S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
8156--A
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
October 13, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BRONSON -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Education -- recommitted to the Committee on Education in
accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a work-
place readiness week for secondary school students
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "youth
workplace readiness act".
§ 2. Legislative findings and intent. It is the intent of the Legisla-
ture that New York pupils enter the workforce with a strong understand-
ing of their rights as workers, as well as their explicit rights as
employed minors. It is further the intent of the Legislature to equip
pupils with this knowledge to protect them from retaliation and discrim-
ination, to ensure that these young workers receive all wages and bene-
fits to which they are entitled, to empower them to refuse unsafe work
when necessary, and to prepare them to assert their labor rights whenev-
er these rights are threatened.
The Legislature hereby finds and declares that young New Yorkers must
enter the workforce having received a thorough education on their right
to join or organize a union at their workplace. It is further the intent
of the Legislature that secondary schools present state-approved appren-
ticeship programs as a path towards a living wage career for all pupils.
§ 3. The education law is amended by adding a new section 818 to read
as follows:
§ 818. WORKPLACE READINESS WEEK. 1. THE WEEK OF EACH YEAR THAT
INCLUDES MAY FIRST SHALL BE KNOWN AS "WORKPLACE READINESS WEEK". ALL
SECONDARY SCHOOLS SHALL ANNUALLY OBSERVE THAT WEEK BY PROVIDING INFORMA-
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11779-04-4
A. 8156--A 2
TION TO STUDENTS ON THEIR RIGHTS AS WORKERS. THE TOPICS COVERED SHALL
INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:
(A) LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LAWS REGARDING EACH OF THE FOLLOWING
ISSUES:
(I) CHILD LABOR;
(II) WAGE AND HOUR PROTECTIONS;
(III) WORKER SAFETY;
(IV) WORKERS' COMPENSATION;
(V) PAID SICK LEAVE;
(VI) PROHIBITIONS AGAINST RETALIATION; AND
(VII) THE RIGHT TO ORGANIZE A UNION IN THE WORKPLACE;
(B) THE LABOR MOVEMENT'S ROLE IN WINNING THE PROTECTIONS AND BENEFITS
DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION;
(C) AN INTRODUCTION TO STATE-APPROVED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS IN NEW
YORK, HOW TO ACCESS THEM, AND HOW THEY CAN PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE CAREER
PATH FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT ATTEND UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE;
(D) AN INTRODUCTION TO THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM IN NEW YORK AND THE
PROCESS OF TESTING AND APPLYING FOR CIVIL SERVICE JOBS; AND
(E) AN INTRODUCTION TO FINANCIAL LITERACY WHICH SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT
BE LIMITED TO, BANKING BASICS, BUDGETING, AND FILING TAXES.
2. FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES ELEVEN AND TWELVE, THE OBSERVANCES REQUIRED
BY SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE INTEGRATED INTO THE REGULAR
SCHOOL PROGRAM, CONSISTENT WITH THE HISTORY/SOCIAL SCIENCE CURRICULUM,
BUT MAY ALSO INCLUDE SPECIAL EVENTS AFTER REGULAR SCHOOL HOURS. THIS
INTEGRATION IS ENCOURAGED, BUT NOT REQUIRED, TO OCCUR DURING WORKPLACE
READINESS WEEK.
3. ANY MINOR SEEKING WORKING PAPERS IN ORDER TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE
STATE SHALL BE ISSUED, BEFORE OR AT THE TIME OF RECEIVING SUCH WORKING
PAPERS, A DOCUMENT CLEARLY EXPLAINING BASIC LABOR RIGHTS EXTENDED TO
WORKERS. TOPICS COVERED IN THIS DOCUMENT SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE
LIMITED TO, THOSE TOPICS IDENTIFIED IN PARAGRAPH (A) OF SUBDIVISION ONE
OF THIS SECTION. SUCH DOCUMENT SHALL BE PRODUCED, AND MADE AVAILABLE, IN
ANY LANGUAGE SPOKEN BY FIVE PERCENT OR MORE OF THE PUPILS ENROLLED IN
ANY ONE SCHOOL OR, IF REQUESTED, IN THE PRIMARY LANGUAGE OF ANY STUDENT
AND SHALL EXPRESS THESE LABOR RIGHTS IN PLAIN, NATURAL TERMINOLOGY EASI-
LY UNDERSTOOD BY THE STUDENT. THE DOCUMENT SHALL BE IN A PHYSICAL FORM
BUT MAY ALSO BE PROVIDED ELECTRONICALLY. THE NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL OF
INDUSTRIAL AND LABOR RELATIONS AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY IS ENCOURAGED TO
PRODUCE, WITH INPUT FROM BONA FIDE LABOR ORGANIZATIONS, A DRAFT TEMPLATE
FOR THE DOCUMENT TO BE PROVIDED TO MINORS SEEKING WORKING PAPERS PURSU-
ANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION, INCLUDING THE TRANSLATIONS SPECIFIED.
4. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ANNUALLY SEND A WRITTEN NOTICE, DETAILING
THE REQUIREMENTS OF WORKPLACE READINESS WEEK AND HOW TEACHERS MAY ACCESS
RELATED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND OTHER RESOURCES, TO EVERY SECONDARY
SCHOOL IN THE STATE, AT LEAST ONE MONTH BEFORE WORKPLACE READINESS WEEK.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.