BILL NUMBER: S713
SPONSOR: RHOADS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the civil service law, in relation to the employment of
persons with developmental disabilities by school districts
 
PURPOSE:
To empower people with disabilities with the opportunity to obtain
employment in certain workforce positions in participating school
districts and giving said employees an opportunity to transfer into a
competitive class position without the need to sit for a civil service
exam.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 states that this act shall be entitled the "Unique Abilities
Employment Act."
Section 2 amends the civil service law to add a new section 55-d in
relation to enabling the New York State Civil Service Commission with
the ability to determine up to seventeen hundred positions in a school
district with duties such as can be performed by persons with develop-
mental disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, cerebral
palsy, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, Prader-Willi syndrome
and other neurological impairments who are found otherwise qualified to
perform satisfactorily the duties of any such position. Positions desig-
nated to be filled pursuant to this section may be filled on a full-time
or part-time basis. Upon such determination, the said positions shall be
classified in the noncompetitive class, and may be filled only by
persons who shall have been certified by the employee health service of
the department or the office for people with developmental disabilities,
as being a person with a developmental disability. The number of persons
appointed pursuant to this section shall not exceed seventeen hundred
and said persons shall be afforded the same opportunity to take promo-
tional examinations as provided to employees in the competitive class.
Section 3 sets the effective date at immediately.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Addressing barriers to meaningful employment for people with disabili-
ties is paramount, and school districts would benefit tremendously from
workforce development in this area. This proposed legislation would
create a statutory hiring program for people with disabilities wishing
to obtain certain positions within a participating school district
thereby expanding job opportunities for individuals with disabilities
and satisfying workforce needs for participating school districts.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Minimal.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.