NY State Senate Bill 2017-S1887

Senate Bill S1887

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Provides protection to employees and former employees from retaliatory actions by employers for the reporting of illegal business activities

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Labor Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2018	referred to labor
Jan 11, 2017	referred to labor

co-Sponsors

2017-S1887 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A5757
Current Committee:: Senate Labor
Law Section:: Labor Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§740 & 741, Lab L; amd §75-b, Civ Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2013-2014: A5696
2015-2016: S7858, A5754
2019-2020: S3683, A7384
2021-2022: S725, A5144
2023-2024: S5403

2017-S1887 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides protection to employees and former employees from retaliatory actions by employers for the reporting of illegal business activities.

2017-S1887 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S1887

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the labor law and the civil service
law, in relation to protection of employees and former employees
against retaliatory action by employers

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

The bill provides greater protections for "whistleblower" employees
who disclose information about illegal activities of their employers.
This bill expands whistleblower protections to include public
employees & former employees.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section 1: Amends Labor Law section 740 by clarifying the definition
of "law, rule or regulation," to clearly include state, local and
federal laws, rules or regulations and state, local and federal
judicial and administrative decisions. It clarifies the definition of
"public body" to include any department of the executive branch and
any division, board or bureau of any public body. Expands the term
"retaliatory action" to include the penalization or discrimination
against an employee or former employee who "blew the whistle".

This section also specifies that an employee will be protected against
retaliatory action for disclosure of employer activity that the

employee in good faith reasonably believes has occurred or will occur
and in good faith reasonably believes constitutes illegal business
activity.

Adds a "good faith" requirement relating to the effort of the employee
to bring an illegal activity to the attention of the employer in order
to be protected, and creates certain exceptions when such prior to
notice to employer is not necessary. It also extends the statute of
limitations from one year to two years for bringing a civil action for
retaliatory action by an employer. Further, it requires employers to
inform their employees of their rights under this section.

Adds a right to a jury trial.

Adds remedies for whistleblowers who suffer impermissible retaliatory
actions, and restricts situations when employer is entitled, in
court's discretion, to attorney's fees when successful.

Section 2: Amends Labor Law section 741, which allows a health care
employee to seek enforcement of section 741 pursuant to Labor Law
section 740 to conform to the above amendments to Labor Law section
740.

Section 3: Amends Civil Service Law 75-b (2) by: A) Adding
protections, to create parity for whistleblower protections for public
employees as for private employees under Labor Law 740; and B)
Limiting prior notification to employer requirements.

Section 4: Amends Civil Service Law 75-b (3) to include under the
definition of retaliatory action, the elimination of a job title that
uniquely singles out such employee.

Section 5: Adds a new Civil Service Law 75-b (5) to require all public
employers to inform their employees of their whistle blower rights
under this Section of law.

 EFFECTS OF PRESENT LAW WHICH THIS BILL WOULD ALTER :

Labor Law § 740 prohibits private employers from firing or taking any
other adverse employment action against an employee who refuses to
participate in an illegal business activity, or who discloses such
illegal activity to a public body, if the illegal activity presents a
"substantial and specific danger to the public health or safety."
This protection does not apply, however, unless the employee has
brought the illegal behavior to the attention of a supervisor and has
given the employer an opportunity to correct the behavior. Civil
Service Law § 75-b prohibits public employers from firing or taking
any other adverse employment action against a public employee who
discloses information:

(1) regarding a violation of a law, rule or regulation presenting a
substantial and specific danger to the public health and safety; or

(2) regarding any action by a Public employer which the employee
reasonably believes constitutes a violation of any federal, state or
local law, rule or regulation. Prior to disclosing the information,
the employee must make a good faith effort to inform his or her
employer and to give the employer a reasonable time to take
appropriate action, unless there is an imminent and serious danger to
the public health or safety.

 JUSTIFICATION :

In 1984, private and public employees in New York State who report
illegal or improper activities by their employers are given certain
Protections under New York's whistleblower protection law.
Unfortunately, there are several weaknesses in the current
whistleblower law. These weaknesses greatly limit the protections
provided to employees. Further, it deters honest employees from
revealing illegal activities of their employers, out of the legitimate
fear that they will be dismissed or otherwise retaliated against for
reporting such violations.

First, Labor Law § 740 only protects employees who disclose illegal
activities that present a "substantial and specific danger to the
public health or safety." Thus, if an employee becomes aware that his
or her employer is knowingly defrauding its customers, or stealing
from government authorities, for example, the whistleblower law will
provide no protection to the employee. This bill's amendment maintains
the current protections for employees who blow the whistle on public
health or safety violations or health care fraud, but expands that
protection to employees who blow the whistle on any "illegal business
activity."

Second, a private employee who in good faith reasonably believes that
his or her employer has engaged in actions which the employee in good
faith reasonably believes constitute a violation of law can be
terminated for revealing that information to government authorities or
the employer, if it turns out that no violation can be proved in
court. The Civil Service Law was amended in 1986 to protect public
employees who reasonably believe that a violation has occurred, but
private employees still do not have that protection.

New York's whistleblower statutes are also not especially effective
because they generally do not apply unless the employee has brought
the illegal behavior to the attention of a supervisor and has given
the employer an opportunity to correct the illegal behavior.
Unfortunately, many employees do not know of this requirement, and are
never told by their employers that they can be fired if they do not
first tell the employer of the illegal activity. The employer
notification requirement set forth in Labor Law § 740 means that
private employees, unlike public employees under Civil Service Law §
75-b, can be fired for reporting violations, unreported to the
employer, even where such present an imminent and serious threat.


Although Labor Law § 740 prohibits adverse employment actions against
private employees who refuse to participate in illegal business
activities, Civil Service Law § 75-b does not contain a similar
provision. This means that public employees can be fired for refusing
to violate the law. Finally, the remedies available to employees under
Labor Law § 740 are clearly inadequate, and the right to a jury trial
is not provided for.

This bill addresses these numerous defects in the current
Whistleblower statutes. It implements certain recommendations made by
New York State Law Revision Commission following a five year study of
the law, and enacts, for all employees, protections similar to those
extended by Labor Law § 741 to healthcare workers during the 2002
legislative session.

New York State should encourage, not discourage, employees who wish to
report violations of law by their employers. Although the
"Whistleblower Law" enacted in 1984 was a good first step, experience
over the past 25 years has shown that the law is simply inadequate.
By making the necessary reforms to strengthen the law, this bill will
act as a deterrent to employer's who might otherwise engage in illegal
activity, will protect the public from such wrongdoing, and will
ensure that the honest and law-abiding employees who have the courage
to reveal illegal activities are protected against retaliation by
their employers.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2015: A.5754 (Benedetto) Advanced to third reading ca 1.492
2014: A.5696-A (Benedetto) passed the Assembly/A.3682-A (Klein) Died
in Senate
2013: A.5696-A (Benedetto) Passed the Assembly, Died in Senate

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS :

This bill is fiscally neutral.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect 90 days after it shall have become a law.

2017-S1887 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1887
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 11, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Labor
 
 AN ACT to amend the labor law and the civil service law, in relation  to
   protection  of  employees  and  former  employees  against retaliatory
   action by employers

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Section  740 of the labor law, as added by chapter 660 of
 the laws of 1984, paragraph (g) of subdivision 1 as added and  paragraph
 (a)  of subdivision 2 as amended by chapter 442 of the laws of 2006, and
 paragraph (d) of subdivision 4 as added by chapter 24  of  the  laws  of
 2002, is amended to read as follows:
   §  740.  Retaliatory  [personnel] action by employers; prohibition. 1.
 Definitions. For purposes of this section, unless  the  context  specif-
 ically indicates otherwise:
   (a) "Employee" means an individual who performs services for and under
 the  control  and  direction of an employer for wages or other remunera-
 tion.
   (b) "Employer"  means  any  person,  firm,  partnership,  institution,
 corporation, or association that employs one or more employees.
   (c)  "Law, rule or regulation" includes: (I) any duly enacted FEDERAL,
 STATE OR LOCAL statute or ordinance [or]; (II) any  rule  or  regulation
 promulgated  pursuant  to  [any federal, state or local] SUCH statute or
 ordinance; OR (III) ANY JUDICIAL OR ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION,  RULING  OR
 ORDER.
   (d) "Public body" includes the following:
   (i)  the  United States Congress, any state legislature, or any [popu-
 larly-elected] ELECTED local governmental body, or any member or employ-
 ee thereof;
   (ii) any federal, state, or local [judiciary] COURT, or any member  or
 employee thereof, or any grand or petit jury;

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD01270-01-7

 S. 1887                             2
 
   (iii)  any  federal,  state,  or  local regulatory, administrative, or
 public agency or authority, or instrumentality thereof; [or]
   (iv) any federal, state, or local law enforcement agency, prosecutori-
 al office, or police or peace officer;
   (V)  ANY  FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL DEPARTMENT OF AN EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF
 GOVERNMENT; OR
   (VI) ANY DIVISION, BOARD, BUREAU, OFFICE, COMMITTEE, OR COMMISSION  OF
 ANY  OF  THE PUBLIC BODIES DESCRIBED IN SUBPARAGRAPHS (I) THROUGH (V) OF
 THIS PARAGRAPH.
   (e) "Retaliatory [personnel] action" means the  discharge,  suspension
 [or  demotion  of],  DEMOTION, PENALIZATION OR DISCRIMINATION AGAINST an
 employee OR FORMER EMPLOYEE, or other adverse [employment] action  taken
 against  an  employee OR FORMER EMPLOYEE [in the terms and conditions of
 employment].
   (f) "Supervisor" means any individual within an  employer's  organiza-
 tion who has the authority to direct and control the work performance of
 [the  affected]  AN  employee; or who has [managerial] authority to take
 corrective action regarding the [violation of the  law,  rule  or  regu-
 lation] ILLEGAL BUSINESS ACTIVITY of which the employee complains.
   (g) ["Health care fraud" means health care fraud as defined by article
 one  hundred seventy-seven of the penal law.] "AGENT" MEANS ANY INDIVID-
 UAL, PARTNERSHIP, ASSOCIATION, CORPORATION OR GROUP OF PERSONS ACTING ON
 BEHALF OF AN EMPLOYER.
   (H) "ILLEGAL BUSINESS ACTIVITY" MEANS ANY PRACTICE, PROCEDURE,  ACTION
 OR  FAILURE  TO  ACT  BY  AN  EMPLOYER,  OR AN EMPLOYEE OR AGENT OF SUCH
 EMPLOYER, TAKEN IN THE COURSE OF THE EMPLOYER'S BUSINESS, WHETHER OR NOT
 WITHIN THE SCOPE OF EMPLOYMENT OR AGENCY, THAT IS IN  VIOLATION  OF  ANY
 LAW,  RULE OR REGULATION PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISONMENT OR CIVIL OR CRIMINAL
 PENALTY.
   2. Prohibitions. An employer shall not take any  retaliatory  [person-
 nel] action against an employee OR FORMER EMPLOYEE because such employee
 OR  FORMER  EMPLOYEE  does  any  of  the following WHILE EMPLOYED BY THE
 EMPLOYER, WHETHER OR NOT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE EMPLOYEE'S JOB DUTIES:
   (a) discloses TO A SUPERVISOR  OR  A  PUBLIC  BODY,  or  threatens  to
 [disclose]  MAKE  A  DISCLOSURE  to  a  [supervisor or to a] public body
 UNLESS THE EMPLOYER REMEDIES THE ILLEGAL BUSINESS ACTIVITY,  INFORMATION
 ABOUT  an ILLEGAL BUSINESS activity[, policy or practice of the employer
 that is in violation of law, rule or regulation which violation  creates
 and  presents  a substantial and specific danger to the public health or
 safety, or which constitutes health care fraud];
   (b) provides information to, or  testifies  before,  any  public  body
 conducting an investigation, hearing or inquiry into any such [violation
 of  a  law,  rule  or  regulation  by  such  employer]  ILLEGAL BUSINESS
 ACTIVITY; or
   (c) objects to, or refuses to participate in, any [such] ILLEGAL BUSI-
 NESS activity[, policy or practice in violation of a law, rule or  regu-
 lation].
   3.  Application. The protection against retaliatory [personnel] action
 provided by PARAGRAPHS (A), (B) AND  (C)  OF  SUBDIVISION  TWO  OF  THIS
 SECTION  SHALL  APPLY  TO  ANY  EMPLOYEE  WHO  IN  GOOD FAITH REASONABLY
 BELIEVES THAT AN ILLEGAL BUSINESS ACTIVITY HAS OCCURRED OR  WILL  OCCUR,
 BASED ON INFORMATION THAT THE EMPLOYEE IN GOOD FAITH REASONABLY BELIEVES
 TO  BE  TRUE;  PROVIDED  HOWEVER THAT THE PROTECTION AGAINST RETALIATORY
 ACTION PROVIDED BY paragraph (a) of  subdivision  two  of  this  section
 pertaining to disclosure to a public body shall not apply to an employee
 who  makes  such  disclosure  to  a  public body unless the employee has

 S. 1887                             3
 
 [brought] MADE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO NOTIFY  HIS  OR  HER  EMPLOYER  BY
 BRINGING the ILLEGAL BUSINESS activity[, policy or practice in violation
 of  law,  rule  or  regulation] to the attention of a supervisor [of the
 employer]  and  has  afforded  such employer a reasonable opportunity to
 correct such activity[, policy or practice]. SUCH EMPLOYER  NOTIFICATION
 SHALL  NOT BE REQUIRED WHERE: (A) THE EMPLOYER HAS NOT POSTED ANY NOTICE
 REQUIRED BY SUBDIVISION EIGHT OF THIS SECTION; (B) THERE IS AN  IMMINENT
 AND  SERIOUS  DANGER  TO  THE  PUBLIC HEALTH OR SAFETY; (C) THE EMPLOYEE
 REASONABLY BELIEVES THAT REPORTING TO THE SUPERVISOR WOULD RESULT  IN  A
 DESTRUCTION  OF  EVIDENCE  OR  OTHER CONCEALMENT OF THE ILLEGAL BUSINESS
 ACTIVITY; (D) SUCH ACTIVITY COULD REASONABLY  BE  EXPECTED  TO  LEAD  TO
 ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A MINOR; (E) THE EMPLOYEE REASONABLY BELIEVES
 THAT  REPORTING  TO  THE SUPERVISOR WOULD RESULT IN PHYSICAL HARM TO THE
 EMPLOYEE OR ANY OTHER PERSON; OR (F) THE  EMPLOYEE  REASONABLY  BELIEVES
 THAT  THE  SUPERVISOR  IS ALREADY AWARE OF THE ILLEGAL BUSINESS ACTIVITY
 AND WILL NOT CORRECT SUCH ACTIVITY.
   4. Violation; remedy. (a) An employee who has been the  subject  of  a
 retaliatory  [personnel]  action in violation of this section may insti-
 tute a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction for  relief  as
 set  forth  in  subdivision  five  of this section within [one year] TWO
 YEARS after the alleged retaliatory [personnel] action was taken.
   (b) Any action authorized by this section may be brought in the county
 in which the alleged retaliatory [personnel]  action  occurred,  in  the
 county  in  which the complainant resides, or in the county in which the
 employer has its principal place of business.  IN ANY SUCH  ACTION,  THE
 PARTIES SHALL BE ENTITLED TO A JURY TRIAL.
   (c)  [It  shall  be  a  defense to any action brought pursuant to this
 section that the personnel action was predicated upon grounds other than
 the employee's exercise of any rights protected by this section.] EXCEPT
 AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION, A VIOLATION OF  THIS  SECTION  IS
 ESTABLISHED  WHEN  THE COMPLAINANT DEMONSTRATES THAT A MOTIVATING FACTOR
 FOR THE RETALIATORY ACTION VIOLATES SUBDIVISION  TWO  OF  THIS  SECTION.
 REMEDIES  FOR  VIOLATION  OF  SUBDIVISION  TWO  OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE
 LIMITED SOLELY TO THOSE PROVIDED IN  PARAGRAPHS  (E),  (F)  AND  (G)  OF
 SUBDIVISION  FIVE  OF  THIS SECTION IF THE EMPLOYER DEMONSTRATES THAT IT
 WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE SAME ACTION IN THE  ABSENCE  OF  THE  IMPERMISSIBLE
 MOTIVATING  FACTOR. It shall [also] be a defense that the individual was
 an independent contractor.
   [(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (a) and (c) of  this
 subdivision, a health care employee who has been the subject of a retal-
 iatory  action  by  a health care employer in violation of section seven
 hundred forty-one of this article may institute  a  civil  action  in  a
 court  of  competent jurisdiction for relief as set forth in subdivision
 five of this section within two  years  after  the  alleged  retaliatory
 personnel  action was taken. In addition to the relief set forth in that
 subdivision, the court, in its discretion, based upon a finding that the
 employer acted in bad faith in the retaliatory action,  may  assess  the
 employer  a  civil  penalty  of  an  amount  not  to exceed ten thousand
 dollars, to be paid to the  improving  quality  of  patient  care  fund,
 established  pursuant  to section ninety-seven-aaaa of the state finance
 law.]
   5. Relief. In any action brought pursuant to subdivision four of  this
 section, the court may order relief as follows:
   (a) [an injunction to restrain continued violation of this section;

 S. 1887                             4

   (b)]  the  reinstatement  of  the  employee  to the same position held
 before the retaliatory [personnel] action[,] or to an  equivalent  posi-
 tion, OR FRONT PAY IN LIEU THEREOF;
   [(c)]  (B)  the  reinstatement  of  full fringe benefits and seniority
 rights;
   [(d)] (C) the compensation for lost wages, benefits and other remuner-
 ation; [and
   (e)] (D) COMPENSATORY DAMAGES FOR  ECONOMIC  LOSS  AND  FOR  EMOTIONAL
 DISTRESS;
   (E)  the  payment  by the employer of reasonable costs, disbursements,
 and attorney's fees;
   (F) AN INJUNCTION TO RESTRAIN THE EMPLOYER'S  CONTINUED  VIOLATION  OF
 THIS SECTION; AND
   (G)  A  CIVIL  PENALTY OF AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS
 AND/OR A LIQUIDATED DAMAGES AWARD EQUAL TO AMOUNTS OF  DAMAGES  PURSUANT
 TO  PARAGRAPHS  (C)  AND  (D)  OF THIS SUBDIVISION, IF THE COURT, IN ITS
 DISCRETION, FINDS THAT THE EMPLOYER ACTED IN BAD FAITH IN THE RETALIATO-
 RY ACTION.
   6. Employer relief. A court, in its discretion, may  also  order  that
 reasonable  attorneys' fees and court costs and disbursements be awarded
 to an employer if the court determines that  an  action  brought  by  an
 employee under this section was without basis in law or in fact.
   7.  Existing rights. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to dimin-
 ish the rights, privileges, or remedies of any employee under any  other
 law  or  regulation  or  under  any  collective  bargaining agreement or
 employment contract[; except  that  the  institution  of  an  action  in
 accordance  with this section shall be deemed a waiver of the rights and
 remedies available  under  any  other  contract,  collective  bargaining
 agreement, law, rule or regulation or under the common law].
   8.  PUBLICATION.  EVERY  EMPLOYER  SHALL  INFORM  EMPLOYEES  OF  THEIR
 PROTECTIONS, RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS UNDER THIS  SECTION,  BY  POSTING  A
 NOTICE  THEREOF.    SUCH NOTICES SHALL BE POSTED CONSPICUOUSLY IN EASILY
 ACCESSIBLE AND WELL-LIGHTED PLACES CUSTOMARILY FREQUENTED  BY  EMPLOYEES
 AND APPLICANTS FOR EMPLOYMENT.
   §  2. Subdivision 4 of section 741 of the labor law, as added by chap-
 ter 24 of the laws of 2002, is amended to read as follows:
   4. Enforcement. A health care employee may seek  enforcement  of  this
 section pursuant to [paragraph (d) of subdivision] SUBDIVISIONS four AND
 FIVE of section seven hundred forty of this article.
   §  3. Subdivision 2 of section 75-b of the civil service law, as added
 by chapter 660 of the laws of 1984 and paragraph (a) as amended by chap-
 ter 899 of the laws of 1986, is amended to read as follows:
   2. (a) A public employer shall not dismiss, SUSPEND, DEMOTE, PENALIZE,
 THREATEN OR DISCRIMINATE AGAINST, or take other  disciplinary  or  other
 [adverse  personnel  action]  ACT  OF REPRISAL against a public employee
 regarding the employee's employment because the employee: (I)  discloses
 TO  A  PUBLIC BODY OR THREATENS TO MAKE A DISCLOSURE TO A PUBLIC BODY OR
 SUPERVISOR IF THE EMPLOYER DOES NOT REMEDY THE IMPROPER  CONDUCT,  to  a
 governmental  body  information[:  (i)]  regarding a violation of a law,
 rule or regulation which violation creates [and] OR presents a  substan-
 tial  and specific danger to the public health or safety[; or (ii) which
 the employee reasonably believes to be true and reasonably believes], OR
 WHICH constitutes an improper governmental  action[.  "Improper  govern-
 mental  action"  shall mean any action by a public employer or employee,
 or an agent of such employer or employee, which  is  undertaken  in  the
 performance  of such agent's official duties, whether or not such action

 S. 1887                             5

 is within the scope of his employment, and which is in violation of  any
 federal, state or local law, rule or regulation], OR WHICH COULD REASON-
 ABLY  BE  EXPECTED  TO  LEAD TO ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A MINOR; (II)
 PROVIDES INFORMATION TO, OR TESTIFIES BEFORE, ANY PUBLIC BODY CONDUCTING
 AN  INVESTIGATION,  HEARING  OR  INQUIRY  INTO ANY VIOLATION OR IMPROPER
 GOVERNMENTAL ACTION; OR (III) OBJECTS TO, OR REFUSES TO PARTICIPATE  IN,
 ANY SUCH VIOLATION OR IMPROPER GOVERNMENTAL ACTION.
   (B)  THE  PROTECTION  AGAINST  RETALIATORY ACTION PROVIDED IN SUBPARA-
 GRAPHS (I) AND (II) OF PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL APPLY  TO
 ANY  EMPLOYEE  WHO IN GOOD FAITH REASONABLY BELIEVES THAT A VIOLATION OR
 IMPROPER GOVERNMENTAL ACTION HAS OCCURRED OR WILL OCCUR, BASED ON INFOR-
 MATION THAT THE EMPLOYEE IN GOOD FAITH REASONABLY BELIEVES TO BE TRUE.
   (C) PRIOR TO DISCLOSING INFORMATION PURSUANT TO  SUBPARAGRAPH  (I)  OF
 PARAGRAPH  (A)  OF  THIS SUBDIVISION, AN EMPLOYEE SHALL HAVE MADE A GOOD
 FAITH EFFORT TO PROVIDE THE APPOINTING AUTHORITY OR HIS OR HER  DESIGNEE
 THE INFORMATION TO BE DISCLOSED AND SHALL PROVIDE THE APPOINTING AUTHOR-
 ITY  OR  DESIGNEE  A  REASONABLE  TIME TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION UNLESS
 THERE IS IMMINENT AND SERIOUS DANGER TO PUBLIC HEALTH OR SAFETY. FOR THE
 PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, AN EMPLOYEE  WHO  ACTS  PURSUANT  TO  THIS
 PARAGRAPH  SHALL  BE  DEEMED  TO HAVE DISCLOSED INFORMATION TO A GOVERN-
 MENTAL BODY UNDER PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION.    NOTIFICATION  TO
 THE  APPOINTING  AUTHORITY  OR DESIGNEE SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED WHERE: (I)
 THE EMPLOYER HAS NOT POSTED ANY NOTICE REQUIRED BY SUBDIVISION  FIVE  OF
 THIS SECTION; (II) THERE IS AN IMMINENT AND SERIOUS DANGER TO THE PUBLIC
 HEALTH  OR SAFETY; (III) THE EMPLOYEE REASONABLY BELIEVES THAT REPORTING
 TO THE APPOINTING AUTHORITY OR DESIGNEE WOULD RESULT IN A DESTRUCTION OF
 EVIDENCE OR OTHER CONCEALMENT OF THE IMPROPER  GOVERNMENTAL  ACTION;  OR
 (IV)  SUCH  ACTIVITY COULD REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO LEAD TO ENDANGERING
 THE WELFARE OF A MINOR.
   (D) "IMPROPER GOVERNMENTAL ACTION" SHALL MEAN ANY PRACTICE, PROCEDURE,
 ACTION OR FAILURE TO ACT BY A PUBLIC EMPLOYER OR EMPLOYEE, OR  AN  AGENT
 OF  SUCH EMPLOYER OR EMPLOYEE, WHICH IS UNDERTAKEN IN THE PERFORMANCE OF
 SUCH AGENT'S OFFICIAL DUTIES, WHETHER OR NOT SUCH ACTION IS  WITHIN  THE
 SCOPE OF SUCH PERSON'S EMPLOYMENT, AND WHICH IS IN VIOLATION OF ANY LAW,
 RULE OR REGULATION REGARDING GOVERNMENTAL ACTION PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISON-
 MENT  OR  CIVIL OR CRIMINAL PENALTY. "LAW, RULE OR REGULATION" INCLUDES:
 (I) ANY DULY ENACTED FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL STATUTE OR ORDINANCE;  (II)
 ANY RULE OR REGULATION PROMULGATED PURSUANT TO ANY SUCH STATUTE OR ORDI-
 NANCE;  OR  (III)  ANY  JUDICIAL  OR  ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION, RULING OR
 ORDER.
   § 4. Subdivision 3 of section 75-b of the civil service law, as  added
 by chapter 660 of the laws of 1984, is amended to read as follows:
   3. (a) Where an employee is subject to dismissal or other disciplinary
 action  under a final and binding arbitration provision, or other disci-
 plinary procedure contained in a collectively negotiated  agreement,  or
 under section seventy-five of this title or any other provision of state
 or  local law, OR TO THE ELIMINATION OF JOB TITLE OR CLASSIFICATION THAT
 UNIQUELY FITS AND SINGLES OUT SUCH EMPLOYEE and the employee  reasonably
 believes  THAT  SUCH  dismissal [or], other disciplinary action OR OTHER
 ADVERSE ACTION would not have been taken but for the  conduct  protected
 under  subdivision  two  of this section, he or she may assert such as a
 defense before the designated arbitrator or hearing officer. The  merits
 of  such defense shall be considered and determined as part of the arbi-
 tration award or hearing officer decision of the matter. If there  is  a
 finding  that the dismissal or other disciplinary action is based solely
 on a violation by the employer of such subdivision,  the  arbitrator  or

 S. 1887                             6
 
 hearing officer shall dismiss or recommend dismissal of the disciplinary
 proceeding,  as appropriate, and, if appropriate, reinstate the employee
 with back pay, and, in the case of an arbitration  procedure,  may  take
 other  appropriate action as is permitted in the collectively negotiated
 agreement.
   (b) Where an employee is subject to a collectively  negotiated  agree-
 ment  which  contains  provisions  preventing  an  employer  from taking
 adverse [personnel] actions and which contains a final and binding arbi-
 tration provision to resolve alleged violations of  such  provisions  of
 the agreement and the employee reasonably believes that such [personnel]
 action  would  not  have  been taken but for the conduct protected under
 subdivision two of this section, he or she may assert such  as  a  claim
 before  the  arbitrator.  The  arbitrator  shall consider such claim and
 determine its merits and shall, if a determination  is  made  that  such
 adverse  [personnel] ion is based on a violation by the employer of such
 subdivision, take such action to remedy the violation as is permitted by
 the collectively negotiated agreement.
   (c) [Where] IN ADDITION TO OR IN LIEU OF THE PROCEDURES SET  FORTH  IN
 PARAGRAPHS  (A) AND (B) OF THIS SUBDIVISION, OR WHERE an employee is not
 subject to any of the provisions of [paragraph (a) or (b) of this subdi-
 vision] SUCH PARAGRAPHS, the employee may commence an action in a  court
 of  competent  jurisdiction  under the same terms and conditions AND FOR
 THE SAME RELIEF as set forth in article twenty-C of the labor law.
   § 5. Section 75-b of the civil service law is amended by adding a  new
 subdivision 5 to read as follows:
   5.  EVERY PUBLIC EMPLOYER SHALL INFORM EMPLOYEES OF THEIR PROTECTIONS,
 RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS UNDER THIS SECTION, BY POSTING A NOTICE  THEREOF.
 SUCH  NOTICES  SHALL  BE  POSTED  CONSPICUOUSLY IN EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND
 WELL-LIGHTED PLACES CUSTOMARILY FREQUENTED BY EMPLOYEES  AND  APPLICANTS
 FOR EMPLOYMENT.
   §  6.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law.

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Senate Bill S1887

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Tony Avella