The New York State Senate

 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8915
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 19, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. BURDICK -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on People with Disabilities
 
 AN ACT in relation to directing the New York  State  Office  for  People
   With  Developmental  Disabilities,  in conjunction with New York State
   Industries for the Disabled, to establish  a  voluntary  training  and
   certification  program for employers that have taken the EmployAbility
   Pledge; 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. a. The New York State Office for People With Developmental
 Disabilities (OPWDD), in conjunction with New York State Industries  for
 the  Disabled  (NYSID), shall establish a voluntary training and certif-
 ication program for employers that have taken the  EmployAbility  Pledge
 and that support an inclusive workplace. The program shall promote tech-
 niques  and  strategies employers can implement to increase diversity in
 the employer's workforce through the hiring of individuals with disabil-
 ities and to increase diversity  in  the  selection  of  the  employer's
 supply  chains  by  working  with companies that employ individuals with
 disabilities.
   b. OPWDD will contract with  NYSID  to  develop  the  content  of  the
 program  and  to  manage  the  program. In developing the content of the
 program, NYSID shall work  with  vendors  who  provide  services  to  or
 employee  individuals  with  disabilities  including, but not limited to
 multimedia company Our Ability. As  part  of  the  program,  NYSID  will
 develop  a  series of online/virtual training programs for employers for
 key components related to training employers on topics including:
   (i) sensitivity training on disability disclosure;
   (ii) providing reasonable accommodations to employees  with  disabili-
 ties;
   (iii) tax credits for employers who employee individuals with disabil-
 ities;
   (iv) website accessibility;
   (v)  interviewing  individuals  with  disabilities and appropriate job
 opening advertisements;

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

                                                            LBD14043-01-1
 A. 8915                             2
 
   (vi) workplace inclusion of individuals with disabilities;
   (vii) supply chain diversity;
   (viii) the role of job coaches in assisting employers; and
   (ix)  corporate  partnership  training  for  employers for purposes of
 qualifying for preferred source procurement status.
   c. NYSID may institute a reasonable fee for the training in an  amount
 to be agreed upon by NYSID and OPWDD.
   § 2. The sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) is here-
 by  appropriated  to  the New York State Office for People With Develop-
 mental Disabilities out of any moneys  in  the  state  treasury  in  the
 general  fund to the credit of the state purposes account, not otherwise
 appropriated, and made immediately available, for the purpose of  carry-
 ing  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  head of the New York State Office for People With Developmental
 Disabilities in the manner prescribed by law.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.

 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  8915--A
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 19, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. BURDICK, MEEKS, SEAWRIGHT, ABBATE, SANTABARBARA,
   ENGLEBRIGHT, GALLAGHER, J. M. GIGLIO, DAVILA -- Multi-Sponsored by  --
   M.  of  A.  COOK  -- read once and referred to the Committee on People
   with Disabilities  --  committee  discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

 AN  ACT  in  relation  to directing the New York State Office for People
   With Developmental Disabilities to establish a voluntary training  and
   certification  program for employers that have taken the EmployAbility
   Pledge; 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. a. The New York State Office for People With Developmental
 Disabilities (OPWDD) shall establish a voluntary  training  and  certif-
 ication  program  for employers that have taken the EmployAbility Pledge
 and that support an inclusive workplace. The program shall promote tech-
 niques and strategies employers can implement to increase  diversity  in
 the employer's workforce through the hiring of individuals with disabil-
 ities  and  to  increase  diversity  in  the selection of the employer's
 supply chains by working with companies  that  employ  individuals  with
 disabilities.
   b. OPWDD will develop and manage the program.  As part of the program,
 OPWDD  will  develop  a  series  of online/virtual training programs for
 employers for key components related to  training  employers  on  topics
 including:
   (i) sensitivity training on disability disclosure;
   (ii)  providing  reasonable accommodations to employees with disabili-
 ties;
   (iii) tax credits for employers who employee individuals with disabil-
 ities;
   (iv) website accessibility;
   (v) interviewing individuals with  disabilities  and  appropriate  job
 opening advertisements;
   (vi) workplace inclusion of individuals with disabilities;
   (vii) supply chain diversity;

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

                                                            LBD14043-02-2
 A. 8915--A                          2
 
   (viii) the role of job coaches in assisting employers; and
   (ix)  corporate  partnership  training  for  employers for purposes of
 qualifying for preferred source procurement status.
   § 2. The sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) is here-
 by appropriated to the New York State Office for  People  With  Develop-
 mental  Disabilities  out  of  any  moneys  in the state treasury in the
 general fund to the credit of the state purposes account, not  otherwise
 appropriated,  and made immediately available, for the purpose of carry-
 ing 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 head of the New York State Office for People  With  Developmental
 Disabilities in the manner prescribed by law.
   §  3.  This  act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
 have become a law.