S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  2025

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            February 11, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sens.  GOLDEN, ROBACH -- read twice and ordered printed,
  and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging

AN ACT to amend the elder law  and  the  economic  development  law,  in
  relation to establishing the mature worker business initiative

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The elder law is amended by adding a new article 4 to  read
as follows:
                               ARTICLE IV
                    MATURE WORKER BUSINESS INITIATIVE
SECTION 401. MATURE WORKER BUSINESS INITIATIVE.
        402. GENERAL FUNCTIONS, POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COUNCIL.
  S  401.  MATURE  WORKER  BUSINESS INITIATIVE. 1. THERE SHALL BE ESTAB-
LISHED, WITHIN THE OFFICE, A MATURE  WORKER  BUSINESS  INITIATIVE.  SUCH
INITIATIVE  SHALL  BE  SUBJECT  TO  THE DIRECTION AND SUPERVISION OF THE
MATURE WORKER BUSINESS INITIATIVE COUNCIL.
  2. THE MATURE WORKER BUSINESS INITIATIVE COUNCIL SHALL BE COMPOSED OF:
  (A) THE DIRECTOR OR HIS OR HER DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE;
  (B) THE COMMISSIONER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, OR HIS OR HER DESIGNATED
REPRESENTATIVE; AND
  (C) SUCH OTHER PERSONS AS SHALL BE DESIGNATED  BY  THE  GOVERNOR,  WHO
SHALL  BE REPRESENTATIVES OF STATE AGENCIES, ADVOCATES FOR THE AGING AND
THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WHO ARE CONCERNED WITH THE ROLE OF OLDER WORKERS
IN THE ECONOMY, AND DEVELOPMENT OF SECOND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES ENTREPRE-
NEURIAL INITIATIVE.  SUCH MEMBERS SHALL SERVE AT  THE  PLEASURE  OF  THE
GOVERNOR.
  3.  THE MEMBERS OF THE MATURE WORKER BUSINESS INITIATIVE COUNCIL SHALL
SERVE WITHOUT COMPENSATION, BUT SHALL BE ENTITLED TO  THEIR  ACTUAL  AND
NECESSARY  EXPENSES INCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES PURSUANT
TO THIS ARTICLE.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD07106-02-9

              

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  4. THE DIRECTOR, OR HIS OR HER DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE, SHALL  SERVE
AS  THE  CHAIR  OF THE MATURE WORKER BUSINESS INITIATIVE COUNCIL. IN THE
EVENT OF THE ABSENCE OF THE DIRECTOR OR HIS OR HER DESIGNATED  REPRESEN-
TATIVE  FROM  ANY  MEETING  OF  SUCH COUNCIL, THE MEMBERS SHALL ELECT AN
ACTING  CHAIR FROM AMONGST THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COUNCIL. LEGAL, TECHNI-
CAL AND OTHER SERVICES SHALL BE PROVIDED TO SUCH COUNCIL BY THE  OFFICE,
THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT, THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT CORPO-
RATION, AND OTHER STATE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES.
  S 402. GENERAL FUNCTIONS, POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COUNCIL. THE MATURE
WORKER BUSINESS INITIATIVE COUNCIL SHALL HAVE THE  FOLLOWING  FUNCTIONS,
POWERS AND DUTIES:
  1. TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM OF INITIATIVES THAT SHALL ESTAB-
LISH  STRATEGIES  FOR  IDENTIFYING BUSINESSES THAT OFFER ARRANGEMENTS TO
EMPLOYEES DESIGNED TO RECRUIT, RETAIN AND RETRAIN  MATURE  WORKERS,  AND
ENCOURAGE THEM TO REMAIN IN THE WORK FORCE;
  2.  TO DEVELOP A CERTIFICATION PROCESS FOR WHICH AN EMPLOYER MAY APPLY
INDICATING THAT SUCH EMPLOYER HAS MET THE QUALIFICATIONS ESTABLISHED  BY
THE  MATURE  WORKER  BUSINESS  INITIATIVE  COUNCIL AND PROVIDING FOR THE
DESIGNATION OF SUCH EMPLOYER AS A "MATURE WORKER FRIENDLY EMPLOYER";
  3. TO IDENTIFY EMPLOYERS WHICH ENCOURAGE EMPLOYERS TO  OFFER  ARRANGE-
MENTS  TO EMPLOYEES DESIGNED TO RECRUIT, RETAIN AND RETRAIN MATURE WORK-
ERS, AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO REMAIN IN THE WORK FORCE;
  4. TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING TO ENCOURAGE EMPLOYERS
TO OFFER ARRANGEMENTS TO  EMPLOYEES  DESIGNED  TO  RECRUIT,  RETAIN  AND
RETRAIN  MATURE WORKERS, AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO REMAIN IN THE WORK FORCE;
AND
  5. TO DESIGN AND EXECUTE A MARKETING OUTREACH PLAN TO ENCOURAGE  BUSI-
NESSES  TO  PARTICIPATE  IN  MATURE  WORKER BUSINESS INITIATIVES, AND TO
EDUCATE MATURE WORKERS  ABOUT  BUSINESSES  THAT  HAVE  IMPLEMENTED  SUCH
INITIATIVES,  BY  MEANS  OF THE OFFICE'S INTERNET WEBSITE AND SUCH OTHER
APPROPRIATE MEANS AS THE COUNCIL SHALL  DETERMINE  TO  BE  SUITABLE  FOR
INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION.
  S  2. Section 100 of the economic development law is amended by adding
a new subdivision 18-h to read as follows:
  18-H. TO WORK IN COOPERATION WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE STATE OFFICE FOR
THE AGING AND THE MATURE WORKER BUSINESS INITIATIVE COUNCIL TO ESTABLISH
RULES, REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE
FOUR OF THE ELDER LAW.  THE  MATURE  WORKER  BUSINESS  INITIATIVE  SHALL
RECOGNIZE  THOSE  EMPLOYERS THAT PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL SUPPORT DESIGNED TO
RECRUIT, RETAIN AND RETRAIN MATURE WORKERS, AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO REMAIN
IN THE WORK FORCE. THE COMMISSIONER, IN COOPERATION WITH THE DIRECTOR OF
THE STATE OFFICE FOR THE AGING, SHALL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENHANCING
THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MATURE WORKERS AND WHICH RESOURCES  OF  THE  STATE
MAY  BE MADE AVAILABLE TO FULLY SUPPORT BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN DESIG-
NATED AS MATURE WORKER FRIENDLY EMPLOYERS.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.