S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4535
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 16, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. MILLER -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Labor
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the labor law, in relation to creating the "New York
   working soldiers' assistance program"
 
   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 219-b to
 read as follows:
   § 219-B. NEW YORK  WORKING  SOLDIERS'  ASSISTANCE  PROGRAM.    1.  THE
 DEPARTMENT  SHALL  ESTABLISH  A  MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM TO AWARD PRIVATE
 SECTOR EMPLOYERS OF NEW YORK STATE WHO PROVIDE WAGES TO NEW  YORK  STATE
 RESIDENTS  WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD OR OTHER RESERVE COMPO-
 NENT OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES AND ARE ORDERED TO  ACTIVE
 MILITARY DUTY IN A COMBAT THEATER OR COMBAT ZONE OF OPERATIONS.
   2.  SUCH GRANT SHALL REIMBURSE THE EMPLOYER FOR NOT MORE THAN ONE-HALF
 OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MONTHLY WAGE PAID BY THE EMPLOYER PRIOR TO
 THE DATE THE EMPLOYEE WAS CALLED TO OR ORDERED TO ACTIVE  MILITARY  DUTY
 IN  A  COMBAT  THEATER OR COMBAT ZONE OF OPERATION AND THE AMOUNT OF THE
 EMPLOYEE'S MILITARY PAY AS DEFINED IN SECTION 101(21) OF TITLE 37 OF THE
 UNITED STATES CODE AND ALLOWANCES PAYABLE TO  A  MEMBER  OF  THE  UNITED
 STATES  ARMED  FORCES  UNDER  CHAPTER 7 OF TITLE 37 OF THE UNITED STATES
 CODE AND IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR FEDERAL MILITARY ACTIVE DUTY SERVED ON OR
 AFTER JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-THREE.
   3. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP A PLAN BY NO LATER THAN OCTOBER FIRST,
 TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR, TO  ADMINISTER  THE  APPLICATION  AND  PAYMENT
 PROCEDURES PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
   4.  FOR  THE  PURPOSES  OF  THIS SECTION, THE EMPLOYEE MUST BE A LEGAL
 RESIDENT OF THE STATE FOR THE PERIOD OF TIME HE OR SHE WAS  DEPLOYED  TO
 ACTIVE MILITARY DUTY.
   §  2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately,
 the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or  regulation  neces-
 sary  for  the  implementation  of  this  act  on its effective date are
 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
 
              

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05625-01-3