Relates to enacting the "save New York call center jobs act of 2014"

5 Co-sponsors

• Joseph P. Addabbo Jr.
• Tony Avella
• Ruth Hassell-Thompson
• Toby Ann Stavisky
• David J. Valesky

BILL NUMBER:S542A

Title of bill

An act to amend the labor law, in relation to enacting the "save New York call center jobs act of 2014"

Purpose of bill

The purpose of this bill is to penalize companies that relocate call center jobs overseas by restricting their access to state contracts and loans.

Summary of provisions

The bill amends the labor law by adding Article 21. Under Section 771, a call center employer that intends to relocate a call center, or one or more facilities or operating units within a call center compromising at least thirty percent of the call center's, or operating unit's total volume when measured against the previous twelve month average call volume of operations or substantially similar oper- ations, from New York State to a foreign country shall notify the commissioner at least one hundred days before such relocation.

A call center employer that violates subdivision one of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed ten thousand dollars for each day of such violation, except that the commissioner may reduce such amount for just cause shown.

Justification

Over the past four years, the United States has lost at least 500,000 call center jobs as businesses have opted to relocate offshore. In addition to limiting employment opportunities for struggl- ing families, the use of foreign call centers present a number of secu- rity concerns with respect to protecting New Yorkers personal confiden- tial information.

In an effort to combat unemployment in New York State, this bill holds companies that out source jobs accountable. This legislation directs the commissioner to compile a semi-annual list of all call center employers in NYS that relocate jobs overseas and publicly discloses this informa- tion to all state agencies. Additionally, call center employers that appear on the list will be ineligible for state grants, guaranteed loans and tax benefits. This measure gives companies throughout the state an incentive to support New York's workforce, as opposed to negligently shipping jobs abroad. In light of the current economic climate, it is fiscally irresponsible to continue to reward with taxpayer dollars and state subsidies, businesses that relocate jobs.

Prior legislative history

2012: S.6918 Referred to Labor/A.9809 Passed Assembly

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.