Have you worked with Excellent Employment Agency, United Employment Agency, Patricia Employment Agency, Rivera Employment Agency or Sunset Employment Agency? These four employment agencies in Jackson Heights, Queens and Sunset Park, Brooklyn were found to have charged clients excessive fees; discriminated against clients based on race, ethnicity, gender and age in job referrals; referred clients to organizations that paid below the minimum wage of $8.00 per hour and refused to refund clients their advanced fees.
Click here for further information about this case brought by the New York State Attorney General.
Here is information about Employment Agencies:
- They must be licensed by either the Commissioner of Labor or the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs.
- They may charge a fee for their services and in certain circumstance may require a deposit or advance fee. There are limits as to how much they can charge.
- They must provide receipts for all fees
- They must provide copies of all contracts
- They cannot refer an applicant to a job that pays less than the minimum wage or does not pay overtime
- They cannot ask about an applicant’s nationality, age, number of children or marital status
- They cannot discriminate against an applicant for filing a complaint, against an Employment Agency, with a government agency like the Attorney General’s Office, Department of Labor or the Department of Consumer Affairs
For further information regarding your rights when working with an Employment Agency, click here and here.
If you believe that you have been discriminated against by an Employment Agency you may file a civil rights complaint. You can contact the New York State Attorney General’s Office at 212-416-8250 or civil.rights@ag.ny.gov for further assistance.