What's happening
This bill amends social services law to prioritize training public assistance recipients for sustainable wage jobs and nontraditional employment, especially for those with a high school diploma or GED.
Why it matters
Expands focus to higher-wage, sustainable employment. By defining “sustainable wage” as at least 185% of the poverty line (adjusted for region), the bill shifts training and employment programs toward helping public assistance recipients find jobs that provide genuine economic security, rather than just any available employment.
Promotes access to nontraditional and high-skill careers. The bill specifically encourages training and placement in “nontraditional employment” fields (where one gender is underrepresented, such as skilled trades, technology, and computer science), aiming to break down occupational gender segregation and open doors to better-paying, in-demand jobs.
Prioritizes individualized, goal-oriented planning. Amendments require that employability plans for those with a high school diploma or GED “strongly consider” pathways to sustainable wage and nontraditional jobs, making workforce planning more tailored and aspirational, rather than defaulting to the quickest or most traditional employment options.
Potential for long-term reduction in public assistance dependency. By prioritizing training for jobs that pay more and have growth potential, the legislation seeks to help recipients achieve greater self-sufficiency, potentially reducing long-term reliance on public benefits and improving overall economic mobility.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Train for Better-Paying Jobs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to social services
- Referred to social services
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Train For Better-Paying Jobs
In Senate Committee · Social Services · Sponsor Velmanette Montgomery
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1346
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 11, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. SIMON, GOTTFRIED, SIMOTAS, JAFFEE -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. GALEF -- read once and referred to the Committee on Social Services
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to training and education for sustainable wage jobs and traditional and nontraditional employment in public assistance employment programs
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 330 of the social services law, as amended by section 148 of part B of chapter 436 of the laws of 1997, paragraphs a and b as amended by section 2 of part C of chapter 57 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
1. Whenever used in this title:
a. the term "commissioner" means the commissioner of the state office of temporary and disability assistance; [and]
b. the term "department" means the state office of temporary and disability assistance;
c. the term "nontraditional employment" means occupations or fields of work, including careers in the skilled trades, or computer science, technology and other emerging high skill occupations, for which any one gender comprises less than twenty-five percent of the individuals employed in each such occupation or field of work according to federal department of labor statistics; and
d. the term "sustainable wage" means a wage that is at least one hundred eighty-five percent of the poverty line and that is adjusted for regional factors.
§ 2. The second undesignated paragraph of section 333 of the social services law, as amended by section 148 of part B of chapter 436 of the laws of 1997, is amended to read as follows:
Such plan shall be developed in cooperation and coordination with public and private education institutions, child care providers, child
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00793-01-7
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care resource and referral agencies if available in the district, labor unions, libraries, public and private employers, employment and training agencies and organizations, and private industry councils established in service delivery areas defined in subdivision five of section nine hundred seventy-one of the executive law. Such plan shall strongly consider, for individuals who have obtained a high school diploma or a general equivalency diploma (GED), training for sustainable wage jobs and promote nontraditional employment opportunities for such participants; provided that any individual's preparation for employment shall be consistent with federal and state work participation requirements.
§ 3. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 334 of the social services law, as amended by section 148 of part B of chapter 436 of the laws of 1997, is amended to read as follows:
(a) education, employment and training opportunities available under the local plan, including: (i) education and training for sustainable wage jobs and nontraditional employment opportunities; and (ii) educational and training opportunities available at no cost to the participant as well as the responsibilities associated with the repayment of student financial aid;
§ 4. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 of section 335 of the social services law, as amended by section 148 of part B of chapter 436 of the laws of 1997, is amended to read as follows:
(a) Based on the assessment required by subdivision one of this section, the social services official, in consultation with the participant, shall develop an employability plan in writing which shall set forth the services that will be provided by the social services official, including but not limited to child care and other services and the activities in which the participant will take part, including child care and other services and shall set forth an employment goal for the participant. To the extent possible, the employability plan shall reflect the preferences of the participant in a manner that is consistent with the results of the participant's assessment and the need of the social services district to meet federal and state work activity participation requirements, and, if such preferences cannot be accommodated, the reasons shall be specified in the employability plan. The employability plan shall also take into account the participant's supportive services needs, available program resources, local employment opportunities, and shall strongly consider, for individuals who have obtained a high school diploma or a general equivalency diploma (GED), the potential for available employment that pays a sustainable wage; provided that any individual's preparation for employment shall be consistent with federal and state work participation requirements; and where the social services official is considering an educational activity assignment for such participant, the participant's liability for student loans, grants and scholarship awards. The employability plan shall be explained to the participant. Any change to the participant's employability plan required by the social services official shall be discussed with the participant and shall be documented in writing.
§ 5. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 of section 335-a of the social services law, as amended by section 1 of part J of chapter 58 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
(a) Based on the assessment required by subdivision one of this section, the social services official, in consultation with the participant, shall develop an employability plan in writing which shall set forth the services that will be provided by the social services official and the activities in which the participant will take part, including
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supportive services and shall set forth an employment goal for the participant. To the extent possible, the employability plan shall reflect the preferences of the participant in a manner that is consistent with the results of the participant's assessment and the need of the social services district to meet federal and state work activity participation requirements, and, if such preferences cannot be accommodated, the reasons shall be specified in the employability plan. The employability plan also shall take into account the participant's supportive services needs, available program resources, local employment opportunities, and shall strongly consider, for individuals who have obtained a high school diploma or a general equivalency diploma (GED), the potential for available employment that pays a sustainable wage; provided that any individual's preparation for employment shall be consistent with federal and state work participation requirements; and where the social services official is considering an educational activity assignment for such participant, the participant's liability for student loans, grants and scholarship awards. The employability plan shall be explained to the participant. Any change to the participant's employability plan required by the social services official shall be discussed with the participant and shall be documented in writing.
§ 6. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law, and shall apply to employability plans made or updated on and after such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
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