NY State Senate Bill 2023-S8797

Senate Bill S8797

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Directs the New York State Department of Labor to establish a voluntary training and certification program for employers that have taken the Neurodiversity Training Pledge

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Labor Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Mar 12, 2024	referred to labor

2023-S8797 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Labor
Law Section:: Labor

2023-S8797 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Directs the New York State Department of Labor to establish a voluntary training and certification program for employers that have taken the Neurodiversity Training Pledge.

2023-S8797 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8797

SPONSOR: MANNION
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act in relation to directing the New York State Department of Labor
to establish a voluntary training and certification program for employ-
ers that have taken the Neurodiversity Training Pledge

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of this bill is to direct the Department of Labor to estab-
lish a voluntary training and certification program for employers that
have taken the Neurodiversity Training Pledge.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of this bill would direct the Department of Labor, in consul-
tation with the Office of Employee Relations and the Office of the Chief
Disability Officer, to establish a voluntary training and certification
program for employers that have taken the Neurodiversity Pledge, and to
develop and manage such program.

Section 2 provides that the effective date shall be the thirtieth day
after this bill shall have become a law.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Recently, new statutes have been enacted and initiatives launched to
improve the lives of New Yorkers with disabilities, and to enhance their
employment opportunities; examples include, but are not limited to, the
expansion of the 55 b/c Program. Both the public and private sector are
engaged in these efforts as well. The success of implementation of such
statutes and initiatives depend, in large measure, upon neurodiversity
training and neurodiverse workforce hiring.

Increasing further awareness and knowledge of the various forms of
neurodivergence helps improve training for employees and employers in
ensuring the workplace is highly accessible for individuals with disa-
bilities. Positive inter-work relations and productivity are vital to
career and employment success, yet currently, individuals with disabili-
ties may not stand on an equal playing ground while tackling these
goals. Being familiar with disabilities and knowing how to accommodate
them is a necessity for all workplaces, and is long overdue for enact-
ment. Therefore, this bill would direct various offices to pursue a
shared effort of establishing a training and certification program for
employers who have taken the Neurodiversity Pledge, which is a pledge to
be more inclusive.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have
become a law.

2023-S8797 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8797
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 12, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. MANNION -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Labor
 
 AN ACT in relation to directing the New York State Department  of  Labor
   to  establish  a  voluntary  training  and  certification  program for
   employers that have taken the Neurodiversity Training Pledge
 
   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 Department of Labor, in consultation
 with the Office of Employee Relations and the Office of the Chief  Disa-
 bility  Officer  shall  establish a voluntary training and certification
 program for employers that have taken the Neurodiversity Training Pledge
 and that support an inclusive workplace and the advantages of a neurodi-
 verse workforce. The program shall  promote  techniques  and  strategies
 employers  can  implement  to  increase neurodiversity in the employer's
 workforce through neurodiverse hiring  and  training  supply  chains  by
 working  with  companies that employ neurodiverse individuals with disa-
 bilities.
   b. The Department of Labor will develop and manage the  program.    As
 part  of  the  program, the Department of Labor will develop a series of
 online/virtual  training  programs  for  employers  for  key  components
 related to training employers on topics including:
   (i)  workforce sensitivity training regarding people with neurological
 differences such as Autism, ADHD,  dyslexia,  and  other  neurodivergent
 neurotypes;
   (ii) recognition of the advantages of neurodiversity and a neuroinclu-
 sive  workforce and workplace which promotes success for the business or
 organization through creativity and innovation;
   (iii) commitment to consider and interview for employment neurodiverse
 individuals and appropriate job opening advertisements;
   (iv) workplace inclusion of neurodiverse individuals;
   (v) supply chain neurodiversity to the extent practicable;
   (vi) providing reasonable accommodations to neurodiverse employees;
   (vii) website accessibility;

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14460-01-4

 S. 8797                             2
 
   (viii) understanding of tax credits and other financial incentives for
 fulfilling the Neurodiversity Training Pledge;
   (ix) supply chain diversity;
   (x) the role of job coaches in assisting employers; and
   (xi)  corporate  partnership  training  for  employers for purposes of
 qualifying for preferred source procurement status.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.

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