S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6575
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
March 17, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. HINCHEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Labor
AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to employee petitions to
participate in a shared work program and employer responses to such
petitions
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 605-a of the labor law, as added by chapter 493 of
the laws of 2021, is amended to read as follows:
§ 605-a. Shared work program. 1. Any group of employees who may
reasonably be expected to experience an employment loss as a consequence
of a reduction in workforce or have experienced employment loss as a
consequence of a reduction in workforce may petition in writing the
employer of such group of employees to apply to participate in a shared
work program pursuant to this article for purposes of avoiding such
reduction in workforce or for purposes of re-hiring any former employee
or employees of the employer that were laid off due to a reduction in
workforce. Such employer shall, no later than seven days after such
petition has been made, respond in writing to such group of employees.
Such response shall state the decision of the employer to apply or not
to apply to participate in a shared work program, and the reason for
deciding to apply or not to apply to participate in a shared work
program, and if the employer did apply, the outcome of the application,
if available. SUCH EMPLOYER SHALL SUBMIT A COPY OF BOTH THE PETITION
SUBMITTED BY THE EMPLOYEES AND THE EMPLOYER'S RESPONSE TO SUCH PETITION
TO THE COMMISSIONER.
2. No employer or their agent, or person acting as or on behalf of a
hiring entity, or the officer or agent of any corporation, partnership,
or limited liability company, shall discriminate, retaliate against, or
take adverse action against any employee for exercising the rights
afforded to them under this section.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08827-01-5
S. 6575 2
3. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL MAKE THE EMPLOYEE'S PETITION AND THE EMPLOY-
ER'S RESPONSE TO SUCH PETITION AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC ACCESS ON THE
WEBSITE OF THE DEPARTMENT.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.