Labor & Employment

in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 1436: Relates to paid sick leave provided by employers with full-time employee equivalents

S 1436 requires employers to provide paid sick leave based on business size: employers with 5-99 full-time equivalent employees must offer 40 hours of paid sick leave annually per worker, while those with 100+ employees must provide 56 hours. Smaller employers (4 or fewer full-time equivalents) generally provide unpaid sick leave unless they earned over $1 million net income last year, in which case it becomes paid. Employees accrue sick leave at a rate of one hour for every 30 regular work hours, starting from hire or the bill's effective date. The law takes effect immediately and applies to all covered employers in New York.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates paid sick leave for most employers (40-56 hours annually), expanding worker benefits and strengthening labor protections per topic description.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Paid Leave

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 6108: Includes public employment in wage payment provisions

This bill (S 6108) amends New York's labor law to explicitly include public employers - such as counties, towns, school districts, and municipal corporations - within the legal definition of "employer" for wage payment rules. Currently, these public entities are excluded from the definition, meaning public employees (like teachers or city workers) were not covered under standard wage protections. The change requires public employers to follow the same wage payment provisions as private businesses, ensuring public employees receive guaranteed pay and overtime under state law. It directly affects public sector workers and their employers across local government and school systems. The bill was referred to the Labor Committee on March 5, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill explicitly includes school districts in wage payment protections, ensuring teachers (public employees) receive standardized wage safeguards, aligning with supporting educators.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands wage protections to public employees by including public employers in 'employer' definition, aligning public sector with private sector wage rules95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 5828: Prohibits employers from asking job applicants about salary expectations and allowing job applicants to request the included benefits for the position they are applying for

Prohibits employers from asking job applicants about salary expectations; allows job applicants to request the included benefits for the position they are applying for.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits salary history inquiries (reducing pay bias) and allows benefit requests, advancing worker transparency and rights in employment standards.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Employment Discrimination Labor Standards

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 3949: Requires human service providers that contract with the state to pay their employees a certain minimum wage

Requires that all human services contracts between any public entity and a human services provider stipulate that the public entity will pay no less than 150% of the higher of: the otherwise applicable minimum wage in the state or any otherwise applicable wage rule or order and that the necessary amounts have been appropriated to ensure payment of such minimum wage.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates 150% of state minimum wage for human service contractors, directly increasing worker compensation and protecting wage rights through enforceable contract stipulations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Child Labor Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 6948: Provides that 32 hours shall constitute a legal week's work

This bill establishes a 32-hour standard workweek for most employees, replacing the typical 40-hour week. It directly affects most private-sector workers, excluding farm workers and employees covered under specific provisions of labor law (section 220). Key provisions allow for overtime agreements with higher pay, but prohibit such arrangements for state/municipal employees, contractors, or subcontractors. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentReduces standard workweek from 40 to 32 hours for most workers, directly advancing employment standards and workers' rights through shorter hours.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 60: Clarifies methods for the payment of wages and authorizes the payment of wages by use of payroll cards

S 60 clarifies that employers may pay wages using payroll cards only with an employee's voluntary written or electronic consent, and it directly affects workers who choose this payment method. The bill prohibits employers from requiring payroll cards as a condition of hire or employment, bans fees for basic transactions (like withdrawals at in-network ATMs), and mandates free access to account balances and transaction histories. Employers must also continue offering traditional payment options like checks and direct deposit, and payroll cards must be insured like regular bank accounts. The law ensures workers using payroll cards retain full control over their wages without hidden costs or forced financial products.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill mandates voluntary employee consent for payroll cards, bans fees, prohibits forced use, and requires traditional payment options - directly protecting workers' wage rights and payment choices.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 1776: Relates to negotiations between a governing board and a labor organization

This bill requires public meetings and transparency in labor negotiations between government governing boards (like city councils or school boards) and labor organizations. It mandates that all negotiation sessions be open to the public, all exchanged documents (offers, minutes, etc.) be subject to public disclosure, and governing boards provide 14-day advance notice of meetings on their website. The bill also requires governing boards to share financial analyses of proposed contracts and make related complaint proceedings public records. These provisions directly affect local government entities and labor unions negotiating collective bargaining agreements.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires public transparency in labor negotiations, strengthening collective bargaining by mandating open meetings, document disclosure, and financial analysis sharing.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining

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passed both · New York · Assembly Jun 1, 2026

A 1202: Relates to use of accrued sick time, compensation time or vacation time

This bill allows public employees in New York (including state, county, school district, and retirement system workers) to use accrued sick, vacation, or personal time during waiting periods for workers' compensation benefits or when their claim is disputed. Employers cannot force employees to use this time during such periods, and if an employee later qualifies for benefits, they get their used time fully restored. The law does not apply to employees covered by collective bargaining agreements unless their union specifically opts in to these provisions. It preserves existing collective bargaining rights while ensuring employees don't lose accrued time during workers' comp processing delays.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProtects public employees' accrued sick/vacation time during workers' comp disputes, preventing loss of benefits and mandating restoration if claims succeed. Directly strengthens worker protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave Public Employees Workers' Compensation

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 439: Enacts "the prison wage act" relating to payment for labor performed by incarcerated individuals

This bill, known as "the prison wage act," mandates compensation for incarcerated individuals performing labor in state and local correctional facilities. It requires that these individuals be paid at least one-half of the state's minimum wage for any work performed or for which a wage would typically be due. This compensation applies to various types of labor, including general facility work, tasks for nonprofit organizations, and participation in work release programs. Additionally, hourly incentive allowances for educational and training programs must also meet this minimum wage standard.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates fair wages for incarcerated labor, promoting rehabilitation and civil rights within corrections - directly advancing criminal justice reform.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates minimum wage compensation for incarcerated laborers, advancing wage standards for vulnerable workforce under Labor & Employment policies.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 2188: Provides for training and education for sustainable wage jobs and traditional and nontraditional employment in public assistance employment programs

This bill (A 2188) updates New York's public assistance employment programs to prioritize well-paying, stable job training. It requires social services districts to develop employment plans that strongly consider training for "sustainable wage" jobs (defined as 185% of the poverty line, adjusted regionally) and "nontraditional" careers (like skilled trades or tech fields where one gender is under 25% employed). The bill mandates that these plans, developed with input from education providers and employers, specifically prioritize such opportunities for participants with high school diplomas or GEDs. It applies to individuals in public assistance programs seeking employment, ensuring their job training aligns with federal work requirements while focusing on higher-wage pathways.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates prioritization of sustainable wage jobs (185% poverty line) and nontraditional careers in public assistance programs, directly advancing wage standards and job quality.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill explicitly includes 'tech fields' as examples of nontraditional careers requiring training, promoting workforce development in technology sectors.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Workforce Development

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