New York has joined a growing number of states tackling the issue of employment classification for commercial truck drivers. Following through on a mandate in a bill passed in January, the state’s Department of Labor released new standards this week to clarify whether a driver is an employee or an independent contractor.
“The trucking industry is vital to how our state operates, from shipping materials that make our buildings, to parts and systems that keep us safe, to the food and products we use every day,” says New York Commissioner of Labor Peter Rivera. “For too long, truck drivers have sought to have a clear standard. This law provides clarity for employers and truckers.”