State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli - Happy Labor Day, Supporting Workers and Their Rights

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Happy Labor Day, Supporting Workers and Their Rights

 As we enjoy this long Labor Day weekend, I'd like to recognize the hardworking men and women who are the backbones of our communities. Thank you to the workers who serve, protect, build, educate, heal and strengthen New York. As State Comptroller, I will continue to do all I can to support workers and protect their rights. 

My office has closely studied issues impacting the workforce. Earlier this year, I issued reports on the gender wage gap in NYS and women’s engagement with the labor force in NYC during the pandemic. I encouraged the State to study these issues in more depth, and I'm pleased to see the NYS Department of Labor (DOL) is looking at how COVID-19 affected women in the workplace and pay inequality. This is a positive step, and I encourage DOL to do similar work for other groups that my reports have shown face employment challenges, including people with disabilities, youth, workers without a college education and immigrants.

My office has also identified shortcomings in the State’s workforce development programs, the need for more job training and resources for the growing green economy, and inadequate safety protections for workers at NYC construction sites. Also, I will continue my engagement with companies to urge them to address workplace safety and other issues. On this Labor Day and every day, we must support the hardworking New Yorkers who are keeping our State strong.