New York has announced that it will be the 15th state to join the US Department of Labor in increasing scrutiny of employers using ?independent contractor? classification. As a result of the increased inspection and enforcement the Department of Labor has gotten employers to giver over $18 million in pack pay for nearly 20,000 misclassified workers since 2011. The partnership between the states and the federal Department of Labor includes sharing of information, cases, and resources. Employers in New York are encouraged to contact counsel to ensure that they are self-policing their worker classification practices and hedging their exposure to suits.
See "New York Joins US Department of Labor?s Worker Misclassification Crackdown", Mark Goldstein, Forbes.com, November 19, 2013