Mineola, NY- Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos issued the 2015 Living Wage Law Annual Report highlighting the recovery of over $565K for underpaid employees and the frequent use of waivers that seek to sidestep compliance with the Living Wage Law. Cumulatively, the Comptroller’s efforts have recovered for employees $1,061,721 of unpaid wages and uncredited compensated time off since the law was enacted in 2007. During 2015 the County granted eleven waivers to County vendors compared with twelve in the prior year. The County’s Living Wage increased on August 1, 2015 to $13.59 per hour with health benefits and $15.54 per hour without benefits.
“It is gratifying that we were able to recover significant sums for underpaid employees,” said Comptroller George Maragos. “We remain concerned, however, with the large number of waivers to the law being granted.”
The Comptroller’s Office was able to negotiate a $565,246 settlement with microMedia® Imaging Systems to pay back wages owed to 36 employees. This amount included $445,215 during the 2012-2014 audit period, plus an additional amount of approximately $120,000 post-audit. The agreement with microMedia® calls for an initial payment to employees of $245,000, which has been made, followed by additional payments of $160,123 in May 2017 and in May 2018, totaling $565,246. A separate audit released in 2015 of Eager to Serve, Inc., a homeless shelter provider, found $9,382 is owed to 11 employees in combined wages and compensated time off.
The Nassau County Living Wage Law was enacted to raise the minimum wage of employees working for a majority of the County’s contractors. The Comptroller’s Office is responsible for monitoring compliance with the Law. To date, $1,061,721 of unpaid wages and uncredited compensated time off owed to 1,364 employees has been identified by the Living Wage audits completed by the Comptroller’s Office.
Information regarding the Living Wage Law can be found at http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/1597/Living-Wage
Connect with Nassau County Comptroller Maragos Online:
http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/Comptroller/index.html