BILL NUMBER: S5567
SPONSOR: FAHY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the labor law, in relation to establishing the human
services wage commission
 
PURPOSE:
Establish a Human Services Wages Commission.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:.
Section 1 establishes the short title of the bill as the Human Services
Wage Commission Act.
Section 2 amends the labor law by adding a new Article 19-E, which
establishes the Human Services Wage Commission.
Section 3 sets forth the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
New York State relies on a dedicated workforce of human services workers
who provide essential care to vulnerable populations, including individ-
uals with disabilities, seniors, children, and those struggling with
mental health and substance use disorders. Despite the critical nature
of their work, these workers receive low wages, leading to chronic work-
force shortages, high turnover rates, and difficulties in recruiting and
retaining qualified staff. These workforce challenges directly impact
the availability and quality of care, creating instability in the essen-
tial services that New Yorkers depend on.
Human services jobs are among the fastest-growing sectors in the labor
market, yet they lag behind comparable occupations in compensation, even
as demand for services continues to rise. Workers in state- funded,
Medicaid-reimbursed, and nonprofit human services agencies often earn
significantly less than their counterparts in healthcare and education,
despite performing equally demanding roles.
Low wages contribute to financial insecurity among workers, increased
poverty rates, greater reliance on public assistance, and higher costs
for the state.
This legislation establishes the Human Services Wage Commission to
conduct a comprehensive evaluation of wage levels in the sector and
recommend fiscally responsible, data-driven wage adjustments.
A structured, phased-in approach to wage increases will prevent finan-
cial strain on service providers while ensuring that New York's human
services workforce is adequately compensated. By ensuring fair wages for
human services workers, this legislation will improve workforce
retention, service quality, and access to essential human services for
vulnerable populations. New York must act now to strengthen and profes-
sionalize the human services workforce, ensuring that these critical
jobs remain viable and sustainable for the future.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
No immediate fiscal impact to the State for the Wage Commission. Future
fiscal impacts will be determined based on the Commission's findings and
recommendations.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.