This bill establishes legal confidentiality for conversations between police officers and peer support specialists during official counseling sessions. It directly affects law enforcement officers seeking mental health support and the peer support specialists who provide it. Key provisions prohibit disclosing session details unless there's a specific threat of suicide, self-harm, violence, or child abuse - allowing limited disclosure only to prevent harm. Officers must receive written notice before sessions explaining these confidentiality rules and exceptions. The law ensures peer support communications remain private except in clearly defined safety emergencies.
This bill prohibits employers - including businesses, state agencies, and political subdivisions - from using an applicant's or employee's credit history for hiring, firing, or licensing decisions. It defines "employer" broadly to cover all entities with employees, including the state. The only exception allows credit checks for high-trust positions (e.g., government roles requiring public trust) if specifically approved by a state commission. This replaces prior legislation that had similar restrictions but different wording.
Clarifies the definition of custom fabrication for the purposes of prevailing wage; requires certain reports for public works contracts including such custom fabrication.
Permits the admissibility of testimony that a person reported acts of discrimination to another person in a civil trial under the human rights law, including the contents of such report.
This bill allows New York City police officers who previously worked as traffic enforcement agents to count that prior service toward their retirement and pension benefits. Specifically, it enables them to buy back service credit for their traffic enforcement time by paying the required contributions, ensuring this period counts as police service for retirement calculations. The policy applies to officers appointed as traffic enforcement agents before July 1, 2009, who later join the police department. It does not change existing retirement system rules but clarifies eligibility for those with prior traffic enforcement roles.
This bill establishes a new retirement option for correction officers employed by the Westchester County Correction Department. Currently, these officers can retire after 25 years of service and receive a retirement allowance equal to 50% of their final average salary. This legislation allows them to retire after 30 years of service and receive a retirement allowance equal to 60% of their final average salary. It also adjusts the formula for early service retirement benefits for those completing 30 years. All past service costs associated with this change will be borne by Westchester County, which can amortize these costs over ten years.
Senate Bill S 1090 amends the civil service law regarding dental insurance plans. It mandates that employers covered by this law must offer dental insurance coverage that becomes effective immediately upon an employee's starting date of employment. This change ensures that new employees have immediate access to dental benefits through their employer's plan.
Requires health insurance for state officers and employees who receive health insurance benefits from the state to take effect immediately upon employment.
Requires the same benefits and services for post-traumatic stress disorder for emergency dispatchers and correction officers as are afforded police and firefighters.
This bill creates a presumption that heart disease causing disability or death for certain public safety workers was incurred during their duties. It applies specifically to correction officers, correction supervisors, deputy sheriffs patrol, and their supervisors in New York State who are covered by the state retirement system. Under the bill, if such workers develop heart disease while employed and passed a pre-hire physical showing no heart issues, the disability is automatically presumed work-related for retirement benefit purposes - shifting the burden to prove otherwise to the employer. The law amends retirement system rules to establish this presumption without requiring additional proof from the worker.
