This bill authorizes Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) to create a workers' compensation reserve fund, joining school districts and other entities that are already permitted to do so. The legislation allows these organizations to set aside money specifically for paying workers' compensation benefits and covering the costs of running their self-insurance programs. Funds in the reserve must be kept separate from other finances and can only be used for authorized claims or administrative expenses, with any excess money at the end of a fiscal year allowed to be transferred to other approved funds or applied to the next year's budget.
Clarifies that leases entered into by the commissioner of general services shall be subject to prevailing wage requirements for public work; requires prevailing wage for leasehold or capital improvements in such leases.
Requires employers to pay employees accrued but unused vacation, paid time off, or other paid leave provided upon termination, resignation, retirement or other separation from employment.
Removes the exclusion of part-time employees from certain definitions relating to employment; expands the definition of employer; removes certain exclusions for employer notice requirements for the closing of a facility; removes the discretionary reduction of penalties for employers for certain acts or omissions concerning notice requirements for mass layoffs, relocations or employment loss; removes the maximum time period for determining back pay and other liabilities for certain employees who experience employment loss; allows the attorney general to take certain action to assist certain employees in receiving back pay and other liabilities.
Relates to the application of New York state's human rights law to employees who work outside of the state of New York, if their employer maintains a physical address within New York state.
Requires employers to annually report to the division of human rights the number of settlements with employees and other individuals performing services in the workplace regarding claims of discrimination on the basis of sex, including verbal and physical sexual harassment; requires the division of human rights to provide an annual report to the governor and the legislature; makes conforming technical changes.
This bill asks Governor Kathy Hochul to officially declare the week of June 15-19, 2026, as Sanitation Workers Week in New York State. The resolution aims to honor sanitation workers for their essential role in keeping communities clean, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when they faced heightened health and safety risks. By requesting this proclamation, the legislature intends to encourage employers and residents across the state to publicly express gratitude to these workers. The measure does not change laws or create new programs but serves as a symbolic gesture to recognize the dedication of sanitation staff.
This bill mandates that all general hospitals install metal detectors at every public entrance to enhance workplace safety. It requires hospitals to include this specific security measure within their broader workplace violence safety and security plans, which must also cover employee training and other risk-reduction strategies. Hospitals are further obligated to share these plans with staff and union representatives and to report incident data to internal safety committees while protecting individual privacy. The legislation takes effect immediately or aligns with the timeline of related 2025 laws if not yet in force.
This Senate Resolution officially commemorates the 10th anniversary of the "We Dream in Black" initiative, a program by the National Domestic Workers Alliance that supports Black and Afro-descendant domestic workers. The measure formally acknowledges the group's historical role in advocating for labor rights and its success in helping workers recover unpaid wages and secure legal protections like paid leave. As a symbolic gesture, the bill directs the legislature to pause briefly to honor the organization's contributions and sends a copy of the resolution to the Alliance. No new laws or funding are created; the text serves solely to recognize past achievements and celebrate the milestone.
This bill prohibits state-chartered banks from lending money to landlords who have a history of specific bad faith actions, such as granting rent abatements due to code violations or engaging in harassment and fraud. To comply, banks must require landlords to certify that they do not have these violations or, if they do, prove that the loan will be used exclusively to fix immediate safety hazards. The legislation includes penalties of up to $50,000 for landlords who provide false information to secure financing under this rule. Once the state financial services department creates necessary regulations, the law will apply to all new, renewed, or modified loan contracts.
