N.Y. Labor Law 696-G – Civil action
§ 696-g. Civil action. 1. On behalf of any employee paid less than the applicable standard rate to which the employee is entitled under the provisions of this article, the commissioner may bring any legal action necessary, including administrative action, to collect such claim, and the employer shall be required to pay the full amount of the underpayment, plus costs, and unless the employer proves a good faith basis to believe that its underpayment was in compliance with the law, an additional amount as liquidated damages. Liquidated damages shall be calculated by the commissioner as no more than one hundred percent of the total amount of underpayments found to be due the employee. In any action brought by the commissioner in a court of competent jurisdiction, liquidated damages shall be calculated as an amount equal to one hundred percent of underpayments found to be due the employee.
Terms Used In N.Y. Labor Law 696-G
- Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
- applicable standard rate: shall mean a combination of (a) the standard wage rate; and (b) the standard benefits supplemental rate. See N.Y. Labor Law 696-A
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Employer: means any person, corporation, limited liability company, or association employing any individual in an occupation, industry, trade, business or service. See N.Y. Labor Law 696-A
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an action to recover upon a liability imposed by this article must be commenced within six years. The statute of limitations shall be tolled from the date an employee files a complaint with the commissioner or the commissioner commences an investigation, whichever is earlier, until an order to comply issued by the commissioner becomes final, or where the commissioner does not issue an order, until the date on which the commissioner notifies the complainant that the investigation has concluded.
3. In any civil action by the commissioner, the commissioner shall have the right to collect attorneys' fees and costs incurred in enforcing any court judgment. Any judgment or court order awarding remedies under this section shall provide that if any amounts remain unpaid upon the expiration of ninety days following issuance of judgment, or ninety days after expiration of the time to appeal and no appeal therefrom is then pending, whichever is later, the total amount of judgment shall automatically increase by fifteen percent.