The state Senate approved the New York Health and Essential Rights Act which mandates extensive new workplace health and safety rules in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The package of bills, sponsored by state Senator Michael Gianaris, is known as the NY HERO Act, which includes legislation to increase the amount of shared work benefits to the maximum allowed by federal law. More than 100 labor, community and safety organizations supported the passage of the bills that will encourage employer use of shared work programs to avoid layoffs and measures to increase the amount of shared work benefits to the maximum allowed by federal law.
Additionally, the legislation will promote career paths into healthcare, permit employee time off for vaccinations to be administered, and grant an enhanced death benefit to families of deceased public employees.
