S5081C

The New York State Senate passed legislation to strengthen protections for warehouse workers, approving Senate Print 5081C on a 52-5 vote. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Ramos, advances worker safety measures first established in the 2022 Warehouse Worker Protection Act. Ramos argued that warehouse workers in New York face the most dangerous working conditions in the state, with injury rates 54 percent higher than the national average and four times higher than other industries. She cited data showing that one in 11 New York warehouse workers are injured annually and noted that Amazon, which increased its New York footprint by 14 percent since 2022, maintains a 150 percent annual employee turnover rate. Ramos contended that employers have failed to self-regulate and that workers at facilities like the ALB-1 Amazon warehouse near the Capitol receive inadequate medical attention for injuries. The bill takes effect June 1, 2025. Five senators voted against the measure: Helming, Stec, Tedisco, Weber, and Weik.