State Labor Commissioner Peter M. Rivera today announced that $12.7 million in back wages, interest and liquidated damages has been recovered for more than 14,000 workers in just the first four months of 2014 – putting New York State on pace to recover over $38 million this year for workers.

“This is money that these workers rightfully earned,” said Commissioner Rivera. “We are enforcing the law to make sure that businesses pay workers the wages to which they are entitled.  If a business is breaking the law, it will pay up. I commend Department of Labor staff members who, every day, are helping workers.”

Between January and March 2014, the Department of Labor’s Division of Labor Standards opened 1,230 cases and closed 2,150. The number of closed cases increased 65 percent over the same timeframe in 2013.

The reduction in open cases is due, in part, to policy and operational improvements. For example, the agency is referring more cases to compliance conferences to expedite resolution. As cases are processed more expeditiously, workers are receiving the money owed to them more quickly.

This has led to a marked downturn in the number of cases under investigation and the agency has completed the investigatory phase of all cases opened prior to 2011.

Anyone with questions about minimum wage or other labor standards issues, or to file a complaint, should call: 1-888-4NYSDOL (469-7365).