What's happening
This bill requires social services employment programs to prioritize training for sustainable wage jobs and promote nontraditional employment opportunities.
Why it matters
Broadens the definition of "nontraditional employment". to include jobs in skilled trades, computer science, technology, and other high-skill fields where one gender is underrepresented, potentially opening doors for women and men to enter higher-paying, less traditional careers.
Establishes a clear standard for "sustainable wage". by tying it to 185% of the poverty line and requiring adjustments for local cost-of-living, which could lead to better job placements and reduce the likelihood of working families remaining in poverty.
Mandates that employability plans and job training for public assistance recipients with a high school diploma or GED. must strongly consider pathways to jobs that offer sustainable wages and promote nontraditional employment, increasing the focus on meaningful, long-term economic mobility rather than short-term or low-wage work.
Requires social services districts to document and justify employability plan decisions. when participant preferences for sustainable wage or nontraditional jobs cannot be accommodated, increasing accountability and transparency in how job training and placement decisions are made.
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Train for Better Wage Jobs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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History
- Referred to social services
- Reported and committed to finance
- 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 Assembly Committee · Ways And Means · Sponsor Jo Anne Simon
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
722
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by Sen. MONTGOMERY -- 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
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01739-01-9
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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.
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
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 defines "nontraditional employment" and "sustainable wage."
Section 2 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 3 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 4 and 5 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 nontraditional employment.
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 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 are traditionally 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. Programs training for jobs as bank teller and nail technician had 100% female enrollment, while programs training for higher paying jobs such as appliance technician and automo- tive technician had overwhelming male enrollments.
Overall, women comprise 25% or less of total workers in many fields, such as skilled trade occupations carpenter, electrician, millwright, plumber, sheet metal worker; technical jobs drafter, rigger, computer technician; service jobs - taxi driver, furniture mover and truck driv- er; public service jobs, such as firefighter, police officer and ambu- lance driver, and professions chemist, aerospace engineer, and city manager.
Nontraditional employment can help women achieve economic independence: nontraditional jobs offer women wages paying 20% to 30% more on average than traditionally 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. For women in particular, a crucial but underuti- lized route to a sustainable wage job is through nontraditional employ- ment. The provisions of this bill will ensure that local social services districts increase their emphasis on counseling, education and training for nontraditional employment and sustainable wage jobs.
Prior legislative history
2007: A.3366/S.3281 Veto 94; 2008: A.9197-A/S.6256-A; 2009/2010: 5.2098-A, Died in Committee; 2011-2012: S.72 Referred to and died in Social Services in Committee; 2013-2014: 5.1290 Referred to and died in Social Services Committee
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.
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