The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Puts $1.9 Billion Back in the Pockets of New Yorkers
December 16, 2025
NEW YORK, NY – New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga today shared major accomplishments throughout the last four years that put more than $1.9 billion back in New Yorkers’ pockets, helping working families earn more, save more, and stay protected.
"We took office with a simple promise: to 'Get Stuff Done,’ and, four years later, our administration can say we delivered that every day for working-class New Yorkers," said New York City Mayor Adams. "We drove shootings to record lows and pushed jobs and small businesses to record highs. We rewrote the playbook on homelessness and mental health to finally get New Yorkers living on our streets the help they need, and, after decades of half-measures, passed historic housing legislation to turn New York into a 'City of Yes.' We overhauled the way our students learn to read and do math, cut the cost of child care, and forgave medical debt. We eliminated taxes for low-income families, launched free universal after-school programming, and won tens of millions of dollars for consumers and workers through historic settlements. We got scaffolding off our buildings, trash bags off our streets, and opened up new public spaces for New Yorkers to enjoy. The haters may have doubted us, but the results are clear. On issue after issue, we brought common-sense leadership to create a safer, more affordable city, and our work has changed our city for the better; it will stand the test of time because we made New York City the best place to live and raise a family."
“Our priority every day is always the same—protecting and enhancing the daily economic lives of New Yorkers to create thriving communities,” said DCWP Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga. “By enforcing rights and securing meaningful restitution for consumers and workers, reducing burdensome debt, and expanding access to financial education, we’re ensuring that New Yorkers have the tools and resources they need to build stability and thrive.
Some DCWP highlights from the Mayor Adams Administration:
Protecting Consumers & Fighting Predatory Practices:
DCWP delivered more than $32 million in consumer relief since the start of the administration, holding bad actors accountable for deceptive and illegal business practices. For example, DCWP secured $1.5 million in restitution for consumers duped by used car dealership group 26 Motors and $600,000 from R.G. Ortiz Funeral Homes for grieving families whose trauma was exploited. DCWP also works to protect vulnerable consumers, bringing charges against a repeat fraudulent “notario” who preyed on immigrants and suing three employment agencies that systemically forced job seekers to pay illegal advance fees. DCWP has strengthened enforcement against businesses operating unlawfully, like home improvement contractors, unlicensed parking garages that DCWP put the brakes on by getting a court order directing Way.com to stop promoting and facilitating illegal lots, and holding brokers who charge illegal fees accountable under the Fairness in Apartment Rental Expenses (FARE) Act.
Raising the Wages of App-Based Restaurant Delivery Workers & Protecting Workers:
Established the nation’s first minimum hourly pay rate for app-based restaurant delivery workers, leading to a collective $1 billion increase in wages since December 2023 when the enforcement of the Minimum Pay Rate began. DCWP has also worked alongside City Council to expand Delivery Worker Laws and the Minium Pay Rate to cover more NYC delivery workers.
DCWP has secured more than $86.8 million in worker relief since the start of the administration. Most recently, securing the largest worker protection settlement in New York City history, with a $38.9 million settlement with Starbucks over widespread violations of the City’s Fair Workweek Law. In 2022, DCWP also secured $20 million in relief for more than 13,000 Chipotle Mexican Grill workers for violations of their rights under the Fair Workweek Law and Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law. DCWP also worked with City Council to expand worker protections to additional industries, including hotel workers, and celebrated 10 years of Paid Safe and Sick Leave, safeguarding the rights of more than 3.8 million workers to take paid time off work to care for themselves and their families.
Financial Empowerment, Debt Down, Savings Up:
Since the start of the administration, DCWP’s Financial Empowerment Centers have helped New Yorkers reduce more than $48.7 million in debt and increase savings by over $5.8 million through free, one-on-one financial counseling. NYC Free Tax Prep has completed 367,000 tax returns, helping filers save $95 million in filing fees and securing an estimated $659 million in tax refunds, including valuable tax credits, like the enhanced NYC Earned Income Tax Credit, which was expanded in 2022 for the first time in 20 years, helping New Yorkers keep vital more of their hard-earned money.
Preparing the Next Generation, Financially Strong Youth:
DCWP launched a major citywide Financial Literacy for Youth Initiative to ensure every public school student can learn how to save, budget, and make smart financial choices by 2030. The City also introduced an In-School Banking pilot that will give students real-world exposure to affordable banking options, hands-on money management experience, and exposure to career opportunities in the financial sector.
For more information about DCWP, including consumer and worker rights, NYC Free Tax Prep, and financial empowerment resources, visit nyc.gov/dcwp or contact 311.
The NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) protects and enhances the daily economic lives of New Yorkers to create thriving communities. DCWP licenses nearly 45,000 businesses in more than 40 industries and enforces key consumer protection and workplace laws that apply to countless more. By supporting businesses through equitable enforcement and access to resources, DCWP protects the marketplace from predatory practices and strives to create a culture of compliance. DCWP empowers consumers and working families by providing the tools and resources they need to achieve financial health and work-life balance. DCWP also conducts research and advocates for public policy that furthers its work to support New York City’s communities. For more information about DCWP and its work, call 311 or visit DCWP at nyc.gov/dcwp, sign up for its newsletter, or follow on its social media sites, X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Media Contact:
Sophie Ota / Stephany Vasquez Sanchez
Department of Consumer and Worker Protection
(212) 436-0042
press@dcwp.nyc.gov