S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8425
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 15, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. STERN -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Veterans' Affairs
 
 AN ACT to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to directing the
   department of veterans' services to conduct a  study  about  veterans'
   employment review
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The veterans' services law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 section 29-e to read as follows:
   § 29-E. VETERANS' EMPLOYMENT REVIEW. 1. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. IT IS ONLY
 PROPER THAT THOSE IN GOVERNMENT HELP THE HEROES WHO VOLUNTEERED TO SERVE
 IN  THE  MILITARY  MAKE  A  SUCCESSFUL  TRANSITION  TO CIVILIAN LIFE AND
 EMPLOYMENT.
   LEAVING MILITARY SERVICE FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYMENT  CAN  BE  CHALLENGING
 FOR  MANY  VETERANS  WHO MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY TRANSLATING MILITARY QUALI-
 FICATIONS, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCES WHEN APPLYING TO CIVILIAN JOBS.  YET,
 VETERANS HAVE A DIVERSE POOL OF SKILL SETS  THAT  MAKE  THEM  INVALUABLE
 ASSETS IN A WIDE VARIETY OF FIELDS ACROSS THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS
 AND  POSSESS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN ANY EMPLOY-
 MENT SITUATION, WHETHER AS A TEAM MEMBER OR IN A LEADERSHIP ROLE.
   THE LEGISLATURE IS AWARE THAT THE CURRENT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS  BEEN
 REDUCING  THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE WITH A DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ON VETER-
 ANS. IT IS THEREFORE, IMPORTANT THAT THE STATE OF NEW YORK INCREASE  ITS
 EFFORTS  TO  HELP  THOSE  VETERANS WHO HAVE RECENTLY BEEN DISPLACED FROM
 THEIR CAREERS IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND HELP THEM  FIND  A  PATH  TO
 EMPLOYMENT AND SUCCESS IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
   2. STUDY ESTABLISHED. THE DEPARTMENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPART-
 MENTS  OF  CIVIL  SERVICE  AND  LABOR, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF EMPLOYEE
 RELATIONS, AT  LEAST  TWO  REPRESENTATIVES  OF  LABOR  ORGANIZATIONS  AS
 DEFINED  IN SECTION TWO HUNDRED NINETY-TWO OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW, AND THE
 PRESIDENT OF THE NEW YORK STATE COUNTY VETERANS' SERVICE OFFICERS  ASSO-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13112-01-5
              

 A. 8425                             2
 
 CIATION,  IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO CONDUCT A STUDY REGARDING
 VETERANS' EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND INCENTIVES. SUCH STUDY  SHALL  BE
 COMPLETED  AND  A REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESI-
 DENT  OF THE SENATE, AND THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY ON OR BEFORE DECEM-
 BER THIRTY-FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SEVEN.
   3. STUDY REQUIREMENTS. THE VETERANS' EMPLOYMENT REVIEW  SHALL  COMPRE-
 HENSIVELY STUDY EFFORTS THAT CAN BE MADE TO IMPROVE AND INCREASE VETERAN
 EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE STATE INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   (A)  REVIEWING  THE  CURRENT  SYSTEM  OF AWARDING CIVIL SERVICE CREDIT
 PURSUANT TO LAW, INCLUDING THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION  SIX  OF  ARTICLE
 FIVE OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION;
   (B)  ANALYZING THE BENEFITS OF AWARDING CIVIL SERVICE CREDIT TO VETER-
 ANS BASED ON A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FACTORS INCLUDING, BUT  NOT  LIMITED
 TO,  MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY, COMBAT EXPERIENCE, OR THE AWARD OF
 CERTAIN DECORATIONS, MEDALS, BADGES, CITATIONS AND CAMPAIGN RIBBONS;
   (C) REVIEWING THE ADEQUACY OF EMPLOYMENT PROTECTIONS FOR  VETERANS  IN
 CURRENT LAW;
   (D)  REVIEWING  METHODS,  INCLUDING  THE  AWARDING OF ADDITIONAL CIVIL
 SERVICE CREDITS, THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED BY  EMPLOYERS  TO  MORE  EASILY
 FACILITATE  THE  RECRUITMENT AND ONBOARDING OF VETERAN EMPLOYEES WHO ARE
 FORMER EMPLOYEES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND WHO WERE  DISMISSED  FROM
 FEDERAL  EMPLOYMENT  ON OR AFTER JANUARY TWENTIETH, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-
 FIVE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THOSE UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDER 14210, 90
 FEDERAL REGISTRY 9669 (FEBRUARY 11, 2025); AND
   (E) PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS ON ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES THAT  EMPLOYERS
 CAN USE TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN VETERAN EMPLOYEES.
   4.  DEFINITION.  THE  TERM  "EMPLOYER"  SHALL HAVE THE SAME MEANING AS
 DEFINED IN SECTION TWO HUNDRED NINETY-TWO OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth  day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.