What's happening
This bill requires New York public authorities with 25 or more employees to establish telework programs, with criteria and collective bargaining for unionized staff.
Why it matters
Expanding telework could change how and where thousands of public authority employees do their jobs. , potentially reducing commutes, cutting down on office space needs, and shifting workplace culture toward more flexibility.
The bill requires each authority to assess cost-effectiveness and job suitability before implementing telework. , meaning not all positions will be eligible, and decisions will be based on operational needs and cost savings, not just employee preference.
Unionized workforces must be involved in collective bargaining before telework programs are set up. , giving labor organizations a formal say in how telework is structured, which could affect negotiations, contracts, and worker protections.
Safeguards are included to prevent telework participation from impacting salary or benefits. , ensuring that remote workers are treated equitably and not penalized compared to on-site staff.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Expand State Employee Telework
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 25
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1041
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 10, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ROZIC -- read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to enacting the "public authorities teleworking expansion act"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "public authorities teleworking expansion act".
§ 2. The public authorities law is amended by adding a new section 2854 to read as follows:
§ 2854. Teleworking programs. 1. Every authority with twenty-five or more employees shall establish a policy and program to allow such employees to perform all or a portion of their duties through teleworking to the maximum extent possible without diminished employee performance, provided that any public authority with a unionized workforce shall engage in collective bargaining prior to establishing such a program for its unionized employees. Each authority shall designate a "telework coordinator" to be responsible for overseeing the implementation of teleworking programs.
2. For the purposes of this section, the term "telework" shall mean to perform normal and regular work functions on a workday at home that ordinarily would be performed at the authority's location or facility, thereby eliminating or substantially reducing the physical commute to and from such authority's principal location.
3. Prior to establishing a teleworking program, each authority shall determine whether or not such program is cost effective. Each participating authority shall then define who is eligible to participate in such program, including, but not limited to the following conditions and criteria:
(a) that the employee has been a permanent employee and has held their job title for at least sixty days;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00435-01-7
A. 1041 2
(b) that the authority has determined that the full range of an employee's job can be readily and effectively completed at an alternate site;
(c) the authority determines that the employee's absence from the office is not detrimental to office operations;
(d) the employee's performance has been satisfactory or better;
(e) both the employee and employer have signed a formal arrangement that clearly delineates the teleworking relationship; and
(f) the authority has determined that such a teleworking program is cost effective.
4. Participation in a teleworking program shall not be the basis for changes in salary or benefits.
5. Teleworking policies of each participating authority shall be delivered to the governor, speaker of the assembly, temporary president of the senate, and chairs of the assembly and senate corporations committees.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.