New York State adopts significant amendments to child labor laws

New York State’s fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget—which Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law on May 9, 2025—included significant amendments to New York’s child labor laws. The New York Labor Law (NYLL) already contained stringent limits on businesses and other organizations employing minors. These New York provisions complement the requirements concerning the employment of minors in the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Increased penalties

Under the recent amendments, which became effective May 9, 2025, the maximum civil penalties for violations of New York’s child labor laws rose dramatically to:

• As high as $10,000 for a first violation (previously, as high as $1,000);
• From $2,000 to $25,000 for a second violation (previously, as high as $2,000); and
• From $10,000 to $55,000 for a third or subsequent violation (previously, as high as $3,000).

Further, in circumstances where an employer’s violations of child labor laws results in a serious injury to (or the death of) a minor, employers will face sharply increased penalties of:

• From $3,000 to $30,000 for a first violation;
• From $6,000 to $75,000 for a second violation; and
• From $30,000 to $175,000 for a third or subsequent violation.

Before the amendments, the penalty an employer faced for violations of child labor laws that resulted in a serious injury to (or the death of) a minor was only triple the maximum penalty under the law.