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

                                  3823

                       2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 27, 2011
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  ENGLEBRIGHT -- read once and referred 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  section  224  to
read as follows:
  S  224.  MATURE  WORKER BUSINESS INITIATIVE.  1. THERE SHALL BE ESTAB-
LISHED, WITHIN THE OFFICE FOR THE AGING, A MATURE WORKER BUSINESS INITI-
ATIVE. 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 OF THE OFFICE FOR THE AGING 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 TITLE.
  4.  THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE FOR THE AGING, 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 REPRESENTATIVE FROM ANY MEETING OF SUCH  COUNCIL,  THE

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD04182-02-1
              

A. 3823                             2

MEMBERS  SHALL  ELECT AN ACTING CHAIR FROM AMONGST THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE
COUNCIL. LEGAL, TECHNICAL AND OTHER SERVICES SHALL BE PROVIDED  TO  SUCH
COUNCIL BY THE OFFICE FOR THE AGING, THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOP-
MENT, THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, AND OTHER STATE DEPARTMENTS AND
AGENCIES.
  5.  THE  MATURE  WORKER  BUSINESS  INITIATIVE  COUNCIL  SHALL HAVE THE
FOLLOWING FUNCTIONS, POWERS AND DUTIES:
  (A) TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT  A  PROGRAM  OF  INITIATIVES  THAT  SHALL
ESTABLISH  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;
  (B) 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";
  (C) 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;
  (D) TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING TO ENCOURAGE  EMPLOY-
ERS  TO  OFFER ARRANGEMENTS TO EMPLOYEES DESIGNED TO RECRUIT, RETAIN AND
RETRAIN MATURE WORKERS, AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO REMAIN IN THE WORK  FORCE;
AND
  (E) 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 FOR THE AGING'S INTERNET WEBSITE AND
SUCH  OTHER APPROPRIATE MEANS AS THE COUNCIL SHALL DETERMINE TO BE SUIT-
ABLE 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 SECTION
TWO  HUNDRED  TWENTY-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 COOPER-
ATION 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 DESIGNATED AS MATURE WORKER FRIENDLY EMPLOY-
ERS.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.