Recio v. D'Almonte Enterprises Parking Garage, Inc.

**Parking Garage Workers Win Wage Case** This case involved parking garage workers employed by D'Almonte Enterprises who claimed they weren't being paid the wages they were legally entitled to receive. The workers argued that because they were classified as competitive class employees by the municipal civil service commission, they should have been receiving higher "prevailing wages" under New York Labor Law section 220. The court ruled in favor of the workers, agreeing that they were indeed entitled to these higher prevailing wages based on their employment classification. The judge affirmed that the civil service commission's classification of these employees meant the employer was required to pay prevailing wage rates, not lower wages. **What This Means for Workers:** This decision reinforces that employers cannot shortchange workers on wages when specific legal requirements apply to their jobs. If you work in a position covered by prevailing wage laws - often jobs connected to government contracts or public work - your employer must pay the legally required wage rates, not whatever they choose to pay. Workers in similar situations should know they have legal protections and can challenge employers who try to pay less than what the law requires.