Passed on January 29, 2026, LL61 provides for minimum wage and vacation parity as well as paid time off and supplemental benefits parity for private security personnel, phasing in on January 1 of 2027, 2028 and 2029, respectively. 

CooperatorNews recently spoke with attorney Peter Massa, real estate partner at Manhattan-based law firm Fox Rothschild, to better understand some of the intricacies of the new law and how it affects co-ops and condos.

COOPERATORNEWS: What is Local Law 61, and what does it mandate?

MASSA: “Local Law 61 of 2026 is a new New York City law that provides workplace protections to certain private-sector security guards. It is rolling out in three steps: a minimum wage first, then paid time off, and then supplemental benefits.”

CN: What are the exact requirements, terms, and effective dates for the new law?

MASSA: “The minimum wage requirement starts on January 1, 2027, the paid time off requirement starts on January 1, 2028, and the supplemental benefits requirement starts on January 1, 2029. This past September, the City's consumer and worker protection agency posted the minimum wage schedule for Phase One.”

CN: Who is affected by LL61?

MASSA: “The law protects covered private-sector security guards working in New York City. It most directly affects the security companies that employ those guards, but it also indirectly affects the co-op and condo buildings that contract with them, as higher labor costs are likely to be passed along in contract pricing. 

“That said, I don't expect a huge effect on most co-ops and condos, because those that use security guards generally already pay them more than minimum wage, which is required to qualify for the co-op/condo tax abatement.”

CN: How far does a co-op or condo board's fiduciary responsibility extend when it comes to an outside vendor’s compliance with labor laws?

MASSA: “The board isn't the employer of a [security] vendor's staff, so it isn't responsible for running that vendor's payroll. However, a board's duty to act prudently on behalf of the building does mean it should hire reputable vendors, get written assurances that those vendors follow the law, and act promptly if it learns of a problem. A vendor that cuts corners on wages can expose the building to service disruption, legal disputes, and reputational harm, and wage issues can also put tax benefits at risk for co-ops and condos receiving the abatement.”

CN: Does this affect all building employees, whether they work for a vendor like a security company, the building itself, or the management company?

MASSA: “The law is aimed at security guards, not building staff in general. Whether a guard is covered should depend on the job they do, not on who signs their paycheck. Doormen, porters, and other building workers who don't perform security work fall outside this law, although other wage rules may still apply to them.”

CN: How should boards and management prepare for this new regulation?

MASSA: “Boards should start by having their managing agent find every contract that involves security services and check when each one expires or renews. Next, they should ask their security vendors to confirm in writing that they will meet the January 1, 2027 wage requirement and the later paid time off and benefits phases. 

“Boards should also budget now for possible price increases, and when contracts come up for renewal, add language requiring legal compliance, indemnification, and the right to request proof of payment. Finally, buildings receiving the abatement should confirm that their existing wage commitments and the new law line up.”

CN: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

MASSA: “For most co-ops and condos already paying guards above minimum wage to keep their abatement, the first phase should mean little change. However, the paid time off and benefits phases in 2028 and 2029 could raise costs more noticeably, and so are worth planning for now.”