This bill (S 4300) prohibits employers from firing or discriminating against employees who respond to emergencies as volunteer firefighters or ambulance workers. It directly protects volunteer emergency responders by making it illegal for employers to terminate their employment solely because they were performing emergency duties. The law covers necessary travel to, work at, and return from emergencies, including fire alarms, hazardous material incidents, or medical calls, as defined by existing volunteer benefit laws. The policy change takes effect immediately, ensuring job security for these volunteers during emergency response activities.
Tags
Public Safety
This bill is a symbolic resolution (S.28) urging Governor Hochul to officially designate April 2025 as "Workplace Violence Prevention Month" in New York. It does not create new laws but seeks to raise public awareness about workplace safety, particularly highlighting that healthcare workers face five times higher violence risk than other industries. The resolution formally memorializes the Governor to issue the proclamation, with copies sent to state officials and healthcare advocacy groups like the American Nurses Association. It aligns with national recognition of April as Workplace Violence Prevention Awareness Month.
This bill creates a new office within the Office for the Aging focused on supporting older adults in the workforce. It establishes a coordinator (appointed by the Office for the Aging director) who will work with the Department of Labor and Division of Human Rights to develop and coordinate programs. Key provisions include creating a centralized website with job resources, providing information on age discrimination protections, and offering outreach about available services. The office directly serves older adults seeking job placement, career development, or workplace support.
This bill (S 938) repeals existing laws that prohibited public employees in New York from striking and imposed penalties for strike participation. It directly affects public employees and their unions by removing legal bans on strikes and eliminating associated penalties like payroll deductions. The key mechanism is the repeal of specific Civil Service Law provisions that previously banned strikes, required disciplinary action for participants, and mandated financial penalties. This change would allow public employees to engage in strikes without facing these specific legal consequences under the repealed sections. The bill does not create new strike rights but removes the prohibitions that were in place.
Requires certain notices, procedures and approvals prior to the sale or closure of a coal electric generation facility; requires extensive health screening of all employees contractors and subcontractors working at such plant, requires a retraining program for affected employees of mass layoffs.
Permits telemedicine services for mental and behavioral health issues under the workers' compensation system; permits one in-person visit within twelve months unless such in-person visit causes undue hardship on a patient.
Provides that an eligible employee may take two weeks of paid leave through the paid family leave program and an additional two weeks of unpaid leave during any 52 week calendar period as a result of being a victim of domestic or sexual abuse.
Prohibits any employer, labor organization, employment agency or licensing agency, or employees or agents thereof, to seek high school, college or graduate program graduation dates from a prospective employee for an interview or as a condition for employment.
Establishes the "no severance ultimatums act", which prevents employers from giving coercive ultimatums to employees or former employees relating to severance agreements.
This bill creates a New York state tax credit for small businesses hiring disabled workers. Small businesses with 100 or fewer employees can claim a $5,000 credit per disabled employee (up to $25,000 per business annually), provided the employee works 35+ hours weekly for six months and the employer verifies the employee meets the statutory disability definition. The credit is capped at $5 million total per year, with unused credits carried forward for up to three years. It directly affects small business employers in New York who hire eligible disabled residents, aiming to incentivize their employment through tax relief.
