Requires the provision of guides containing best practices for retaining employees who are informal caregivers; provides that such guide shall be available on the websites of the state office for the aging, the department of labor and the department of state.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A3958
SPONSOR: Dinowitz (MS)
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the elder law, in relation to the provision of guides
containing best practices for retaining employees who are informal care-
givers
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To make materials available to employers in New York state on the issue
of informal caregiving by employees.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 adds a new section 224 to the elder law to establish the
informal caregivers in the workplace program, which will be a joint New
York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) and Department of Labor (DOL)
to develop and update a guide for businesses in the State that contain
best practices for retaining and assisting employees who are also
informal caregivers.
Section 2 provides for an effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Recent studies indicate that if we were to quantify that value of
informal caregiving as a part of our healthcare system, it would account
for well over $20 billion each year. Many employers and employees at
some point have to care for a disabled parent, spouse, or child, and in
many cases are unable to appropriately assist employees in this situ-
ation. What this bill attempts to do is develop and disseminate materi-
als to employees and employers about informal caregiving, how it impacts
their businesses, and how businesses can support their caregiving
employees.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2015-16 - A.294 - Ordered To Third Reading Ca1.21/S.478- Referred to
Aging
2013-14 - A.442 - Passed Assembly/S.146- Referred to Aging
2011-12 - A.1902 - Held for consideration in Ways and Means/S.1897-
Committed to Rules
2009-10- A.8233- Ordered to 3rd reading Cal. No. 95
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3958
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 30, 2017
___________
Introduced by M. of A. DINOWITZ, GALEF, SEAWRIGHT -- Multi-Sponsored by
-- M. of A. SEPULVEDA -- read once and referred to the Committee on
Aging
AN ACT to amend the elder law, in relation to the provision of guides
containing best practices for retaining employees who are informal
caregivers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The elder law is amended by adding a new section 224 to
2 read as follows:
3 § 224. Informal caregivers in the workplace program. 1. The office
4 shall, in conjunction with the department of labor, and in consultation
5 with community based organizations representing the interests of
6 informal caregivers around the state, develop and update on a yearly
7 basis a guide for businesses in the state that contains current best
8 practices for retaining employees who are also informal caregivers and
9 information for supporting such employees so they can achieve effective-
10 ness both in and out of the workplace.
11 2. Such guide shall be available on the websites of the office, the
12 department of labor and the department of state. Businesses that obtain
13 certification or licensure from the department of labor or department of
14 state shall be provided with a link to the guide provided for in subdi-
15 vision one of this section, or a paper copy upon request, when the busi-
16 ness applies for such certification or licensure. A nominal fee may be
17 charged for paper copies provided to individuals who are not business
18 owners.
19 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03440-01-7