N.Y. General Business Law § 194: Employment agency fees; reimbursement from employee to employer prohibited

§ 194. Employment agency fees; reimbursement from employee to employer

prohibited. 1. As used in this section:

(a) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of labor.

(b) "Employer" means an individual, partnership, association,

corporation, legal representative, trustee, receiver, trustee in

bankruptcy or common carrier by rail, motor, water, air or express

company doing business or operating within the state. The term

"employer" shall not include a governmental agency.

(c) "Employee" means any person employed for hire by any employer in

any employment.

2. No employer or its agent shall require, request, suggest or

knowingly permit any employee of such employer to reimburse the employer

for the cost of a fee paid by the employer to an employment agency or to

an employer fee paid employment agency or to make any other payment on

account of the employee's termination or resignation from employment.

3. (a) If the commissioner determines that an employer or its agent

has violated a provision of this section, the commissioner shall issue

to the employer an order which shall describe the alleged violation. In

addition to directing reimbursement to the employee and requiring the

further payment to the employee of a sum in the amount equal to payment

requested or received from that employee, such order may direct payment

to the commissioner for deposit in the treasury of the state of a

further sum as a civil penalty not to exceed five hundred dollars.

(b) Any order issued under paragraph (a) of this subdivision shall be

deemed a final order of the commissioner and not subject to review by

any court or agency unless within thirty days following service of the

order the employer files a petition with the industrial board of appeals

for a review of the order.

(c) Provided that no proceeding for administrative or judicial review

pursuant to this chapter shall then be pending and that the time for

initiation of such proceeding shall have expired, the commissioner may

file with the county clerk of the county where the employer resides or

has a place of business the order of the commissioner, or the decision

of the industrial board of appeals containing the amount found to be due

including the civil penalty, if any. The filing of such order or

decision shall have the full force and effect of a judgment duly

docketed in the office of such clerk. The order or decision may be

enforced by and in the name of the commissioner in the same manner, and

with like effect as that prescribed by the civil practice law and rules

for the enforcment of a money judgment.

(d) The civil penalty provided for in this section shall be in

addition to and may be imposed with any other remedy or penalty provided

for in this chapter.

4. No agreement by an employee or prospective employee to reimburse an

employer for the cost of a fee of an employment agency or an employer

fee paid employment agency or to become liable to the employer for any

payment on account of the employee's termination or resignation from

employment shall be enforceable.