What's happening
This bill allows individuals to receive unemployment benefits if they leave their job to accompany a spouse who is transferred for military duty.
Why it matters
Supports military families. By making it possible for spouses to accompany a transferred service member without sacrificing financial security, the bill recognizes the unique challenges faced by military families and helps reduce the economic strain from frequent relocations.
Reduces barriers to relocation. Many military spouses are forced to choose between staying employed and keeping their family together. This bill removes a significant barrier, allowing families to prioritize unity without facing immediate unemployment hardship.
Promotes workforce participation. Military spouse unemployment is a recognized problem due to frequent moves. By allowing access to unemployment benefits, this measure can help spouses stay connected to the workforce and more easily transition to new jobs after relocation.
Reflects evolving views on “voluntary” separation. Traditionally, quitting a job for personal reasons disqualified individuals from benefits. This bill recognizes that leaving work due to a spouse’s military orders isn’t a truly voluntary choice, modernizing the law to better fit real-life circumstances.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Unemployment For Transferred Military Spouses
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to labor
- Referred to labor
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.
Unemployment For Military Spouses
In Assembly Committee · Labor · Sponsor Terrence P. Murphy
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4326
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 2, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ORTIZ, COLTON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Labor
AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to the eligibility for unemployment benefits for individuals who voluntarily separate from employment to accompany a spouse who is the subject of a military transfer
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of section 593 of the labor law is amended by adding a new subparagraph (iv) to read as follows:
(iv) where the spouse of the individual is a member of the armed forces of the United States, the need for the individual to accompany such individual's spouse (A) to a place from which it is impractical for such individual to commute and (B) due to a change in location as a result of a military transfer of the spouse.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02334-01-7
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.