Enacts the "COVID-19 injured workers' protection act"; establishes a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presumption for public employee death benefits where a member was required to physically report to work; did in fact physically report to work as of March first, two thousand twenty; contracted COVID-19; and where the applicable head of the member's retirement system or such system's medical board determines COVID-19 to have been a significant contributing factor in the member's death.
This bill (S 4523) creates a new paid leave entitlement for public employees in New York State to address mental or behavioral health needs. It directly affects all covered public employees, including state workers, county staff, school employees, community college personnel, and those in retirement systems. The key provision allows these employees to take paid leave for mental health appointments without using their accrued sick leave. The leave is specifically designated for mental health purposes and does not count against existing sick time. This policy change provides a clear, non-punitive way for public employees to access mental health care.
Establishes the customized employment demonstration program whereby certain positions are divided into sub-positions by the civil service commission to provide for employment of persons with developmental disabilities who are able to perform a portion of the duties of such position.
Provides that no provision of section eighty of the civil service law shall modify, replace or supersede any provision of a collective bargaining agreement that provides for greater rights than required by such section.
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change would allow public employees to engage in strikes without facing these specific legal consequences under the repealed sections.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.
This bill renames the "New York State Workforce Investment Board" to the "New York State Workforce Development Board" and updates its membership structure. It directly affects the board's composition (adding specific representation for youth, mature workers, and industry sectors) and its administrative duties under state and federal workforce laws. The key mechanism is changing the board's official name and clarifying member appointment requirements, while maintaining its core responsibilities like developing workforce plans and coordinating federal funding. The bill does not alter the board's substantive policy functions.
This bill (S 860) blocks the approval of charter school applications when converting an existing public school, if the school has a documented pattern of serious violations of civil service laws protecting employee rights. Specifically, it prevents approval if the school interfered with or discriminated against employees under state labor rules, as determined by the Public Employment Relations Board. The law requires that such violations must be resolved before a new application can be submitted in the future. It directly affects public schools seeking to convert to charter status by adding a new eligibility condition based on past labor practices.
Requires the department of labor to study the long-term impact of artificial intelligence on the state workforce including but not limited to job performance, productivity, training, education requirements, privacy and security; prohibits any state entity from using artificial intelligence in any way that would result in the displacement of any currently employed worker or loss of position, including partial displacement such as a reduction in the hours of non-overtime work, wages or employment benefits, or results in the impairment of existing collective bargaining agreements.
This bill creates presumptive eligibility for unemployment benefits for federal employees terminated without a credible misconduct claim after January 20, 2025. It directly affects federal workers who lose their jobs under these conditions, automatically qualifying them for benefits unless the department reviews and denies their claim. The key provision requires state unemployment departments to treat such terminations as jobless due to no fault of the worker, streamlining the application process. The law expires on February 1, 2029, and applies only to terminations meeting the specified criteria.
S 2503 requires public employers to provide paid family leave benefits to employees who are not represented by a union or employee organization. This applies specifically to public sector workers without union representation, mandating that their employer offer these benefits under existing workers' compensation law provisions (sections 204 and 208). The bill does not require union negotiations for these employees, unlike provisions for union-represented staff. Public employers must implement this benefit without needing collective bargaining input for non-union employees. The law takes effect 180 days after enactment.
