What's happening
This bill prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), marital status, or national origin in workers' compensation disability insurance policies.
Why it matters
Ensures Fair Access to Disability Benefits. By explicitly banning discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), marital status, or national origin, the bill aims to guarantee that all workers have equal access to workers' compensation disability benefits, regardless of their personal characteristics.
Prevents Discriminatory Pricing and Coverage. Insurance carriers and the state insurance fund would be prohibited from charging different premiums, offering varying benefits, or altering policy terms based on protected categories, reducing the risk of unfair financial burdens or inadequate coverage for certain groups.
Strengthens Legal Protections for Vulnerable Workers. By specifying that sex-based distinctions include conditions unique to one’s sex (like pregnancy), the bill closes loopholes that could allow subtle forms of discrimination, offering stronger protections for women and pregnant individuals in the workplace.
Signals Broader Commitment to Equity. The legislation reflects a broader policy commitment to equity and anti-discrimination within the state's labor and insurance systems, potentially influencing workplace culture and setting a standard for other forms of insurance and employee benefits.
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Who cares
Headline styles
End Disability Insurance Discrimination
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to labor
- Referred to labor
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
486
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. WOERNER, JACKSON, SIMON, LEMONDES, GONZALEZ-ROJAS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Labor
AN ACT to amend the workers' compensation law, in relation to providing equitable disability policies
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 226 of the workers' compensation law is amended by adding a new subdivision 8-a to read as follows:
8-a. No insurance carrier or the state insurance fund who issues, reinstates, amends or endorses any contract of insurance or rider thereto providing the benefits required to be paid under this article shall make or permit any distinction, classification, discrimination, or otherwise recognize any difference, on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, marital status, or national origin, in the amount or payment of premiums or rate charges, or in the benefits payable, or in any of the other terms or conditions of any policy of insurance providing the benefits required to be paid under this article. As used in this section, sex includes, but is not limited to, conditions unique to one's sex, such as pregnancy.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01978-01-5
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.