Consultation Services

The Department of Labor can help you with a variety of human resources services at no cost, saving your business thousands of dollars each year.  Our services include:

• Job Analysis
• Skills Gap Analysis
• Employee Handbooks
• Legal Compliance
• Employment Application
• Interview Techniques
• Employee Orientation
• Turnover Analysis

Learn more - download the Human Resources Consultation Fact Sheet

Request a Consultation:

Contact Your Local Business Services Representative

Under the Department of Labor's Rapid Response program, businesses facing cutbacks, site closings, or layoffs have a variety of services to help mitigate and ease impacts to business owners and affected employees. Services include:

• Shared Work program - an alternative to laying off your employees
• Assistance for affected employees through our network of Career Centers, including how to file UI claims, resume development, job referrals, and training opportunities.  
• Job fairs

Learn more - download:

• Rapid Response Fact Sheet for Businesses Facing Cutbacks
• Rapid Response Fact Sheet for Workers Facing Layoffs

Get Assistance:

Contact Your local Business Services Representative

If your covered business is forced to close or layoff employees, you MUST comply with the New York State Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. 

Businesses in New York State that employ more than 50 are required to issue a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) 90 days before closing a plant. They must also notify when there is a layoff that affects 33 percent of the workforce (at least 25 workers) or 250 workers from a single employment site. They must send the notice to employees, their representatives, the State Labor Department and local workforce investment partners. 

Submit a WARN Act Notification

Under the Department of Labor's on-site health and safety consultation program, businesses may request free professional consultation services for workplace health and safety needs. 

• Consultations are confidential and completely separate from OSHA enforcement activities. We do not issue fines or penalties if we find safety and health violations.
• Employers who receive a comprehensive consultation, correct the hazards and institute an effective safety and health program can be eligible for the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Award (SHARP) and may receive a two-year exemption from a general scheduled OSHA inspection.
• Learn more - download the Health and Safety fact sheet

Request a Health and Safety Consultation

Email: [email protected]
Call: 1-888-4-NYSDOL 

Administered by the National Work Readiness Credential, the Work Readiness Credential is based on a business-defined standard of the critical skills needed by entry-level workers. Employers using the credential will reduce recruitment costs, improve productivity, minimize turnover, and lower on-the-job training costs by being able to confidently hire entry-level workers. The assessment is a test to evaluate the following work readiness skills:

• Communication
• Interpersonal
• Decision-making
• Lifelong learning

Learn more about the using the Work Readiness Credential:

National Work Readiness Website

Learn more about the following health insurance options for eligible small businesses:

NY State of Health’s Small Business Marketplace

Select from a variety of low-cost, quality health and dental plans to offer your employees. Depending on your size, tax credits may also be available for eligible businesses. You can set up a plan on your own – or with the help of a broker or assessor. Right for small businesses with 50 or fewer employees, benefits include:

• Ability to select one plan, several plans, or all plans offered where a person lives or works
• The option to choose how much of the cost you want to share
• Consolidated billing so you pay only one monthly bill
• Broker assistance to guide you and your employees through the enrollment process
• Helps you attract and keep workers who want health coverage for themselves and their families

Learn more about benefits, eligibility, and setting up your plan:

NY State of Health Small Business Marketplace Website

Healthy NY

Healthy NY provides a health insurance package for eligible small businesses that is made affordable through State sponsorship. It offers benefits that cover health needs including:

• Inpatient and outpatient hospital services
• Physician services
• Maternity care
• Preventive health services
• Diagnostic and x-ray services
• Emergency services

Learn more about eligibility and how to apply: 

healthy ny Website

The Reaching Out to Customers online course explains how the ADA applies to businesses in ten short lessons. Putting these lessons into practice will allow you to comply with the ADA and welcome a whole new group of customers to purchase your goods, products, and services. 

take the ADA Reaching out Course