NEW YORK, NY— More than 1,600 New York City workers will receive back pay after city investigators found four employers violated laws designed to protect employees' schedules and paid time off.
The settlements require Walgreens, Allstar Security & Consulting, Calzedonia, which owns the Intimissimi retail chain, and Kinship Coffee to pay a combined $2.3 million in restitution, civil penalties and costs, according to the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.
Most of the money, more than $2.1 million, will go directly to workers.
The cases involve some of New York City's largest workplace protections, including requirements that retail workers receive advance notice of their schedules and that eligible employees receive protected paid time off.
"When a company shorts a worker on their schedule or their time off, that worker pays for it — missing their kid's pickup, losing a shift they were counting on, scrambling to find childcare with two days' notice," Mayor Zohran Mamdani said. "These laws exist because working families deserve stability on the job."
Walgreens agreed to the largest settlement.
The pharmacy chain will pay more than $1.6 million to more than 570 employees who worked at three Brooklyn stores, along with $163,000 in civil penalties.
According to the City, investigators found Walgreens failed to provide workers with the required 72 hours' advance notice of work schedules and assigned additional hours without obtaining the notice and consent required under New York City's Fair Workweek Law.
Allstar Security & Consulting will pay $270,000 to more than 900 workers after investigators concluded the company failed to provide protected paid time off required under city law. The company will also pay $30,000 in civil penalties and costs.
Calzedonia, the parent company of lingerie retailer Intimissimi, agreed to pay more than $154,000 to more than 50 employees.
The City said the company failed to provide schedules at least 72 hours in advance, required employees to work additional hours without proper notice or consent and canceled scheduled shifts without enough advance notice.
Kinship Coffee will pay more than $67,000 to more than 90 workers at three Queens locations after the city found violations of New York City's Protected Time Off Law. The company will also pay more than $9,000 in civil penalties and costs.
| Employer | Workers Receiving Restitution | Restitution |
|---|---|---|
| Walgreens | More than 570 | More than $1.6 million |
| Allstar Security & Consulting | More than 900 | $270,000 |
| Calzedonia (Intimissimi) | More than 50 | More than $154,000 |
| Kinship Coffee | More than 90 | More than $67,000 |
Many employees may not realize city law limits how employers can change work schedules.
Under New York City's Fair Workweek Law, retail employers generally must provide work schedules at least 72 hours before a shift begins.
Employers also cannot require workers to take additional hours with less than 72 hours' notice unless employees voluntarily agree. They generally cannot cancel scheduled shifts with less than 72 hours' notice or schedule on-call shifts.
The law aims to give workers more predictable schedules so they can arrange child care, school and second jobs.
New York City's Protected Time Off Law requires covered employers to provide paid or unpaid protected leave, depending on company size.
Eligible employees can receive up to 40 or 56 hours of protected leave each year, including paid sick leave and paid prenatal leave for covered workers.
The City said both Allstar Security & Consulting and Kinship Coffee violated those requirements.
Yes.
Employees who believe their employer violated New York City's Fair Workweek Law or Protected Time Off Law can file a complaint with the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.
Workers may file complaints anonymously regardless of immigration status, and city law prohibits employers from retaliating against employees for exercising their workplace rights.
Since the start of the Mamdani administration, the department says it has recovered more than $10.1 million in restitution for New York City workers.
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