What's happening
This bill requires New York to create and distribute annual guides to help businesses support and retain employees who are informal caregivers.
Why it matters
Directly addresses a growing workforce issue. With many employees juggling jobs and informal caregiving (like caring for aging parents or relatives), the bill pushes for practical, up-to-date guidance for businesses—helping them navigate productivity, retention, and support challenges tied to this dual-role workforce.
Connects state resources and business compliance. By linking the guide to business certification and licensing processes, the bill aims to ensure that a wide range of businesses—not just large employers—receive information, potentially leading to more widespread adoption of caregiver-friendly practices.
Taps community expertise. Requiring input from community-based organizations representing caregivers means the guides should reflect real-world needs, making them more relevant and actionable for both employers and employees.
Potential to influence workplace culture and policy. Making best practices widely available could encourage more flexible work arrangements, raise awareness of caregiver issues, and prompt employers to implement policies (like flexible schedules or leave options), ultimately benefiting both businesses and caregiving employees.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Support Working Caregivers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Substituted by A3958
- Ordered to third reading cal.1622
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Referred to aging
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.
Support Guides for Caregivers
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Jeffrey Dinowitz
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8739
IN SENATE
May 10, 2018
Introduced by Sen. SEPULVEDA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging
AN ACT to amend the elder law, in relation to the provision of guides containing best practices for retaining employees who are informal caregivers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The elder law is amended by adding a new section 224 to read as follows:
§ 224. Informal caregivers in the workplace program. 1. The office shall, in conjunction with the department of labor, and in consultation with community based organizations representing the interests of informal caregivers around the state, develop and update on a yearly basis a guide for businesses in the state that contains current best practices for retaining employees who are also informal caregivers and information for supporting such employees so they can achieve effectiveness both in and out of the workplace.
2. Such guide shall be available on the websites of the office, the department of labor and the department of state. Businesses that obtain certification or licensure from the department of labor or department of state shall be provided with a link to the guide provided for in subdivision one of this section, or a paper copy upon request, when the business applies for such certification or licensure. A nominal fee may be charged for paper copies provided to individuals who are not business owners.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03440-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
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 in New York state on the issue of informal caregiving by employees.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 adds a new section 224 to the elder law to establish the informal caregivers in the workplace program, which will be a joint New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) and Department of Labor (DOL) to 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 provides for an effective date.
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 situ- ation. What this bill attempts to do is develop and disseminate materi- als to employees and employers about informal caregiving, how it impacts their businesses, and how businesses can support their caregiving employees.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:;
2015-16 - A.294 - Ordered To Third Reading Ca1.21/S.478- Referred to Aging 2013-14 - A.442 - Passed Assembly/S.146- Referred to Aging 2011-12 - A.1902 - Held for consideration in Ways and Means/S.1897Committed to Rules 2009-10- A.8233- Ordered to 3rd reading Cal. No. 95
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.