New York S 2211: Establishes an essential workers' bill of rights

Bill Text

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S02211 Summary:

BILL NOS02211 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A01267

&nbsp

SPONSORLIU

&nbsp

COSPNSR

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Add §202-n, Lab L

&nbsp

Establishes an essential workers' bill of rights; provides that all employers shall provide essential workers with personal protective equipment, inform such workers of exposure to any disease related to a state disaster emergency, and not retaliate for any report of an unsafe work environment; provides certain employers shall make hazard payments and cover the costs of any child care or health care needed by such essential workers for the duration of the state disaster emergency.

Go to top S02211 Actions:

BILL NOS02211 

&nbsp

01/15/2025REFERRED TO LABOR

01/07/2026REFERRED TO LABOR

Go to topS02211 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS02211 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS02211 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 2211

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 January 15, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. LIU -- 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 establishing an essential
 workers' bill of rights

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. The labor law is amended by adding a new section 202-m to
 2 read as follows:
 3 § 202-m. Essential workers' bill of rights. 1. For the purposes of
 4 this section, "essential worker" means any employee of a business or
 5 entity providing essential services or functions during any state disas-
 6 ter emergency declared pursuant to article two-B of the executive law
 7 and designated as an essential worker pursuant to any law, rule, regu-
 8 lation or executive order including but not limited to essential health
 9 care operations including research and laboratory services; essential
 10 infrastructure including utilities, telecommunication, airports and
 11 transportation infrastructure; essential manufacturing, including food
 12 processing and pharmaceuticals; essential retail including grocery
 13 stores and pharmacies; essential services including trash collection,
 14 mail, and shipping services; news media; banks and related financial
 15 institutions; providers of basic necessities to economically disadvan-
 16 taged populations; construction; vendors of essential services necessary
 17 to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operations of resi-
 18 dences or other essential businesses; vendors that provide essential
 19 services or products, including logistics and technology support, child
 20 care and services needed to ensure the continuing operation of govern-
 21 ment agencies and provide for the health, safety and welfare of the
 22 public.
 23 2. During a state disaster emergency, all employers of essential work-
 24 ers shall adopt and implement the following essential workers' bill of
 25 rights which shall be distributed to essential workers, made available

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD03419-01-5

 S. 2211 2

 1 on each employer's website, and shall include links or information to
 2 file a report and seek a response from such employer or the state
 3 regarding any unsafe work environment or failure to meet the require-
 4 ments of this section:
 5 (a) all employers shall provide essential workers with adequate
 6 personal protective equipment and products at no cost to such workers,
 7 including but not limited to hand sanitizer, medical or surgical masks,
 8 medical or surgical gloves, disposable gowns and any other equipment or
 9 product identified in emergency regulations promulgated by the commis-
 10 sioner, in consultation with the commissioner of health;
 11 (b) all employers shall inform essential workers when an employee has
 12 contracted a disease related to such state disaster emergency and of a
 13 worker's potential exposure to disease; and
 14 (c) no employer shall retaliate or discriminate against an essential
 15 worker for reporting any unsafe work environment.
 16 3. (a) For the purposes of this subdivision:
 17 (i) "employer" means a formula retail