196 - Powers of commissioner.

§  196.  Powers  of  commissioner. 1. In addition to the powers of the  commissioner  specified  in  other  sections  of   this   chapter,   the  commissioner shall have the following duties, powers and authority:    a.  He shall investigate and attempt to adjust equitably controversies  between employers and employees relating to this article.    b. He may take assignments of claims for  wages  as  defined  in  this  article  from  employees or third parties in trust for such employees or  for  the  benefit  of  various  funds  for  such  employees.  All   such  assignments  shall  run to the commissioner and his successor in office.  The commissioner may sue employers on wage claims  thus  assigned,  with  the  benefits  and subject to the provisions of existing law applying to  actions by employees for collection of wages.  He may join in  a  single  action any number of wage claims against the same employer.    c.  He  may institute proceedings on account of any criminal violation  of any provision of this article.    d. If it shall appear to him that any employer has been convicted of a  violation of any provision of this article or that any judgement against  an employer for non-payment of wages remains unsatisfied for a period of  ten days after the time to appeal therefrom has  expired,  and  that  no  appeal  therefrom  is  then  pending,  the commissioner may require such  employer to deposit with  him  a  bond  in  such  sum  as  he  may  deem  sufficient  and adequate in the circumstances, together with two or more  sureties or a duly authorized surety company,  to  be  approved  by  the  commissioner. The bond shall be payable to the commissioner and shall be  conditioned  that  the  employer will, for a definite future period, not  exceeding two years, pay his employees in accordance with the provisions  of this article, and shall be further conditioned upon  the  payment  by  the  employer  of  any  judgment  which  may  be  recovered against such  employer pursuant to the provisions of this article.    If within ten days after demand for such bond,  which  demand  may  be  made  by  certified  or  registered  mail,  such  employer shall fail to  deposit the same, the commissioner may bring an action in the  name  and  on  behalf  of the people of the state of New York against such employer  in the supreme court to compel such employer to furnish such a  bond  or  to  cease  doing  business until he has done so. The employer shall have  the burden of proving that either such a bond is unnecessary or that the  amount demanded is excessive. If the court  finds  that  there  is  just  cause  for  requiring  the bond and that same is reasonably necessary or  proper to secure prompt payment of the wages of the  employees  of  such  employer  and  his  compliance  with the provisions of this article, the  court may enjoin such employer and such other person or persons  as  may  have  been  or  may be concerned with or in any way participating in the  failure to pay the wages resulting in the conviction or in the  judgment  as  aforesaid, from doing business until the requirement is met and make  other and further orders  appropriate  to  compel  compliance  with  the  requirement.    e.  He  is  hereby  authorized  and empowered to enter into reciprocal  agreements with the labor department  or  corresponding  agency  of  any  other state or with the person, board, officer, or commission authorized  to  act  on  behalf  of such department or agency, for the collection in  such other states of claims and judgments for wages  based  upon  claims  assigned to the commissioner.    The  commissioner  may,  to  the extent provided for by any reciprocal  agreement entered into by law or with any agency  of  another  state  as  herein  provided, maintain actions in the courts of such other state for  the collection of claims and judgments for wages  and  may  assign  such  claims  and  judgments  to  the labor department or agency of such other  state for collection to the  extent  that  such  an  assignment  may  bepermitted  or  provided  for  by  the law of such state or by reciprocal  agreement.    The commissioner may, upon the written consent of the labor department  or  other  corresponding  agency  of  any  other state or of any person,  board, officer or commission of such state authorized to act  on  behalf  of  such  labor  department or corresponding agency, maintain actions in  the courts of this state upon assigned claims and  judgments  for  wages  arising  in  such  other state in the same manner and to the same extent  that such actions by the commissioner are  authorized  when  arising  in  this  state. However, such actions may be maintained only in cases where  such other state by law or reciprocal agreement extends a like comity to  cases arising in this state.    2. Nothing in  this  section  shall  be  construed  as  requiring  the  commissioner  in  every  instance  to  investigate and attempt to adjust  controversies, or to take assignments of wage claims,  or  to  institute  criminal prosecutions for any violation under this article, but he shall  be deemed vested with discretion in such matters.