Requires the provision of guides containing best practices for retaining employees who are informal caregivers

Title of bill

An act to amend the elder law, in relation to the provision of guides containing best practices for retaining employees who are informal caregivers

Purpose or general idea of bill

To make materials available to employers m New York state on the issue of informal caregiving by employees.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1. Amends the Elder Law by adding a new section 224. Establishes the informal caregivers in the workplace program. Provides that the New York State Office for the Aging, in conjunction with the Department of Labor, shall develop and update a guide for businesses in the State that contain best practices for retaining and assisting employees who are also informal caregivers.

Section 2. Effective Date

Existing law

None

Justification

Recent studies indicate that if we were to quantify that value of informal caregiving as a part of our healthcare system, it would account for well over $20 billion each year. Many employers and employees at some point have to care for a disabled parent, spouse, or child, and in many cases are unable to appropriately assist employees in this situation. What this bill attempts to do is develop and disseminate materials to employees and employers about informal caregiving, how it impacts their businesses, and how businesses can support their caregiving employees.

Prior legislative history

2014: S.314A - Reported and Committed to Finance/A.1857A - Passed Assembly 2013: S.314A - Reported and Committed to Finance/A.1857A - Passed Assembly 2012: S.1897 - Notice of Committee Consideration Requested, Discharged, Committed to Rules/A.1902 - Held for consideration in Ways and Means 2011: S.1897- Discharged from Aging Committed to Civil Service and Pensions/A.1902 - Reported, Referred to Ways and Means 2009-10: A.8233 - Died on Third Reading Calendar

Fiscal implications

To be determined.

Effective date

Immediately