What's happening
This bill allows essential federal workers in New York to receive unemployment benefits during a federal government shutdown, with repayment required if back pay is received.
Why it matters
Provides a financial lifeline to essential federal workers in New York. who are required to work without pay during a federal shutdown, covering critical expenses when paychecks are delayed.
Requires repayment of unemployment benefits. if workers receive back pay after the shutdown ends, ensuring that temporary assistance does not result in double compensation and maintains the integrity of the unemployment insurance fund.
Creates a clear and automatic state-level safety net. for essential workers, applying regardless of whether the federal government enacts its own relief or guidance, thus reducing uncertainty for affected families.
Could influence other states or federal policymakers. to adopt similar measures, potentially shaping broader national policy responses to future government shutdowns and their impact on essential workforce stability.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Unemployment Aid for Essential Workers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 7
No co-sponsors yet.
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 Essential Workers
In Assembly Committee · Labor · Sponsor Michael DenDekker
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3677
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 12, 2019
Introduced by Sen. KAPLAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Labor
AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to making unemployment insurance benefits available to essential federal workers during a federal government shutdown
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The labor law is amended by adding a new section 591-b to read as follows:
§ 591-b. Federal shutdown; benefits for essential federal workers. 1. As used in this section, the term:
(a) "essential federal worker":
(i) means an employee of a federal government agency who is required to work without pay during a shutdown; and
(ii) is a resident of this state; and
(b) "shutdown" means any period in which there is more than a twentyfour hour lapse in appropriations for any federal government agency or federal department as a result of a failure of the federal government to enact a regular appropriations bill or continuing resolution.
2. Any essential federal worker shall be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits pursuant to this article during the period of a shutdown. If a shutdown ends and an essential federal worker is paid by the federal government for any period of time the essential federal worker worked without pay during the shutdown, the essential federal worker shall reimburse the unemployment insurance fund in an amount equal to the unemployment insurance benefits the essential federal worker received during the period of the shutdown. Such reimbursement of unemployment insurance benefits by such essential federal worker shall occur within ninety days after the end of such shutdown. The provisions of this section shall apply regardless of passage of federal legislation or the issuance of federal guidance from the United States department of labor or another federal agency which allows an essential federal worker to receive unemployment insurance benefits.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09815-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the labor law, in relation to making unemployment insur- ance benefits available to essential federal workers during a federal government shutdown
Purpose or general idea of bill
This legislation would make essential federal workers who are forced to work during a government shutdown but are unpaid during this time eligi- ble for unemployment insurance.
Summary of specific provisions
Adds a new section 591-b to the labor law to make essential federal workers who are forced to work during a government shutdown but are unpaid during this time eligible for unemployment insurance. This section defines essential federal worker and shutdown for purposes of this law. Subdivision 2 states that any essential federal worker shall be eligible for unemployment. Further requires that when a shutdown ends and the worker is paid by the government the worker shall reimburse the unemployment insurance fund equal to the amount of benefits received within 90 days.
Section 2 is the effective date.
Justification
As the specter of continued Federal shutdowns loom under the Presidency of Donald Trump states must take measures to protect the Federal workers living within their borders. Currently in New York workers impacted by the shutdown who are deemed non-essential can collect unemployment bene- fits, however those deemed essential who must continue to work during the shutdown are ineligible for unemployment. This legislation seeks to correct this inequity to ensure all Federal workers impacted are eligi- ble for unemployment. New York would not be alone in this policy as multiple other states are looking at ways to allow essential employees to collect unemployment while not being paid but while being forced to work.
Prior legislative history
New Bill.
Fiscal implications
Minimal as benefits paid out will be reimbursed by the individual to the State at the end of a governmental shutdown.
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.