See If NYC Owes You Part of $5M in Unclaimed Wages

NEW YORK, NY —If you worked on a city-funded project in New York City, you might be owed money. New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer announced today that he’s beginning a “Know Your Rights” campaign that will work to connect more than 1,000 people who were underpaid on city public works projects to over $5 million in unclaimed prevailing wages they’re owed.

Private contractors engaged in New York City public works projects or service contracts with city agencies must pay no less than the prevailing wage or living wage to their employees. The Comptroller's office works to recover the amount of the underpayment plus interest for those who were underpaid.

To search a list of names of people who are owed money, check out this database.

“Here at the Comptroller’s office, we believe that an honest day’s work deserves an honest day’s pay,” Stringer said. “Since taking office, we’ve de-barred 35 companies that have cheated workers out of their rightfully earned wages and recovered millions for hard-working men and women. Today we’re joining with a coalition of partners to help ensure everyone knows their rights about prevailing wages and to send a message that we do not tolerate exploitation of workers, no matter their immigration status.”

The Comptroller's Bureau of Labor Law has assessed almost $18 million in prevailing wage violations since 2014 and paid more than $8 million to workers who were cheated out of their pay.

The “Know Your Rights” campaign will raise awareness of these prevailing wages through social media engagement, partnerships with media outlets, the distribution of informational flyers in various languages, and direct community outreach.

Members of the Comptroller's Bureau of Labor Law will also be staffing information tables throughout Labor Rights Week from Aug. 29 to Sept. 4. Find these members at the Mexican Consulate in Midtown, El Centro del Inmigrante in Staten Island, and Feria Comunitaria in Washington Heights.

Individuals who believe they're entitled to unclaimed wages are urged to check the database, call the Comptroller's hotline at 212-669-4443, or email laborlaw@comptroller.nyc.gov.

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