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.
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.
This bill would reduce taxable income for individuals by excluding overtime pay from federal adjusted gross income. Specifically, it creates a new tax provision allowing workers to subtract wages earned for hours beyond their normal schedule (defined as "overtime compensation") from their taxable income. The change would apply to all taxpayers earning overtime pay, effectively lowering their federal income tax liability for that income. The provision would take effect for tax years beginning January 1, 2026.
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.
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.
S 587 creates a new income tax deduction for cash tips received by workers, specifically for tips classified as wages under federal tax law. This change directly affects service industry workers (like servers and bartenders) who receive cash tips, allowing them to subtract those tips from their taxable income. The bill adds a specific deduction line to the tax code for cash tips received during a tax year, effective for all tax returns filed for 2025 and later. It does not change how tips are reported to employers but adjusts how they are treated for state tax purposes. The bill is currently pending in committee review.
Relates to the statute of limitations for actions based on discriminatory practices in employment; establishes action must be commenced within six years.
Provides that the court shall not reduce jury awards as excessive in employment discrimination actions unless the court finds exceptional circumstances which compel the conclusion that the jury was influenced by partiality, prejudice, mistake or corruption.
This bill requires employers with 20+ full-time permanent employees to create a written workplace violence prevention program that includes specific training to address abusive conduct and bullying. The program must identify workplace risks (like working alone or public-facing roles) and detail prevention methods, such as conflict resolution training and reporting systems for aggressive behavior. Employees must receive annual training on recognizing and reporting bullying, understanding workplace risks, and using safety measures like emergency procedures and security devices. The law applies to all covered employers statewide and takes effect 180 days after enactment.
Relates to increasing the earnings limitation for positions of public service; increases the earnings limitation from $35,000 to $65,000 in 2027 and thereafter.
