N.Y. Correct. Law § 187

§ 187. Earnings of inmates. 1. Every inmate confined in a state\ncorrectional facility, subject to the rules and regulations of the\ndepartment of corrections and community supervision, and every inmate\nconfined in a local correctional facility, in the discretion of the\nsheriff thereof, may receive compensation for work performed during his\nor her imprisonment. Such compensation shall be graded by the department\nof corrections and community supervision with regard to inmates employed\nin prison industries, based upon the work performed by such prisoners\nfor prisoners confined in state correctional facilities, and by the\nsheriffs in all local correctional facilities for inmates confined\ntherein.\n 2. The department of corrections and community supervision shall adopt\nrules, subject to the approval of the director of the budget, for\nestablishing in all of the state correctional facilities a system of\ncompensation for the inmates confined therein. Such rules shall provide\nfor the payment of compensation to each inmate, who shall meet the\nrequirements established by the department of corrections and community\nsupervision, based upon the work performed by such inmates.\n 3. The department shall prepare graded wage schedules for inmates,\nwhich schedules shall be based upon classifications according to the\nvalue of work performed by each. Such schedules need not be uniform in\nall institutions. The rules of the department shall also provide for the\nestablishment of a credit system for each inmate and the manner in which\nsuch earnings shall be paid to the inmate or his or her dependents or\nheld in trust for him or her until his or her release.\n 4. Any compensation paid to an inmate under this article shall be\nbased on the work performed by such inmate. Compensation may be paid\nfrom moneys appropriated to the department and available to facilities\nfor nonpersonal service.\n