Labor & Employment

signed · New York · Senate Mar 27, 2026

S 8818: Provides protections for telecommunications tower technicians; repealer

Provides protections for telecommunications tower technicians, including requiring that all tower technicians performing work pursuant to a contract with a state agency complete training requirements determined by the office of general services prior to commencing work pursuant to such contracts; repeals legislative intent relating to such tower technician protections; relates to the effectiveness thereof.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates safety training for tower technicians, directly enhancing workplace safety protections under Labor & Employment.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

in committee · New York · Senate Mar 27, 2026

S 6554: Provides for benefits for certain emergency medical technicians in the city of New York who suffer any condition or impairment of health caused by a stroke resulting in disability or death

Provides for benefits for certain emergency medical technicians or advanced emergency medical technicians in the city of New York who suffer any condition or impairment of health caused by a stroke resulting in disability or death.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides disability/death benefits for NYC EMTs with work-related stroke conditions, expanding worker benefits90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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in committee · New York · Senate Mar 26, 2026

S 6433: Provides that New York city correction officers may file for disability without ten years of service

Bill S 6433 amends the retirement and social security law to change the requirements for disability applications. This bill allows uniformed personnel of the New York City Department of Correction to file for disability benefits without needing a minimum of ten years of service credit. Previously, a general requirement of at least ten years of total service credit applied to disability applications. This change specifically affects New York City correction officers, enabling them to apply for disability regardless of their length of employment.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRemoves 10-year service barrier for NYC correction officers' disability benefits, expanding access to worker protections and benefits without ambiguity.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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in committee · New York · Senate Mar 26, 2026

S 6404: Provides a lung disease presumption for correction officers, correction supervisors, deputy sheriff patrol or deputy sheriff patrol supervisors

This bill creates a legal presumption that lung diseases causing disability or death for certain New York state correction and law enforcement workers were incurred during their duties. It directly affects correction officers, correction supervisors, deputy sheriff patrol officers, and their supervisors who are part of the state retirement system. The law presumes that any lung disease contracted while employed was work-related (and thus eligible for disability benefits), unless the worker had a pre-existing lung condition proven by their initial pre-employment physical exam. This applies to current employees who developed the condition during their service.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates presumption for work-related lung disease disability benefits, expanding healthcare access for correction officers under state retirement system.92% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentPresumes work-relatedness of lung diseases for correction officers, easing access to disability benefits under workplace safety protections95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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in committee · New York · Senate Mar 25, 2026

S 2234: Provides that either party to a workers' compensation claim can request a hearing

This bill allows both injured workers and employers to request a hearing in workers' compensation disputes. It requires the board to schedule such hearings within 45 days of a request and prohibits the board from imposing limits, prerequisites, or penalties on hearing requests. The bill also mandates that the board maintain a record of all hearings held. This change directly affects workers and employers navigating compensation claims by streamlining access to hearings.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRemoves barriers for injured workers to request hearings in compensation claims, strengthening access to dispute resolution per bill's requirements.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed · New York · Senate Mar 25, 2026

S 413: Relates to the resolution of certain claims by certain employees

Makes the release of any claim by an employee, or independent contractor who is a natural person, against an employer, unenforceable if, as a condition of such resolution, the employee or independent contractor is prohibited from applying for, accepting, or engaging in future employment with such employer, or any entity or entities related to such employer.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentPrevents employers from forcing employees to waive future employment rights in settlements, directly protecting workers' ability to seek other jobs.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

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in committee · New York · Senate Mar 24, 2026

S 9262: Relates to the retirement of county and municipal airport firefighters

This bill creates an optional 25-year retirement plan for airport firefighters employed by counties or municipalities. It allows eligible firefighters (those responsible for aircraft rescue, fire suppression, and emergency response at airports) to retire after 25 years of service and receive a pension equal to half their final average salary. Employers (counties/municipalities) must voluntarily adopt the plan by resolution and cover the costs, but it does not affect existing retirement options for other workers. The plan includes credit for prior service in firefighting, police, or military roles and applies only to firefighters whose employer chooses to participate.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates optional retirement benefit with pension for airport firefighters, expanding employment benefits for a specific workforce.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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in committee · New York · Senate Mar 24, 2026

S 7534: Relates to disability retirement benefits for the presumption of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis for paid members of a fire department in a city with a population of one million or more

Provides a performance of duty presumption for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis for paid members of a fire department in a city with a population of one million or more.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides presumption of duty for ALS in firefighters, enabling easier access to disability retirement benefits - strengthens worker protections for a high-risk occupation.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed · New York · Senate Mar 23, 2026

S 2499: Relates to employment discrimination relating to family leave

Provides that an employee shall not be required to request reinstatement in order to file a discrimination claim regarding paid family medical leave benefits; permits a private right of action for certain violations as an alternative to a workers' compensation claim; provides for attorneys' fees and costs.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill protects workers' rights by eliminating reinstatement requirement for family leave discrimination claims and enabling private legal action, strengthening employment protections.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed · New York · Senate Mar 23, 2026

S 2640: Includes veterans in the definition of military status for purposes of unlawful discrimination

This bill amends New York's law to explicitly include veterans in the legal definition of "military status." It expands the current definition - which already covers active military service - to protect veterans who have completed their service from unlawful discrimination. The key change adds the phrase "a person's participation in the military service... if such person has been released from such service" to the existing definition. This means veterans will now be covered under the same anti-discrimination protections that apply to active-duty military personnel. The change applies to all areas governed by this law, including employment and housing.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly expands anti-discrimination protections to cover veterans in employment, strengthening workers' rights under Labor & Employment by adding veterans to protected classes.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill explicitly expands anti-discrimination protections to cover veterans by amending military status definition, strengthening legal safeguards for veterans.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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