Relates to establishing the New York minority employment plan act

Title of bill

An act to amend the civil service law, in relation to establishing the New York minority employment plan act

Purpose or general idea of bill

This legislation would amend the civil service law by amending the Article 2 Title A Section 7-a. 3(c), Section 7- a.3(1), and section 7-a.3(k)(4) to require the Commission on Increasing Diversity in the State Government Workforce ("the Commission") to:

1. Review the diversity hiring practices of other states and the federal government ....for recruiting and advancing Hispanic, African-American, and Asian college students, and recommend the best outcome practices

2. Review and recommend recruiting and employment practices that will bring minorities including, but not limited to, Hispanics and Asians into jobs classified as shortage category occupations, as well as other occupations.

3. Require and direct the Commission to report its findings, conclusions, recommendations and on the status of and any actions taken on the recommendations made pursuant to subparagraph one of the Section 7-a of the civil service law to the governor and the legislature no later than the first of February in each year.

Justification

Under the existing state civil service law, the Commission on Increasing Diversity in the State Government Workforce, an independent commission which is established by the section 7-a of the civil service law, is required to recommend to the governor and the legislature the ways in which to increase the number of minority workers in state service.

However, while the section 7-a. 3(c) and 7-a. 3(f) are specifically requiring the Commission to review and recommend recruiting and employment practices that will bring Hispanics and African-Americans into certain occupations in state government, it fails to explicitly require the review and recommend on behalf of and for Asian population in New York by the Commission.

This bill is thereby proposed to promote and encourage the diversity in the state government workforce by enacting an explicit requirement that the Commission includes Asian population in its review and evaluation of recruiting and employment practices of state government workforce and make recommendations to the governor and the legislature the concerning ways to increase the number of minority workers including, but not limited to, Asians in state service.

Legislative history

2016: A.8050 (Kim)

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This bill takes effect immediately.