BILL NUMBER: S2231

SPONSOR: SANDERS
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the labor law, in relation to regulations promulgated
for systematic and sustained efforts to find work for unemployment bene-
fits

 
PURPOSE:

To ensure that unemployment insurance claimants providing child care for
their children are able to satisfy the standards for proof of work
search efforts.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill would amend subdivision 2 of section 591 of the
labor law to provide that the Commissioner of Labor's regulations defin-
ing systematic and sustained efforts to find work and setting standards
for proof of work search efforts shall take into account the need to
              

provide child care and ensure that claimants providing child care for
their children are able to satisfy the standards for proof of work
search efforts.

Section two of the bill provides for an effective date of December 7,
2015.

 
EXISTING LAW:

Current law requires the Commissioner of Labor to promulgate regulations
defining systematic and sustained efforts to find work and setting stan-
dards for the proof of work search efforts. This bill would require that
child care concerns are incorporated in such regulations.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

When a worker loses a job through no fault of their own, they often lose
heir child care as well. In order to maintain unemployment benefits,
most claimants must actively seek work by engaging in systematic and
sustained efforts to find work. The Commissioner of Labor is charged
with promulgating regulations defining systematic and sustained efforts
to find work and also setting standards for the proof of work search
efforts. When a claimant seeking work also has child care responsibil-
ities, it may be extremely difficult for them to meet the requirements
of systematic and sustained work search efforts. It is important that
the implementation of the work search requirements not ignore the fact
that claimants seeking work must often also care for their children. The
work search requirements must allow claimants the ability to care for
their children and search for employment. Claimants should not fear
losing their benefits because they are caring for their children.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

01/06/16 Referred to Labor

05/26/15 Referred to Labor

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Undetermined

 
LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Undetermined

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on December 31st 2017.