Assembly Bill A978

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    978
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  ANGELINO, BENDETT, DeSTEFANO, DURSO, GIGLIO,
   LEMONDES,  McDONOUGH,  MILLER,  MORINELLO,  TAGUE  --  read  once  and
   referred to the Committee on Labor
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the labor law, in relation to job protection for emer-
   gency services volunteers

   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 202-m to
 read as follows:
   § 202-M. AUTHORIZED ABSENCE. 1. IF AN EMPLOYEE IS ABSENT FROM OR  LATE
 TO  THEIR  EMPLOYMENT  IN  ORDER TO RESPOND TO AN EMERGENCY PRIOR TO THE
 TIME THE EMPLOYEE IS TO REPORT TO THEIR EMPLOYMENT DUE TO THEM  ENGAGING
 IN  THE ACTUAL PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES AS (A) A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHT-
 ER, OR (B) AN ENROLLED MEMBER OF A VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE SERVICE  PURSUANT
 TO ARTICLE THIRTY OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW, AN EMPLOYER SHALL BE PROHIB-
 ITED  FROM  TERMINATING  SUCH  EMPLOYEE  ON THE BASIS OF SUCH ABSENCE OR
 LATENESS.
   2. THE ENTIRE PERIOD OF THE AUTHORIZED  ABSENCE  GRANTED  PURSUANT  TO
 THIS  SECTION  MAY  BE  CHARGED AGAINST ANY OTHER LEAVE SUCH EMPLOYEE IS
 OTHERWISE ENTITLED TO, AND SUCH AUTHORIZED ABSENCE SHALL INCLUDE  TRAVEL
 BOTH TO AND FROM SUCH DUTIES PERFORMED IN THEIR CAPACITY AS A VOLUNTEER.
 AT THE EMPLOYER'S REQUEST, THE EMPLOYEE MUST PROVIDE THE EMPLOYER WITH A
 STATEMENT  FROM THE HEAD OF THE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER OR VOLUNTEER AMBU-
 LANCE SERVICE, AS APPLICABLE, STATING THE EMPLOYEE RESPONDED TO AN EMER-
 GENCY AND THE TIME OF SUCH RESPONSE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02659-01-5