My last insurance premiums almost doubled and I recently found out that I will be expecting a 15% increase on my 2013 renewal.  The Scaffold Law is driving insurance companies out of the market, and reducing the amount of companies that will write Liability Policy’s in NY to 4.   The Premiums are Crippling and severely impact the small and mid-sized businesses. This heavily hits the minority and women-owned businesses that can fulfill the goals Gov. Cuomo has implemented.  

- Christine Donaldson Boccia, Co-Owner and Executive Manager, Donaldson Traditional Interiors of Huntington Station

“I’ve been building homes in Western NY for 30 years, and I’ve seen the impact of the Scaffold Law first hand. Since we have been sued and fallen victim to this horrible law, our insurance premiums keep going up almost every year. Scaffold Law lawsuits are threatening the viability of an entire industry.”

- Bernie Iacavangelo, Farber Custom Homes

Reforming New York's outdated and costly Scaffold Law is not only long overdue, but necessary to rebuild New York's infrastructure and economy. It is a fundamental issue of fairness: Only in New York are those who may not be responsible for an injury held liable anyway. Reforming the Scaffold Law by giving contractors and others their day in court--where actual liability can be determined--will reduce the cost of construction, create jobs and promote greater workplace safety. At the same time that New York struggles with staggering infrastructure needs we cannot afford, we continue to perpetuate a flawed law that unnecessarily drives up those costs. There is no excuse for New York to remain the only state in the nation with such an antiquated and indefensible law on the books. The time for reform is now.

-Mike Elmendorf, President/CEO Associated General Contractors of New York State

 "The Scaffold Law forces manufacturers to pay more for insurance and increases their costs due to mitigating the risk of lawsuits. This, in turn, keeps money out of the economy and reduces the number of jobs in our state. The hard working manufacturers of New York simply cannot handle these added burdens.”

- Randy Wolken, Manufacturers Association of Central New York