BILL NUMBER: S5360
SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the labor law, in relation to establishing a program to
incentivize unemployed individuals to enter jobs in healthcare
 
PURPOSE:
This legislation amends the labor law to require the New York State
Departments of Health, Labor, and Education to establish a program that
incentivizes unemployed individuals to enter jobs in healthcare.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
The legislation would add subdivision 4 to Section 599 of the labor law.
Section one requires the Commissioner of Labor, in consultation with the
commissioner of health, establish a program that incentivizes unemployed
individuals to enter jobs that have a shortage in healthcare, including
but not limited to certified nurse aides.
Section two establishes the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
This bill would require Department of Labor, in consultation with the
Department of Health establish a program that incentivizes unemployed
individuals to enter jobs in healthcare.
New York has been deeply impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. In just the
first month, thousands of New Yorkers lost their jobs and we saw how
devastating the healthcare worker shortage can be when an emergency
strikes. New York must prioritize the immediate retraining of workers
for medically-necessary positions, especially as Certified Nursing Aides
which there is already a shortage. This is a vocation that can be
trained in roughly one month under normal circumstances. By providing
this training on an accelerated timeline for positions like this, we can
ensure that our medical system can meet the demand for their services
even in a time of extreme crisis.
New York State's most valuable asset is our workforce, by incentivizing
and accelerating the training for healthcare support staff, New Yorkers
will receive higher quality care. Additionally, this will allow more
unemployed and underemployed individuals to enter critical, high demand
positions in our workforce.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24: S6514- referred to Labor
2021-22: S.3470 Passed Senate
2020: Passed Senate
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take immediately.

Statutes affected:
S5360: 599 labor law