Retaliation carries its own price tag. Fire a security guard within 90 days of them complaining about wages, and the employer starts with a presumption of retaliation working against them. Penalties reach $2,500 per wrongful termination, plus reinstatement and back pay. Even lesser retaliation like demotions or schedule changes costs $500 per incident.

Workers can take multiple paths to enforcement. They can file complaints with the city agency, which must protect their identity during investigations. They can also skip the agency entirely and head straight to court, where they have six years to sue and can recover attorney’s fees if they win. The city’s lawyers can also bring their own lawsuits when they spot patterns of violations.

Not everyone falls under the new rules. Workers on federal service contracts or existing prevailing wage jobs are exempt. So are security guards with union contracts that specifically waive these requirements, as long as their total package equals or beats what the law demands.

For unionized workplaces and companies with employment agreements signed by October 30, 2025, the clock does not start ticking until those contracts expire.

The mayor’s veto, ultimately unsuccessful, signaled concerns about the law’s impact on private employers. But the overwhelming council support carried the day. Speaker Adrienne E. Adams led the effort alongside council members Crystal Hudson, Justin L. Brannan, Mercedes Narcisse, Tiffany L. Cabán, Julie Menin, Kamillah Hanks, Julie Won, Lincoln Restler, Carmen N. De La Rosa, Sandra Ung, Francisco P. Moya, Lynn C. Schulman, Amanda C. Farías, James F. Gennaro, Diana I. Ayala, Jennifer Gutiérrez, Shahana K. Hanif, Gale A. Brewer, Erik D. Bottcher, Shekar Krishnan, Christopher Marte, Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Eric Dinowitz, Yusef Salaam, Chris Banks, Shaun Abreu, Linda Lee, Keith Powers, Chi A. Ossé, Alexa Avilés, Althea V. Stevens, Farah N. Louis, Susan Zhuang, Oswald J. Feliz, Kevin C. Riley, Rafael Salamanca, Jr., Sandy Nurse, Rita C. Joseph, Nantasha M. Williams, Darlene Mealy, Pierina Ana Sanchez, and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.