Operation Solo

NY Freelance Isn't Free Act Penalty Calculator

New York's Freelance Isn't Free Act gives unpaid freelancers real teeth: a court awards double damages on unpaid fees, plus $250 where the client refused a written contract, plus your attorney's fees and costs. Retaliation for asserting your rights costs the client the full contract value per incident.

Payment is due on the contract date, or within 30 days of completing the work. Applies to NY contracts entered on or after August 28, 2024; NYC's 2017 law covers NYC-based work with the same figures.

Note: this is arithmetic, not legal advice. A pattern or practice of violations can also draw a civil penalty of up to $25,000 — but that action belongs to the NY Attorney General, not to an individual freelancer, so it isn't in the total. Written-contract claims have a 2-year limit; payment and retaliation claims have a 6-year limit.

Compare freelance payment laws: NY vs CA vs IL vs UK →

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Common questions

How much can I recover if a New York client does not pay me?

Double damages on the unpaid amount — so $1,000 unpaid can yield $2,000 in damages — plus reasonable attorney's fees and costs. Double damages are a statutory entitlement on a successful payment claim, not the court's discretion, so the calculator shows the full figure.

What happens if the client refused to give me a written contract?

Statutory damages of $250, if you requested a written contract before work began and the hiring party refused. If the client also violated another provision of the law — like not paying you — those statutory damages escalate to the full value of the underlying contract. The law covers engagements worth $800 or more, counting contracts with the same client over a 120-day period.

When does payment become late under New York's Freelance Isn't Free Act?

Payment is due on the date in your contract, or within 30 days of completing the work if the contract sets no date. The statewide law applies to contracts entered into on or after August 28, 2024. New York City's 2017 original law covers NYC-based work with the same damage figures.