In its continued push to reform laws that have a negative effect on business, the Business Council of Westchester sponsored a trip to Albany on May 15 in partnership with the Lawsuit Reform Alliance of New York to lobby for repeal of the Scaffold Law. More than 100 people from 75 organizations attended the day.
The law, which holds employers liable for on the job injuries, costs taxpayers an estimated $785 million a year and the private sector $1.49 billion a year. Repeal of the Scaffold Law was among several reforms the BCW has called for in its 2018 Legislative Agenda.
“I think it was important for us to join forces with the Law Reform Alliance and other organizations for Scaffold Day in Albany,’’ said John Ravitz, Vice President and COO of the BCW. “New York has too many state laws and regulations that put a burden on businesses and we must continue to make our voices heard.’’
Jason Schiciano of Levitt-Fuirst Associates, who was among a number of BCW members to attend, was quoted in Habitat Magazine saying, “I feel like each time I’ve gone up, more of the legislators are aware of the situation and they have a better understanding of the issues. The law as currently written adds tremendous insurance costs to projects, which are passed on to the residents in co-ops, condos, and rental properties.”
The BCW has been working in partnership with the Lawsuit Reform Alliance of New York for the past five years and will continue its efforts to repeal the Scaffold Law.
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