What's happening
This bill requires public assistance employment programs to prioritize training for sustainable wage jobs and promote nontraditional employment, especially for those with a high school diploma or GED.
Why it matters
Defines "nontraditional employment" and "sustainable wage". for the first time in state law, potentially expanding the kinds of jobs and career paths considered valuable for public assistance recipients—especially those underrepresented by gender or in emerging high-skill sectors.
Shifts program focus from just any employment to jobs that offer "sustainable wages". (at least 185% of the poverty line, adjusted for region), aiming to move people out of poverty rather than just into low-wage work.
Elevates job training and placement in nontraditional fields (e.g., skilled trades, computer science, technology) for those with a high school diploma or GED,. which could open up higher-paying and less traditional career paths, especially for women and other underrepresented groups.
Requires that individual employment plans and program designs give strong consideration to sustainable wages and nontraditional employment. potentially making public assistance more of a pathway to economic mobility and long-term self-sufficiency for recipients.
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Train for Better-Paying Jobs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
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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 Wage Jobs
In Assembly Committee · Social Services · Sponsor Nily Rozic
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4693
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 21, 2019
Introduced by Sen. RAMOS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed 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 care resource and referral agencies if available in the district, labor
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00817-01-9
S. 4693 2
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 supportive services and shall set forth an employment goal for the
S. 4693 3
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 individual's 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.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
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
Purpose
To prevent families from cycling in and out of dependence on public assistance and permanently life them out of poverty by increasing empha- sis on training and education for sustainable jobs in public assistance employment programs.
Summary of provisions
Section I defines "non-traditional employment" and "sustainable wage."
Section II requires that local social services district plans-for public assistance employment programs emphasize training for sustainable wage jobs and promote understanding of nontraditional employment opportu- nities for participants.
Section III requires that participant orientations include information on education and training for sustainable wage jobs and non-traditional employment opportunities available under the local plan.
Sections IV and V require participant employability plans to take into account the potential for available employment that pays a sustainable wage such as apprentice-able, technical and professional occupations and non-traditional employment.
Section VI sets forth the effective date.
Justification
In the rush to reduce welfare rolls under federal welfare reform, many welfare recipients have been placed in low-paying jobs. In particular, initial studies of women moving from welfare to work placements indicate that the vast majority of women move into jobs that do not lift them and their children out of poverty. These jobs are typically in industries, such as food service and home health care, which traditionally have been populated by women workers.
A 2001 study of job training for low-income people, particularly women leaving welfare, found a clear pattern of gender segregation in job training referral and placements. Program training for jobs as a bank teller and nail technician had 100% female enrollment, while program training for higher paying jobs such as appliance technician and automo- tive technician had overwhelming male enrollments.
Non-traditional employment can help women achieve economic independence by offering wages paying on average 20% to 30% more than traditional female occupations, as well as good benefits and opportunities for advancement.
As welfare reform continues, increased emphasis needs to be placed on services that will move participants into sustainable wage jobs to permanently lift families out of poverty, and prevent them from cycling in and out of dependence on public assistance. This becomes especially critical as the 60 month lifetime limit for federally-funded public assistance is reached.
A crucial but underutilized route to a sustainable wage job is through non-traditional employment. The provisions of this bill would ensure that local social services districts increase their emphasis on coun- seling, education and training for non-traditional employment and sustainable wage jobs.
Legislative history
2018: A01209 (Rozic) - Third Reading 2017: A01209 (Rozic) - Correction 2016: A02797 (Rozic) - Social Services 2015: A02797 (Rozic) - Social Services 2014: A10179 (Rozic) - Social Services 2014: A01785 (Millman) - Social Services 2013: A01785 (Millman) - Third Reading 2012: A03298 (Millman) - Third Reading 2011: A03298 (Millman) - Ways and Means 2010: A4096A (Millman) - Ways and Means 2009: A4096 (Millman) - Third Reading 2008: A09197A (Millman) - Social Services 2007: A09197 (Millman) - Third Reading
Effective date
The one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become law and shall apply to employability plans made or updated on and after such effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.