Bill Text: NY A08908 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Creates a temporary commission to conduct a comprehensive study on the current utilization of paid family leave, make recommendations on how to increase access and the visibility of the program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-26 - referred to labor [A08908 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-A08908-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          8908

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    January 26, 2024
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by M. of A. WOERNER -- read once and referred to the Commit-
          tee on Labor

        AN ACT in relation to creating  a  temporary  commission  to  conduct  a
          comprehensive  study  on the current utilization of paid family leave,
          make recommendations on how to increase access and the  visibility  of
          the  program;  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. A temporary state commission is hereby created to conduct a
     2  comprehensive  study, and prepare a report on the current utilization of
     3  paid family leave under article 9 of the workers' compensation law.
     4    § 2. (a) The commission shall consist of twelve members  appointed  by
     5  the  governor  as  follows:    (i)  a  representative of organized labor
     6  appointed upon recommendation of the New York State American  Federation
     7  of  Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations; (ii) a representative of
     8  the business community appointed upon  recommendation  of  the  Business
     9  Council  of  New York State, Incorporated; (iii) two persons upon recom-
    10  mendation of the temporary president of   the senate;  (iv)  one  person
    11  upon  recommendation  of  the  minority  leader  of  the senate; (v) two
    12  persons upon recommendation of the speaker of  the  assembly;  (vi)  one
    13  person upon recommendation of the minority leader of the assembly; (vii)
    14  the  commissioner  of  labor;  (viii)  the  superintendent  of financial
    15  services; (ix) the chair of the workers' compensation board; and (x) one
    16  other person in the governor's discretion. The  chair  of  the  workers'
    17  compensation board shall serve as the chair of the commission. Vacancies
    18  in  the  membership  of  the  commission and among its officers shall be
    19  filled in the manner provided for original appointments.
    20    (b) The members of the commission shall receive  no  compensation  for
    21  their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
    22  incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder.
    23    §  3.  The  study shall examine the current utilization of paid family
    24  leave under article 9 of the workers' compensation  law,  including  but
    25  not limited to:

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD04732-06-4
        A. 8908                             2

     1    (a) demographic information of persons receiving such benefits includ-
     2  ing but not limited to:
     3    (i) gender;
     4    (ii) race;
     5    (iii) age;
     6    (iv) geographic region of the state of New York; and
     7    (v) industry or type of employment;
     8    (b) the average amount of benefits received and length of leave taken;
     9    (c) the type of leave taken;
    10    (d) employers' experiences on the use of paid family leave, including:
    11    (i) ease of use; and
    12    (ii) responsiveness of the department to questions; and
    13    (e)  unintended  barriers that employees face in utilizing paid family
    14  leave including  but  not  limited  to:
    15    (i) understanding of benefits;
    16    (ii) knowledge of eligibility; and
    17    (iii) knowledge of the existence of paid family leave.
    18    § 4. Not later than one year after the effective date of this act, the
    19  commission shall prepare and submit to the governor, the temporary pres-
    20  ident of the senate, and the speaker of the assembly  a  report  of  the
    21  study's  findings, together with specific recommendations for increasing
    22  the access of demographic groups underutilizing paid family leave  bene-
    23  fits, and removing or lessening unintended barriers to use of paid fami-
    24  ly leave identified in the study.
    25    §  5.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
    26  deemed repealed two years after it shall have become a law.