S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
9082
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
September 12, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. REYES -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Labor
AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to wage requirements for
certain support professionals
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 224-g to
read as follows:
§ 224-G. WAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS. 1.
DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL
HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
(A) "HUMAN SERVICES WORKER" SHALL MEAN ANY EMPLOYEE THAT EITHER
PROVIDES DIRECT CARE, SUPPORT, OR TREATMENT TO AN INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPAT-
ING IN AN ELIGIBLE PROGRAM AND SERVICES AS DEFINED IN THIS SECTION OR
ANY EMPLOYEE WHO MAY NOT PROVIDE DIRECT CARE TO AN INDIVIDUAL BUT WHOSE
JOB TITLE GOALS ARE TO HELP IMPROVE OR ENHANCE AN INDIVIDUAL'S HEALTH
AND/OR WELFARE BY ADDRESSING SOCIAL PROBLEMS AND WHO ARE NOT MAKING THE
BASE WAGE AS ESTABLISHED IN THIS SECTION. SUCH DEFINITION SHALL NOT
INCLUDE EXECUTIVE PROFESSIONALS.
(B) "ELIGIBLE PROGRAM" MEANS ANY STATE-FUNDED PROGRAM OR SERVICE THAT
IS PROVIDED TO INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF
IMPROVING OR ENHANCING SUCH INDIVIDUALS' HEALTH AND/OR WELFARE, BY
ADDRESSING SOCIAL PROBLEMS THAT ARE FUNDED, LICENSED, OR CERTIFIED BY
THE OFFICES, IF SUCH PROGRAM OR SERVICE IS PROVIDED TO INDIVIDUALS OR
GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPROVING OR ENHANCING SUCH
INDIVIDUALS' HEALTH AND/OR WELFARE, BY ADDRESSING SOCIAL PROBLEMS.
(C) "DOWNSTATE REGION" MEANS THE REGION CONSISTING OF BRONX, KINGS,
NEW YORK, NASSAU, QUEENS, RICHMOND, SUFFOLK, AND WESTCHESTER COUNTIES.
(D) "REST OF THE STATE" MEANS ALL OTHER COUNTIES OF THE STATE NOT
INCLUDED IN DOWNSTATE REGION.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09634-03-5
A. 9082 2
(E) "OFFICES" MEANS THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH, OFFICE FOR PEOPLE
WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, OFFICE OF ADDICTION SERVICES AND
SUPPORTS, OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE, OFFICE OF CHIL-
DREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, THE STATE OFFICE FOR THE AGING, THE DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, THE OFFICE OF VICTIM SERVICES,
AND ANY OTHER STATE AGENCY THAT MAY HAVE ELIGIBLE PROGRAMS, IF SUCH
PROGRAM OR SERVICE IS PROVIDED TO INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS,
FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPROVING OR ENHANCING SUCH INDIVIDUALS' HEALTH
AND/OR WELFARE, BY ADDRESSING SOCIAL PROBLEMS.
(F) "SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICT" SHALL HAVE THE SAME MEANING AS DEFINED
BY SECTION TWO OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES LAW.
2. HUMAN SERVICES WORKER WAGES. (A) THE PROVISIONS OF THIS PARAGRAPH
SHALL APPLY TO THE DOWNSTATE REGION. BEGINNING APRIL TWO THOUSAND TWEN-
TY-SIX, FOR THE DOWNSTATE REGION, AND PENDING FEDERAL APPROVAL WHERE
NECESSARY, THE COMMISSIONERS OR OTHER CHIEF OFFICERS OF THE OFFICES
SHALL PROVIDE SUFFICIENT FUNDING FOR ANY CONTRACTS BETWEEN SUCH OFFICES
AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND ANY ELIGIBLE PROGRAMS FUNDED BY
ALLOCATIONS OR REIMBURSEMENTS FROM SUCH OFFICES TO SOCIAL SERVICES
DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE A BASE WAGE TO HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS EMPLOYED IN
ELIGIBLE PROGRAMS, AND TO HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS EMPLOYED BY ANY
CONTRACTORS OR SUBCONTRACTORS WORKING IN ANY ELIGIBLE PROGRAM, TO ENSURE
SUCH HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS ARE PAID A BASE WAGE. SUCH BASE WAGE SHALL
BE TWENTY-NINE DOLLARS PER HOUR FOR THE DOWNSTATE REGION AND SHALL BE
PHASED IN SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING SCHEDULE:
(I) BEGINNING APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX, THE BASE WAGE
SHALL BE TWENTY DOLLARS PER HOUR;
(II) BEGINNING APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SEVEN, THE BASE WAGE
SHALL BE TWENTY-FOUR DOLLARS PER HOUR;
(III) BEGINNING APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-EIGHT, THE BASE WAGE
SHALL BE TWENTY-SIX DOLLARS PER HOUR; AND
(IV) BEGINNING APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-NINE, THE BASE WAGE
SHALL BE TWENTY-NINE DOLLARS PER HOUR OR FOUR HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE
FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL, WHICHEVER IS GREATER.
(B) THE PROVISIONS OF THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL APPLY TO THE REST OF THE
STATE. BEGINNING APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX, AND PENDING
FEDERAL APPROVAL WHERE NECESSARY, THE COMMISSIONERS OR OTHER CHIEF OFFI-
CERS OF THE OFFICES, SHALL PROVIDE SUFFICIENT FUNDING FOR ANY CONTRACTS
BETWEEN SUCH OFFICES AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND ANY ELIGIBLE
PROGRAMS FUNDED BY ALLOCATIONS OR REIMBURSEMENTS FROM SUCH OFFICES TO
SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE A BASE WAGE TO HUMAN SERVICES WORK-
ERS EMPLOYED IN ELIGIBLE PROGRAMS, AND TO HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS
EMPLOYED BY ANY CONTRACTORS OR SUBCONTRACTORS WORKING IN ANY ELIGIBLE
PROGRAM, TO ENSURE SUCH HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS ARE PAID A BASE WAGE.
SUCH BASE WAGE SHALL BE TWENTY-NINE DOLLARS PER HOUR FOR THE REST OF
STATE AND SHALL BE PHASED IN SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING SCHEDULE:
(I) BEGINNING APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX, THE BASE WAGE
SHALL BE NINETEEN DOLLARS PER HOUR;
(II) BEGINNING APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SEVEN, THE BASE WAGE
SHALL BE TWENTY-ONE DOLLARS PER HOUR;
(III) BEGINNING APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-EIGHT, THE BASE WAGE
SHALL BE TWENTY-THREE DOLLARS PER HOUR;
(IV) BEGINNING APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-NINE, THE BASE WAGE
SHALL BE TWENTY-SIX DOLLARS PER HOUR; AND
(V) BEGINNING APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND THIRTY, THE BASE WAGE SHALL BE
TWENTY-NINE DOLLARS PER HOUR OR FOUR HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL
POVERTY LEVEL, WHICHEVER IS GREATER.
A. 9082 3
(C) ANNUAL HUMAN SERVICES WORKER BASE WAGE INCREASE. (I) THE
PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBPARAGRAPH SHALL APPLY TO THE DOWNSTATE REGION. ON
AND AFTER APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND THIRTY, THE BASE WAGE RATE APPLIED
UNDER PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE ADJUSTED ANNUALLY BY
THE OFFICES. SUCH ADJUSTED BASE WAGE RATE SHALL BE DETERMINED BY
INCREASING THE THEN CURRENT YEAR'S BASE WAGE RATE BY THE RATE OF CHANGE
IN THE AVERAGE OF THE THREE MOST RECENT CONSECUTIVE TWELVE-MONTH PERIODS
BETWEEN THE FIRST OF AUGUST AND THE THIRTY-FIRST OF JULY, EACH OVER
THEIR PRECEDING TWELVE-MONTH PERIODS PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR NON-SEASONALLY ADJUSTED CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR
NORTHEAST REGION URBAN WAGE EARNERS AND CLERICAL WORKERS (CPI-W) OR ANY
SUCCESSOR INDEX AS CALCULATED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR,
WITH THE RESULT ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST FIVE CENTS.
(II) THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBPARAGRAPH SHALL APPLY TO THE REST OF
THE STATE. ON AND AFTER APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND THIRTY-ONE, THE BASE
WAGE RATE APPLIED UNDER PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE
ADJUSTED ANNUALLY BY THE OFFICES. SUCH ADJUSTED BASE WAGE RATE SHALL BE
DETERMINED BY INCREASING THE THEN CURRENT YEAR'S BASE WAGE RATE BY THE
RATE OF CHANGE IN THE AVERAGE OF THE THREE MOST RECENT CONSECUTIVE
TWELVE-MONTH PERIODS BETWEEN THE FIRST OF AUGUST AND THE THIRTY-FIRST OF
JULY, EACH OVER THEIR PRECEDING TWELVE-MONTH PERIODS PUBLISHED BY THE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR NON-SEASONALLY ADJUSTED CONSUMER PRICE
INDEX FOR NORTHEAST REGION URBAN WAGE EARNERS AND CLERICAL WORKERS
(CPI-W) OR ANY SUCCESSOR INDEX AS CALCULATED BY THE UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, WITH THE RESULT ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST FIVE CENTS.
3. ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE LIST. THE COMMISSIONERS OR OTHER CHIEF OFFICERS
OF THE OFFICES, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DIVISION OF THE BUDGET, SHALL
ESTABLISH A LIST OF ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE TITLES FOR BASE WAGES IN ACCORD-
ANCE WITH SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION. USING FORMS AND PROCESSES
THAT SHALL BE DEVELOPED BY THE COMMISSIONERS OR OTHER CHIEF OFFICERS OF
THE OFFICES, EMPLOYERS SHALL INDICATE THE NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES
BASED ON SUCH LIST OF ELIGIBLE TITLES.
4. ALLOCATIONS. THE COMMISSIONERS OR OTHER CHIEF OFFICERS OF THE
OFFICES SHALL DISTRIBUTE AN ALLOCATION TO EACH ELIGIBLE PROVIDER BASED
ON THE FORMS DEVELOPED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS SECTION.
THE FUNDS DISTRIBUTED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE USED TO ENHANCE
BASE WAGES OF ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES.
5. REIMBURSEMENT. WHERE APPROPRIATE, TRANSFERS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH SHALL BE MADE AS REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE STATE SHARE OF MEDICAL
ASSISTANCE.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.