Bill Text: NY A06869 | 2009-2010 | General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Directs the commissioner of labor, in consultation with the superintendent of insurance, to study the feasibility of developing and implementing an insurance plan funded through payroll deductions to provide benefits to unemployed persons upon the expiration of unemployment benefits; requires report to the governor and the legislature after one year.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-06 - referred to labor [A06869 Detail]

Download: New_York-2009-A06869-Introduced.html

---

                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         6869
                              2009-2010 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                    March 13, 2009
                                      ___________
       Introduced by M. of A. CAMARA -- read once and referred to the Committee
         on Labor
       AN  ACT  to  direct  the commissioner of labor, in consultation with the
         superintendent of insurance, to study the  feasibility  of  developing
         and  implementing  an insurance plan to provide benefits to unemployed
         persons upon the expiration of unemployment  benefits;  and  providing
         for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. Legislative intent. The legislature finds that the  contin-
    2  uous  downsizing  of  employees  by  the  public and private sectors has
    3  created great concerns relative to long term stability in employment.  A
    4  recent  study  indicates that projected job employment for persons under
    5  age forty will average four and one-half years per employment placement.
    6  This employment instability is further aggravated by actual and project-
    7  ed exportation of domestic jobs.
    8    The legislature further finds that state government officials  regard-
    9  less  of political party affiliation have all expressed concern relative
   10  to payment of persons on the public assistance  rolls,  and  have  urged
   11  various  "workfare  not  welfare" programs. It is clear that this recent
   12  employment  enigma  can  only  further  exacerbate   this   unemployment
   13  discussion.
   14    Accordingly  it  is  prudent  that the state develop an insurance plan
   15  that provides for persons who may encounter such an employment  predica-
   16  ment.    Such  a  plan  would  lessen  the burden of public support, and
   17  provide for the stable financial  management  of  dislocated  employees.
   18  Such  insurance plan would provide benefits upon the expiration of unem-
   19  ployment benefits if the unemployment condition prevails.  Contributions
   20  to the insurance program would derive from deductions through employees'
   21  salaries.  Such  deductions  would be no more than ten percent of annual
   22  salary. Unspent accounts would be refunded after an employee attains the
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD10408-01-9
       A. 6869                             2
    1  age of fifty-five. The intent of this legislation is to provide  employ-
    2  ees with insurance against job insecurity.
    3    S  2.  The commissioner of labor, in consultation with the superinten-
    4  dent of insurance, shall study the feasibility of developing and  imple-
    5  menting an insurance plan to provide benefits to unemployed persons upon
    6  the expiration of unemployment benefits. Such study shall include:
    7    1.  the  manner in which insurance premiums shall be paid to such plan
    8  including payroll deductions from employee salaries;
    9    2. the amount of such payroll deductions not exceeding ten percent  of
   10  such employee salaries;
   11    3.  a mechanism to refund to employees premiums paid by employees that
   12  were not paid on such employees' behalf; and
   13    4. any other information that the commissioner of labor deems relevant
   14  and necessary.
   15    S 3. A report of the findings of such study,  recommendations  of  the
   16  commissioner  of  labor and any proposed legislation necessary to imple-
   17  ment such findings shall be filed with the governor, the temporary pres-
   18  ident of the senate and the speaker of  the  assembly  within  one  year
   19  after the effective date of this act.
   20    S  4.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
   21  deemed repealed one year after such date.