Last week the New York State Senate passed Senate Bill S8369B, aka the “Freelance Isn’t Free Act,” to protect freelance workers from wage theft and unfair payment practices by companies based in the state.
The law is aimed at “creating parity between employees hired onto a payroll and freelancers hired under a time-limited contract.” It mandates that any company hiring a freelancer for at least $250 must provide them with a written contract and timely payment in full. If the contact doesn’t specify a payment date, then the freelancer must be paid within 30 days after the work is completed. The bill also specifies that companies are prohibited from retaliating against freelancers for seeking payment based on their rights guaranteed in the law. Violators of the law could be subject to penalties up to $25,000.
“Freelance Isn’t Free is a major step toward making sure everyone is treated fairly, no matter what tax forms they file,” Eric Thurm, campaign coordinator at the National Writers Union and communications chair for the Freelance Solidarity Project, said in an email.
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