CleanTech settlement

The Office of the New York Attorney General (OAG) has collected $1,029,175 from CleanTech for wages and benefits that employees earned but did not receive. Qualified workers will receive payments.

This is the only official site for the settlement.

The claims process is now open! Our office began notifying qualifying individuals on May 21, 2026.  The deadline to file a claim is August 31, 2026.

Overview of CleanTech settlement

CleanTech is a cleaning company that was contracted to provide emergency cleaning services on Rikers Island Correctional Facility between September 16, 2021, and December 31, 2021 (the Rikers Project). Our investigation found during this period CleanTech did all of the following:

• did not pay the correct prevailing wage, overtime pay, and supplemental benefits, and paid sick leave
• did not provide workers with hiring notices or wage statements
• required some employees to pay part of their wages to their manager to keep their jobs

As a result of OAG’s investigation, CleanTech has agreed to pay $1,029,175 into a restitution fund. This money will be sent to current and former CleanTech employees who performed emergency cleaning services for the Rikers Project between September 16, 2021, and December 31, 2021, and did any of the following:

• did not receive the correct prevailing wage, overtime pay, supplemental benefits, or paid sick leave, hiring notices, or wage statements
• paid kickbacks to CleanTech crew chiefs

All claims are being handled by OAG with assistance from NICE.  

This page describes the basics of the settlement. To learn more:

Are you eligible for payment? 

Did you perform cleaning services for CleanTech on the Rikers Project between September 16, 2021, and December 31, 2021? You may qualify for payment, per paragraph 3 of the AOD.

When and how to file a claim

Attorney General Letitia James has worked with CleanTech to create a list of workers who may qualify. If you are on the list, you will receive a notice from OAG by mail after May 11, 2026. This notice will include a verification form.

Return your completed verification form, with a copy of your photo identification card, to OAG in either of the following ways:

• Follow the verification form and ID upload link provided in our notice.
• Mail us the prepaid envelope you received in our notice.

We must receive your verification form and photo identification by August 31, 2026. 

OAG handling claims 

The OAG is managing the payments from the settlement fund. The OAG will:

• notify affected workers of the settlement
• process payments
• answer questions related to the settlement

NICE is providing claims help 

NICE is providing claimants with help submitting claims for payment. NICE will:

• provide in-person and phone help to eligible claimants with submitting the verification form and providing a copy of IDs
• notify affected workers of the settlement 
• answer questions related to the settlement