Launch Freelance Isn’t Free - NYS. Again!

Join State Senator Andrew Gounardes, NWU, the Freelancers Union and all of our allies as we launch the Freelance Isn't Free NYS bill, AGAIN!

If this sounds familiar, it's because we introduced it last year, and it was passed by both the NYS Senate and Assembly, only to be vetoed by Governor Hochul on Christmas Eve!

What Does the State Legislature Know that the Governor Does Not??

The Governor vetoed  a number of bills that would have increased the budget, staffing, power and mission of the NYS Department of Labor (DoL), including bills from fire fighters and nurses unions. 

More to the point, late payment and non-payment, wage theft, is a major issue for independent contractor freelance workers! Roughly 59 million workers, one third of the U.S. workforce, are freelance or independent contract workers, with the largest number living in New York State. 

A study of freelance workers by the Independent Economy Council found that 74% of respondents are not getting paid on-time while 59% are owed $50,000 or more for already completed work. Freelance workers across New York State deserve to be protected at work, to receive timely payment and be free from exploitation. 

We're going to City Hall because it's here, in 2016, the New York City Council passed the landmark Freelance Isn’t Free Act (FIFA). Between 2017-2021, the law has collected $2.5 million in unpaid fees and penalties for more than 700 freelance workers, with no increase in staffing to the NYC Office of Labor Policy & Standards (OLPS), which oversees the law. 

Let's make this a teachable moment. Let's help the Governor understand what the NY City Council and the NY State Legislature already know; freelance workers deserve the protection of labor law against wage theft. 

Look for the date coming soon!

Location: City Hall Park, Broadway &, Chambers St, New York, NY 10007