Clarifies the definition of work activities to include certain work-study and internship positions

BILL NUMBER:S7336

Title of bill

An act to amend chapter 534 of the laws of 2000, amending the social services law relating to clarifying the definition of work activities to include certain work-study and internship positions, in relation to making such provisions permanent

Purpose of the bill

This bill would make permanent those provisions of law which allow certain public assistance recipients to participate in work-study and internship positions and have those hours of participation count toward the recipient's work activity requirements.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 of the bill would eliminate the sunset date of Chapter 534 of the Laws of 2000 which has been extended for two years in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008.

Section 2 of the proposal would provide for an immediate effective date.

Existing law

Chapter 534 of the Laws of 2000 amended Social Services Law (SSL) 335-b (2) and 336-c (4) and added a new subdivision 8 to SSL § 336. These amendments clarified that participation in certain work-study and internships positions shall be counted toward a recipient's work activity requirements, and local social services districts must make reasonable efforts to ensure that such assignments do not conflict with the student's academic schedule.

Chapter 534 of the Laws of 2000 was extended for two years in 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2008. The 2008 extension, in Chapter 121 of the Laws of 2008, is currently set to expire on June 30, 2010.

Legislative history

In 2008, an identical departmental bill, #186, was introduced as A.10659/S.7428. However, the bill was not reported from the Assembly Social Services Committee nor from the Senate Social Services, Children and Families Committee.

Statement in support

Public assistance recipients have an obligation to meet certain work participation requirements. Work-study and internship positions have provided many individuals with the experience and the opportunity to

transition from assistance to employment through a combination of employment activities and education. Such activities should, in many instances, be countable toward the student's work participation requirements, and local social services districts should not unreasonably assign work requirements that conflict with the student's academic schedule, if an approved work experience assignment is available.

Chapter 534 of the Laws of 2000 was originally enacted to determine whether allowing certain recipients who were non-graduate college students to count hours of participation in certain approved work-study assignments, internships, externships or other work placements toward the satisfaction of their work activity requirements would further such individuals' educational progress and, ultimately, help them transition to paid employment. Chapter 534 of the Laws of 2000 was originally set to sunset on June 30, 2002, to allow the State an opportunity to assess if this new approach to students' work activity requirements would be beneficial. Over the past ten years, the sunset date has been extended every two years. The law has served its intended purpose without any negative consequences to districts' ability to meet work participation rates or recipients' ability to improve employment opportunities and transition to full-time employment.

Budget implications

This bill would have no fiscal impact.

Effective date

This bill would take effect immediately.