S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  8388

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                           September 11, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  ROSENTHAL  --  read once and referred to the
  Committee on Labor

AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to  creating  the  women  and
  high-wage,  high-demand, nontraditional jobs grant program; and making
  an appropriation therefor

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

  Section  1.  The labor law is amended by adding a new section 206-d to
read as follows:
  S 206-D. WOMEN AND HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND, NONTRADITIONAL  JOBS  GRANT
PROGRAM.  1. DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING
TERMS HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN.
  (A) "ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATION" INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO :
  (1) COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS EXPERIENCED IN SERVING WOMEN;
  (2) EMPLOYERS;
  (3) BUSINESS AND TRADE ASSOCIATIONS;
  (4) LABOR UNIONS AND EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS;
  (5) REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS;
  (6) SECONDARY AND POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS LOCATED IN  NEW
YORK; AND
  (7) WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES.
  (B) "HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND" MEANS OCCUPATIONS THAT REPRESENT AT LEAST
0.1  PERCENT OF TOTAL EMPLOYMENT IN THE BASE YEAR, HAVE AN ANNUAL MEDIAN
SALARY WHICH IS HIGHER THAN THE AVERAGE FOR THE CURRENT  YEAR,  AND  ARE
PROJECTED  TO HAVE MORE TOTAL OPENINGS AS A SHARE OF EMPLOYMENT THAN THE
AVERAGE.
  (C) "LOW-INCOME" MEANS INCOME LESS THAN TWO  HUNDRED  PERCENT  OF  THE
FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINE ADJUSTED FOR A FAMILY SIZE OF FOUR.
  (D)  "NONTRADITIONAL  OCCUPATIONS"  MEANS  THOSE  OCCUPATIONS IN WHICH
WOMEN MAKE UP LESS THAN TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE WORKFORCE AS  DEFINED
UNDER UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 20, SECTION 2302.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD11823-01-5
              

A. 8388                             2

  (E)  "REGISTERED  APPRENTICESHIP  PROGRAM"  MEANS A PROGRAM REGISTERED
UNDER UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 29, SECTION 50.
  2.  GRANT  PROGRAM.  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  ESTABLISH THE WOMEN AND
HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND, NONTRADITIONAL JOBS GRANT  PROGRAM  TO  INCREASE
THE  NUMBER  OF  WOMEN IN HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND, NONTRADITIONAL OCCUPA-
TIONS. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL MAKE GRANTS TO ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS  FOR
PROGRAMS  THAT  ENCOURAGE  AND ASSIST WOMEN TO ENTER HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DE-
MAND, NONTRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO  THOSE  IN
THE  SKILLED  TRADES,  SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH (STEM)
OCCUPATIONS.
  3. USE OF FUNDS. (A) GRANT FUNDS AWARDED UNDER  THIS  SECTION  MAY  BE
USED FOR:
  (1)  RECRUITMENT,  PREPARATION,  PLACEMENT,  AND  RETENTION  OF WOMEN,
INCLUDING LOW-INCOME WOMEN AND WOMEN OVER FIFTY YEARS OLD, IN REGISTERED
APPRENTICESHIPS, POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS, ON-THE-JOB  TRAINING,
AND PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT IN HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND, NONTRADITIONAL OCCU-
PATIONS;
  (2)  SECONDARY OR POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION OR OTHER TRAINING TO PREPARE
WOMEN TO SUCCEED IN HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND, NONTRADITIONAL  OCCUPATIONS.
ACTIVITIES UNDER THIS SUBPARAGRAPH MAY BE CONDUCTED BY THE GRANTEE OR IN
COLLABORATION  WITH  ANOTHER INSTITUTION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO A
PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SECONDARY OR POSTSECONDARY SCHOOL;
  (3) INNOVATIVE, HANDS-ON, BEST PRACTICES THAT  STIMULATE  INTEREST  IN
HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND, NONTRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS AMONG GIRLS, INCREASE
AWARENESS  AMONG  GIRLS  ABOUT  OPPORTUNITIES IN HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND,
NONTRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS, OR INCREASE ACCESS TO SECONDARY  PROGRAMMING
LEADING  TO  JOBS IN HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND, NONTRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS.
BEST PRACTICES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO MENTORING, INTERNSHIPS, OR
APPRENTICESHIPS FOR  GIRLS  IN  HIGH-WAGE,  HIGH-DEMAND,  NONTRADITIONAL
OCCUPATIONS;
  (4) TRAINING AND OTHER STAFF DEVELOPMENT FOR JOB SEEKER COUNSELORS AND
SOCIAL  SERVICES CASEWORKERS ON OPPORTUNITIES IN HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND,
NONTRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS;
  (5) INCENTIVES FOR EMPLOYERS AND SPONSORS OF REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP
PROGRAMS TO RETAIN WOMEN IN HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND, NONTRADITIONAL OCCU-
PATIONS FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR;
  (6) TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR EMPLOYERS TO CREATE  A  SAFE
AND  HEALTHY WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT DESIGNED TO RETAIN AND ADVANCE WOMEN,
INCLUDING BEST PRACTICES FOR ADDRESSING SEXUAL HARASSMENT, AND TO  OVER-
COME  GENDER  INEQUITY  AMONG  EMPLOYERS  AND  REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP
PROGRAMS;
  (7) PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO  OVERCOME  STEREOTYPES
ABOUT  WOMEN  IN  HIGH-WAGE,  HIGH-DEMAND,  NONTRADITIONAL  OCCUPATIONS,
INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL AND MARKETING MATERIALS; AND
  (8) SUPPORT FOR WOMEN IN HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND, NONTRADITIONAL  OCCU-
PATIONS  INCLUDING  BUT  NOT LIMITED TO ASSISTANCE WITH WORKPLACE ISSUES
RESOLUTION AND ACCESS TO ADVOCACY ASSISTANCE AND SERVICES.
  (B) GRANT APPLICATIONS SHALL INCLUDE DETAILED  INFORMATION  ABOUT  HOW
THE APPLICANT PLANS TO:
  (1)  INCREASE  WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND OCCUPA-
TIONS IN WHICH WOMEN ARE CURRENTLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE WORKFORCE;
  (2) COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SUBDIVISION; AND
  (3) USE GRANT FUNDS IN CONJUNCTION WITH FUNDING FROM OTHER  PUBLIC  OR
PRIVATE SOURCES.
  (C)  IN AWARDING GRANTS UNDER THIS SUBDIVISION, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL
GIVE PRIORITY TO ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS:

A. 8388                             3

  (1) WITH DEMONSTRATED SUCCESS IN RECRUITING AND PREPARING WOMEN, ESPE-
CIALLY LOW-INCOME WOMEN AND WOMEN OVER FIFTY YEARS OLD,  FOR  HIGH-WAGE,
HIGH-DEMAND, NONTRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS; AND
  (2) THAT LEVERAGE ADDITIONAL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE RESOURCES.
  (D)  AT  LEAST  FIFTY  PERCENT OF TOTAL GRANT FUNDS MUST BE AWARDED TO
PROGRAMS PROVIDING SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES TARGETED TO LOW-INCOME WOMEN.
  (E) THE COMMISSIONER IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE STATE  COMPTROLLER  SHALL
MONITOR  THE USE OF FUNDS UNDER THIS SECTION, COLLECT AND COMPILE INFOR-
MATION ON THE ACTIVITIES OF OTHER STATE AGENCIES AND PUBLIC  OR  PRIVATE
ENTITIES  THAT  HAVE  PURPOSES  SIMILAR TO THOSE UNDER THIS SECTION, AND
IDENTIFY OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR THESE PURPOSES.
  S 2. The sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), or  so  much
thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the department of
labor out of any moneys in the state treasury in the general fund to the
credit  of  the  women  and  high-wage, high-demand, nontraditional jobs
grant program, not otherwise appropriated, and made  immediately  avail-
able,  for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act.  Such
moneys shall be payable on the audit and warrant of the  comptroller  on
vouchers  certified  or  approved  by  the  commissioner of labor in the
manner prescribed by law.
  S 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition,  amend-
ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
tation  of  this  act on its effective date is authorized to be made and
completed on or before such effective date.