Employer Tax Fraud Activities
24-Hour Toll-Free Hotline
(1-866) 435-1499
The State Labor Department has a 24-hour toll-free hotline for those who wish to report employer UI tax fraud. Examples of employer tax fraud are:
- Paying “off the books” or “under the table” wages
- Intentional misclassification of workers as independent contractors
- State Unemployment Tax Act (SUTA) dumping – shifting workers between employer payrolls to improperly use a lower tax rate
Misclassifying workers and paying workers off the books can have a severe impact on workers and employers in industries where the practice prevails.
For employers, it creates an unfair economic advantage and imposes higher costs on responsible employers. This makes them less competitive and more likely to be under-bid by businesses that intentionally misclassify workers.
For workers, it affects working conditions by encouraging unscrupulous employers to ignore labor protections, such as wage and hour requirements and safety and health regulations.
SUTA dumping occurs when employers and/or their representatives transfer employees between multiple payrolls strictly to obtain lower UI tax rates.
We need your help to keep the tax system fair and equitable for everyone. If you are aware of an employer committing fraud, you may report it anonymously by these methods:
- Call 1-866-435-1499
- Contact our UI Fraud Unit at (518) 485-2144 between 8 am and 4 pm
- Fax information to (518) 485-6172
- Report by mail to:
New York State Department of Labor
Liability and Determination, Fraud Unit
Building 12, Room 356
W.A. Harriman State Office Campus
Albany, NY 12240