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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Mimi Whittaker, Lawyer at National Employment Law Project
1:31:53
ยท
120 sec
Mimi Whittaker from the National Employment Law Project (NELP) testified in support of adequate funding for DCWP to enhance its enforcement capabilities. She emphasized DCWP's critical role in protecting workers and the need for resources to enforce New York City's increasing worker protections.
- Highlighted that DCWP enforces unique protections for NYC workers, often without private right of action
- Noted that proposed bills would require an additional $2.5 million in DCWP's budget
- Stressed the importance of a robust DCWP in light of federal efforts to dismantle worker and consumer protection agencies
Mimi Whittaker
1:31:53
Thank you, chairmen and members of the committee.
1:31:56
Is this is this one?
1:31:57
There we go.
1:32:00
Okay.
1:32:00
Thank you for the opportunity to speak today.
1:32:02
My name is Mimi Whitaker.
1:32:03
I'm a lawyer with the National Employment Project, NALP.
1:32:06
It's a national nonprofit with more than fifty five years of experience advocating for the labor and employment rights of low wage workers.
1:32:13
And I'm here to testify in support of adequate funding for d c d DCWP to support its enforcement capabilities.
1:32:20
So first, DCWP holds a critical role in protecting workers.
1:32:24
Despite being one of the smallest city agencies, they are a leader on workplace policy, and they enforce several unique protections for New York City Workers.
1:32:32
And because many of these laws don't carry a private right of action, workers must go to DCWP in order to make sure that their protections are enforced.
1:32:42
Secondly, I wanted to emphasize that New York City is doing a great job in significantly increasing worker protections, but it needs to also extend the resources to make sure that they are enforced.
1:32:53
Currently, the city council is considering several new bills that will offer significant wins for workers.
1:32:59
And together, the financial impact statements for these bills indicate that DCWP would require an additional 2,500,000.0 in their budget.
1:33:08
A robust DCWP is critical to ensure that New York's strong workplace protections are effective.
1:33:14
And lastly, which, is a bit of a theme today, I wanted to emphasize the federal efforts to dismantle, federal worker and consumer protection agencies, which make DCWPs enroll more critical than ever.
1:33:27
The Trump administration is getting these agencies of their staff and enforcement powers, meaning that unscrupulous employers will feel emboldened to disregard work worker rights.
1:33:36
Furthermore, the federal government's increased immigration enforcement at workplaces will have a chilling effect on workers, which makes all workers, regardless of their immigration status, vulnerable to workplace abuses.
1:33:48
And given that that's my time, we'd like to respectfully urge that you fund the DCWP.
1:33:53
Thank you.