment of a division of paid care. This bill would establish a new Division of Paid Care within the Office of Labor Standards, recognizing the growing importance of home care and child care workforces, the complex legal and policy issues involved, and the increasing needs of care recipients of every age. The Division would conduct public outreach campaigns and informational clinics to inform paid care workers of their rights; collect and publish information useful for paid care workers; coordinate with governmental agencies, advocacy groups, and other stakeholders; and develop related policies and programs. An Advocate within the Division, among other responsibilities and working with Division staff, would develop an intake and referral system for paid care workers to submit labor- and employment law-related complaints and would notify appropriate agencies about potential systemic legal violations. The Division would post on its website and submit to the Council certain information annually. Read Local Law 98 of 2016.
Read 08/31/2016 press release: Mayor de Blasio Signs Legislation Expanding Administration's Labor Policy Efforts to Continue Supporting Caregivers.

Updating the City's Laundry Licensing Law
Law Effective Date: January 30, 2017
Laundries in the City are licensed by the Department of Consumer Affairs (“DCA”). The current licensing scheme dates from the early 20th Century and certain activities are not properly regulated. This bill would update the City’s laundry licensing law to better regulate the industry as it operates today. The bill would create a tiered licensing scheme to capture three distinct activities: retail laundry, industrial laundry and industrial laundry delivery. This bill would create additional requirements related to cleanliness and hygiene for industrial laundries and industrial laundry delivery services. Industrial laundries would be required to implement procedures to ensure that all laundry is hygienically cleaned and, businesses engaged in industrial laundry delivery would be required to implement procedures to ensure separation of clean and dirty laundry in order to maintain cleanliness. Finally, this bill would create a task force to review the industry and the enforcement of the law and make any recommendations to the Council and the Mayor. Read Local Law 87 of 2016.
Read 08/03/2016 press release: Mayor de Blasio Signs Legislation including Intro. 697-A, Regulation of Laundries.
Read Frequently Asked Questions: New Laundry Licenses.
Read 11/22/2017 press release: Mayor Announces Changes to Laundry License Application Requirements.

Sale of Plants and Flowers during the Asian Lunar New Year
Law Effective Date: January 27, 2017
This bill would grant an exemption to the current laws that require street vendors to secure a license before vending goods and services on the streets of New York. This bill would allow individuals to sell plants and flowers on the day of the Asian Lunar New Year and during the seven days prior. Read Local Law 3 of 2017.

2016

Outreach and Education on Consumer Protection Issues that Affect Immigrants
Law Effective Date: August 31, 2016
This bill would require DCA to provide information to immigrants on consumer protection issues, including: financial institutions that accept IDNYC or ITIN; risks of non-bank financial institutions; state and local laws that regulate employment and immigration assistance services; federal and state laws regulating tax preparers; and information on local institutions that provide resources to immigrant communities. The educational material would also include information about the DCA’s Office of Financial Empowerment. The material would be made available on DCA’s website, translated into the six most common LEP languages, and submitted to the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. Read Local Law 101 of 2016.

Outreach and Education on Consumer Protection Issues that Affect Seniors
Law Effective Date: August 31, 2016
This bill would require the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) to establish and engage in outreach and educational efforts around consumer protection issues relevant to individuals sixty years of age and older. This outreach would include information about such issues as telemarketing and internet fraud, Social Security, Medicare and healthcare fraud, reverse mortgage products, and investment schemes. DCA would be required to post this information on its website and provide it to the Department for the Aging (DFTA). The bill would further require DFTA to ensure that materials created as part of this initiative are made available at all senior centers and naturally occurring retirement communities in the city. Read Local Law 100 of 2016.

Outreach and Education on Consumer Protection Issues that Affect Women
Law Effective Date: August 31, 2016
This bill would require DCA to establish and implement an outreach and education program for women on consumer protection issues. These issues include: short- and long- term financial independence, including retirement; navigating public benefits programs; gender-based pricing; and common scams and predatory consumer and financial products. The educational material would also include information about the DCA’s Office of Financial Empowerment. The material would be made available on DCA’s website, translated into the six most common LEP languages, and submitted to the NYC Commission on Women’s Issues and the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence. Read Local Law 99 of 2016.

Local Law to License Ticket Sellers
Local Law Effective Date: August 1, 2016
The bill would require that anyone selling tickets for any place of entertainment, mode of transportation, or sight-seeing tour in a public space have a ticket seller license issued by the Department of Consumer Affairs. Read Local Law 80 of 2016.

Local Law to Repeal Licensing of Motion Picture Projectionists
Law Effective Date: June 5, 2016
This law eliminates the requirement that a person must first secure a license from DCA before operating a motion picture projection machine. Read Local Law 66 of 2016.

Local Law about Displaced Grocery Workers
Law Effective Date: May 8, 2016
This local law would require new grocery store owners to retain the previous owner’s staff for a transition period after a business is sold. Employees are to be kept by the new owner for ninety days. After the transition period, the new employer must evaluate each employee and consider keeping them as employees. Read Local Law 11 of 2016.

NYC's Commuter Benefits Law
Law Effective Date: January 1, 2016
Beginning January 1, 2016, for-profit and nonprofit employers with 20 or more full-time non-union employees in New York City must offer their full-time employees the opportunity to use pre-tax income to pay for their commute. Read Local Law 53 of 2014
Learn more about the Commuter Benefits Law at nyc.gov/CommuterBenefits.

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2015

K2 Enforcement
Law Effective Date: December 19, 2015
The new laws provide the City with additional tools and penalties to reduce the sale and manufacture of K2. Local Law 97 of 2015 criminalizes the manufacture, possession with intent to sell, and sale of synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic phenethylamines. Selling K2 will be a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and up to $5,000 in fines. Local Law 96 allows the City to apply public nuisance regulations to violations of the new criminal provision barring the sale of K2 – which gives the City additional enforcement tools. Local Law 95 allows the City to revoke, suspend or refuse to renew a cigarette dealer license due to the sale of synthetic drugs or imitation synthetic drugs. Read Local Law 97 of 2015 | Read Local Law 96 of 2015 | Read Local Law 95 of 2015.
Learn more about City's campaign about the dangers of K2.

Use of Air Conditioning Systems
Law Effective Date: October 7, 2015
This law expands to small stores (retail or wholesale establishments under four thousand square feet) the prohibition against propping open outside doors while an air conditioner or central cooling system is operating. It would also require that stores which are part of a chain post a notice on each door stating that violations may be reported to 311. Read Local Law 92 of 2015.

Secondhand Auto Dealer Price Displays
Law Effective Date: September 15, 2015
This law requires dealers in second-hand automobiles to clearly post the total selling price of each second-hand automobile at his or her place of business and the total selling price of any add-on product by means of a sign at the point of display of the second-hand automobile or at each location within the dealer's place of business where any such product is offered for sale. Read Local Law 44 of 2015.

Gas Station Signage
Law Effective Date: Enacted September 2, 2015; effective after 180 days with rulemaking
Local Law 79 of 2015 clarifies the requirements for price displays at gas stations that advertise to vehicles on the road. If such signs are posted, they must display the price, defined as the sum of the basic price per gallon plus all applicable taxes, of at least the lowest grade of gasoline offered for sale. This law would also permit the use of LED signs. Local Law 80 requires gas stations that sell gasoline at a lower price for purchases made in cash or other specific form of payment to clearly disclose that the advertised price is available only for purchases made in cash or such other specific forms of payment. The law would also set a minimum size for gas station road signs. Read Local Law 79 of 2015 | Read Local Law 80 of 2015.

Car Wash Accountability Act
Read Information for Car Washes.

Business Education Days
Law Effective Date: June 29, 2015
Local Law 68 of 2015 requires DCA to hold multiple business education events each year throughout the five boroughs. Local Law 69 requires DCA to issue an annual report analyzing the violations dismissed by its tribunal. Read Local Law 68 of 2015 | Read Local Law 69 of 2015.

Outreach and Education on Consumer Protection Issues for Young Adults
Law Effective Date: March 30, 2015
This law requires the Department of Consumer Affairs to provide young adults with outreach and education regarding consumer protection issues. Read Local Law 28 of 2015.
Read consumer protection tips for young adults.

2014

Sidewalk Café Legislative Changes
Laws Effective Date: April 29, 2014
New changes to sidewalk café legislation include lengthening the term of a renewed revocable consent to operate a sidewalk cafe from two years to four years; and streamlining the process for reviewing a petition for a revocable consent. Read Local Law 137 of 2013 | Read Local Law 139 of 2013.

Cure Law
Law Effective Date: June 30, 2014
Under this law, a business can certify that it has cured (corrected) first-time, signage-related violations and settle the violations without penalty. In order to pay no penalty for curable violations, a business must plead guilty to the violation, correct the violation within 30 days of the inspection date, and submit a Cure Certification to DCA as proof that the business has cured the violation. Read Local Law 153 of 2013.
Read FAQs.
Visit the Forms, Signs & Templates page to print required signs.
Cure a DCA violation online.

Smoking Laws
Local Law 94 of 2013: Tobacco 21
Law Effective Date: May 18, 2014
This law raises the age that tobacco products can be sold to from 18 to 21 and establishes a sales age of twenty-one years for electronic cigarettes. Read Local Law 94 of 2013.
Download Age Restriction Sign
Read FAQs from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) in: English | Español (Spanish) | 中文(Chinese) | 한국어(Korean) | عربي(Arabic)

Local Law 97 of 2013: Sensible Tobacco Enforcement
Law Effective Date: March 19, 2014
This law establishes price floors, bans discounts and imposes packaging requirements on cigarettes and other tobacco products. Includes various measures to keep the price of cigarettes and tobacco products high. Cigarette retail dealers must also post the Age Restriction and NYC/NYS Tax Stamp signs. Read Local Law 97 of 2013.
Download NYC/NYS Tax Stamp Sign.
Read FAQs from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH):

Sensible Tobacco Enforcement FAQs in: English | Español (Spanish) | 中文(Chinese) | 한국어(Korean) | عربي(Arabic)

Cigar Sales FAQs in: English | Español (Spanish) | 中文(Chinese) | 한국어(Korean) | عربي(Arabic)

For more information, visit DOHMH's Smoking Legislation page.

Recordkeeping Requirements for Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers
Law Effective Date: April 29, 2014
A local law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to recordkeeping requirements for second-hand dealers and pawnbrokers. Read Local Law 149 of 2013.

Language Preference Law
Law Effective Date: April 16, 2014
This law provides business owners the ability to choose what language they want agency inspections conducted in. Read Local Law 132 of 2013.

NYC's Paid Sick Leave Law
Laws Effective Date: April 1, 2014
Under New York City's Earned Sick Time Act (Paid Sick Leave Law), certain employers must give their employees sick leave. Read Local Law 46 of 2013 | Read Local Law 6 of 2014 | Read Local Law 7 of 2014 | Read Rules.
Learn more at nyc.gov/PaidSickLeave

Rules

2021

Local Law 80 of 2021
Rule Effective Date: December 26, 2021
Notice of Adoption to add and amend rules to implement Local Law 80 of 2021 and add an entry to the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection’s (“DCWP”) tobacco retail dealer and electronic cigarette retail dealer penalty schedules for a New York State law provision that prohibits advertising or displaying certain products or paraphernalia within 500 feet of schools. Read Rule.

Rulemaking Petitions
Rule Effective Date: November 7, 2021
Notice of Adoption to add new rules to implement Section 1043(g) of the New York City Charter, which permits any person to petition a city agency to consider the adoption of any rule and requires each agency to have rules creating a procedure for such petitions. Read Rule.

DCWP Docketing Rule
Rule Effective Date: August 12, 2021
Notice of Adoption to add new rules to implement a recent state law that amended provisions of the New York City Charter (“Charter”) relating to the docketing of judgments in certain enforcement proceedings brought by the Department. Read Rule.

Billiards, Name Change and Penalty Schedule
Rule Effective Date: March 24, 2021
Notice of Adoption to amend the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection’s (“Department”) rules to implement Local Laws 80 and 99 of 2020. This final rule repeals all references to billiards, adds an entry to the Department’s penalty schedules for unlicensed activity, and clarifies that all references to the Department of Consumer Affairs refer to the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. Finally, this final rule adds a penalty schedule to implement Local Law 99, which creates requirements for hotels related to hotel service disruptions). Read Rule.

Decisions Issued by OATH
Rule Effective Date: March 12, 2021
Notice of Adoption to amend rules related to the adjudicatory authority the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) delegates to the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH). Read Rule.

2020

Repeal of Requirements for Home Improvement Salespersons
Rule Effective Date: December 30, 2020
Notice of Adoption to repeal all references to the home improvement salesperson license. Read Rule.

Tobacco and Electronic Retail Dealer Penalty Schedules
Rule Effective Date: December 5, 2020
Notice of Adoption to amend the Department’s penalty schedules related to tobacco retail dealers and electronic cigarette retail dealers to incorporate recent changes made to New York State law. Read Rule.

Adopted Rules Regarding Stoop Line Stands
Rule Effective Date: October 29, 2020
Notice of Adoption to amend the rules governing stoop line stands to clarify the construction requirements for a stoop line stand and clarify the activities that are prohibited on a stoop line stand, among other things. Read Rule.

Prohibition of Cashless Establishments
Rule Effective Date: October 8, 2020
Notice of Adoption to add new rules to implement Local Law 34 of 2020 (LL 34), which prohibits food stores and retail establishments from refusing to accept payment in cash. Read Rule.

New Rules for Debt Collectors
Rule Effective Date: June 27, 2020
Notice of Adoption to add new rules requiring debt collectors to inform consumers about whether certain language access services are available and to retain records relating to language access services. Read Rule.
Read Frequently Asked Questions: New Rules for Debt Collectors Regarding Language Access.
Download Debt Collection Agency - Language Services Report.

Emergency Price Gouging Rule
Rule Effective Date: June 26, 2020
The Rule makes price gouging illegal for any products or services essential to health, safety and welfare during a declared state of emergency. Read Rule.

Amendment of Rules Governing Process Server Audits
Rule Effective Date: June 10, 2020
The Department of Consumer Affairs (“DCA”) is amending the rules governing process servers to implement Local Law 112 of 2019, which requires the Department to conduct audits of certain process servers and creates a notification system for, among other things, suspensions and revocations of, and denials of applications for, process server licenses. Read Rule.

Amendment of Consumer Protection Law Penalty Schedule
Rule Effective Date: June 10, 2020
Notice of Adoption to amend the Department of Consumer Affairs’s (“DCA” or “Department”) consumer protection law penalty schedule to add entries for some violations currently missing from the penalty schedule, including for violations of section 5-38 of chapter 5 of title 6 of the Rules of the City of New York, which requires sellers to comply with certain requirements when selling goods declared to be temporarily in short supply, and to add language to provide for maximum penalties of $500 in the event of a knowing violation of the consumer protection law code and rules. Read Rule.

Amendment to Rules relating to License Enforcement
Rule Effective Date: March 25, 2020
Notice of Adoption to amend to chapter 1 of title 6 of the Rules of the City of New York, which relate to DCA’s licensing authority and enforcement. Among other things, these amendments prohibit licensees from altering or falsifying DCA-related documents, require licensees to post license numbers on electronic advertisements and solicitations in addition to printed ones, and clarify the requirements relating to DCA’s issuance of notices of hearing, requests for documents, interrogatories, and notices of deposition. In addition, these amendments update the penalty schedule for chapter 1 violations. Read Rule.

Emergency Rule Prohibiting Price Gouging of Certain Personal and Household Goods and Services
Rule Effective Date: March 16, 2020
The Department of Consumer Affairs (“DCA”) is adopting an emergency rule declaring as unconscionable the practice of price gouging with regard to personal and household goods and services that either: (a) consumers reasonably believe aid in diagnosing or monitoring disease symptoms, prevent the spread of disease, or treat disease; or (b) merchants market as aiding in diagnosing or monitoring disease symptoms, preventing the spread of disease, or treating disease. This prohibition is limited to diseases that are found to be an imminent threat to public health or safety by the City of New York or are the subject of a State of Emergency within the City of New York. Read Rule.

Rules to Clarify Obligations for Mobile Car Wash Operators
Rule Effective Date: February 27, 2020
The Department is amending title 6 of the Rules of the City of New York to clarify that mobile car wash services are subject to the license requirement for operating a car wash service. The rule sets specific application requirements for mobile car wash services as well as obligations to display licenses and keep certain records related to vehicles used for mobile car wash services. The rule also sets penalties for failure to provide the Department with updated information concerning vehicles used for mobile car wash services and failure to display the car wash license in vehicles used for mobile car wash services when the mobile car wash is in service. Read Rule.

Rules Clarifying SHAD Recordkeeping Reqiurements
Rule Effective Date: January 4, 2020
DCA is amending Section 2-109 of Title 6 of the Rules of the City of New York relating to the record keeping requirements for secondhand automobile dealers. Read Rule.