S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2319
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 14, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  L. ROSENTHAL, GALEF, COLTON -- read once and
   referred to the Committee on Labor
 
 AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to  creating  the  women  and
   high-wage,  high-demand, nontraditional jobs grant program; and making
   an appropriation therefor

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The labor law is amended by adding a new section 206-d to
 read as follows:
   § 206-D. WOMEN AND HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND, NONTRADITIONAL  JOBS  GRANT
 PROGRAM.  1. DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING
 TERMS HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN.
   (A) "ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATION" INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO:
   (1) COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS EXPERIENCED IN SERVING WOMEN;
   (2) EMPLOYERS;
   (3) BUSINESS AND TRADE ASSOCIATIONS;
   (4) LABOR UNIONS AND EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS;
   (5) REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS;
   (6) SECONDARY AND POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS LOCATED IN  NEW
 YORK; AND
   (7) WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES.
   (B) "HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND" MEANS OCCUPATIONS THAT REPRESENT AT LEAST
 0.1  PERCENT OF TOTAL EMPLOYMENT IN THE BASE YEAR, HAVE AN ANNUAL MEDIAN
 SALARY WHICH IS HIGHER THAN THE AVERAGE FOR THE CURRENT  YEAR,  AND  ARE
 PROJECTED  TO HAVE MORE TOTAL OPENINGS AS A SHARE OF EMPLOYMENT THAN THE
 AVERAGE.
   (C) "LOW-INCOME" MEANS INCOME LESS THAN TWO  HUNDRED  PERCENT  OF  THE
 FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINE ADJUSTED FOR A FAMILY SIZE OF FOUR.
   (D)  "NONTRADITIONAL  OCCUPATIONS"  MEANS  THOSE  OCCUPATIONS IN WHICH
 WOMEN MAKE UP LESS THAN TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE WORKFORCE AS  DEFINED
 UNDER UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 20, SECTION 2302.

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

                                                            LBD00785-01-1

 A. 2319                             2
 
   (E)  "REGISTERED  APPRENTICESHIP  PROGRAM"  MEANS A PROGRAM REGISTERED
 UNDER UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 29, SECTION 50.
   2. GRANT PROGRAM. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH THE WOMEN AND HIGH-
 WAGE,  HIGH-DEMAND,  NONTRADITIONAL  JOBS  GRANT PROGRAM TO INCREASE THE
 NUMBER OF WOMEN IN HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND,  NONTRADITIONAL  OCCUPATIONS.
 THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  MAKE  GRANTS  TO  ELIGIBLE  ORGANIZATIONS  FOR
 PROGRAMS THAT ENCOURAGE AND ASSIST WOMEN TO  ENTER  HIGH-WAGE,  HIGH-DE-
 MAND,  NONTRADITIONAL  OCCUPATIONS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THOSE IN
 THE SKILLED TRADES, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING,  AND  MATH  (STEM)
 OCCUPATIONS.
   3.  USE  OF  FUNDS.  (A) GRANT FUNDS AWARDED UNDER THIS SECTION MAY BE
 USED FOR:
   (1) RECRUITMENT,  PREPARATION,  PLACEMENT,  AND  RETENTION  OF  WOMEN,
 INCLUDING LOW-INCOME WOMEN AND WOMEN OVER FIFTY YEARS OLD, IN REGISTERED
 APPRENTICESHIPS,  POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS, ON-THE-JOB TRAINING,
 AND PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT IN HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND, NONTRADITIONAL OCCU-
 PATIONS;
   (2) SECONDARY OR POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION OR OTHER TRAINING TO  PREPARE
 WOMEN  TO SUCCEED IN HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND, NONTRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS.
 ACTIVITIES UNDER THIS SUBPARAGRAPH MAY BE CONDUCTED BY THE GRANTEE OR IN
 COLLABORATION WITH ANOTHER INSTITUTION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED  TO  A
 PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SECONDARY OR POSTSECONDARY SCHOOL;
   (3)  INNOVATIVE,  HANDS-ON,  BEST PRACTICES THAT STIMULATE INTEREST IN
 HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND, NONTRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS AMONG GIRLS, INCREASE
 AWARENESS AMONG GIRLS ABOUT  OPPORTUNITIES  IN  HIGH-WAGE,  HIGH-DEMAND,
 NONTRADITIONAL  OCCUPATIONS, OR INCREASE ACCESS TO SECONDARY PROGRAMMING
 LEADING TO JOBS IN HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND,  NONTRADITIONAL  OCCUPATIONS.
 BEST PRACTICES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO MENTORING, INTERNSHIPS, OR
 APPRENTICESHIPS  FOR  GIRLS  IN  HIGH-WAGE,  HIGH-DEMAND, NONTRADITIONAL
 OCCUPATIONS;
   (4) TRAINING AND OTHER STAFF DEVELOPMENT FOR JOB SEEKER COUNSELORS AND
 SOCIAL SERVICES CASEWORKERS ON OPPORTUNITIES IN HIGH-WAGE,  HIGH-DEMAND,
 NONTRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS;
   (5) INCENTIVES FOR EMPLOYERS AND SPONSORS OF REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP
 PROGRAMS TO RETAIN WOMEN IN HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND, NONTRADITIONAL OCCU-
 PATIONS FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR;
   (6)  TRAINING  AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR EMPLOYERS TO CREATE A SAFE
 AND HEALTHY WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT DESIGNED TO RETAIN AND ADVANCE  WOMEN,
 INCLUDING  BEST PRACTICES FOR ADDRESSING SEXUAL HARASSMENT, AND TO OVER-
 COME GENDER  INEQUITY  AMONG  EMPLOYERS  AND  REGISTERED  APPRENTICESHIP
 PROGRAMS;
   (7)  PUBLIC  EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO OVERCOME STEREOTYPES
 ABOUT  WOMEN  IN  HIGH-WAGE,  HIGH-DEMAND,  NONTRADITIONAL  OCCUPATIONS,
 INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL AND MARKETING MATERIALS; AND
   (8)  SUPPORT FOR WOMEN IN HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND, NONTRADITIONAL OCCU-
 PATIONS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ASSISTANCE  WITH  WORKPLACE  ISSUES
 RESOLUTION AND ACCESS TO ADVOCACY ASSISTANCE AND SERVICES.
   (B)  GRANT  APPLICATIONS  SHALL INCLUDE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT HOW
 THE APPLICANT PLANS TO:
   (1) INCREASE WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN HIGH-WAGE,  HIGH-DEMAND  OCCUPA-
 TIONS IN WHICH WOMEN ARE CURRENTLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE WORKFORCE;
   (2) COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SUBDIVISION; AND
   (3)  USE  GRANT FUNDS IN CONJUNCTION WITH FUNDING FROM OTHER PUBLIC OR
 PRIVATE SOURCES.
   (C) IN AWARDING GRANTS UNDER THIS SUBDIVISION, THE COMMISSIONER  SHALL
 GIVE PRIORITY TO ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS:

 A. 2319                             3
 
   (1) WITH DEMONSTRATED SUCCESS IN RECRUITING AND PREPARING WOMEN, ESPE-
 CIALLY  LOW-INCOME  WOMEN AND WOMEN OVER FIFTY YEARS OLD, FOR HIGH-WAGE,
 HIGH-DEMAND, NONTRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS; AND
   (2) THAT LEVERAGE ADDITIONAL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE RESOURCES.
   (D)  AT  LEAST  FIFTY  PERCENT OF TOTAL GRANT FUNDS MUST BE AWARDED TO
 PROGRAMS PROVIDING SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES TARGETED TO LOW-INCOME WOMEN.
   (E) THE COMMISSIONER IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE STATE  COMPTROLLER  SHALL
 MONITOR  THE USE OF FUNDS UNDER THIS SECTION, COLLECT AND COMPILE INFOR-
 MATION ON THE ACTIVITIES OF OTHER STATE AGENCIES AND PUBLIC  OR  PRIVATE
 ENTITIES  THAT  HAVE  PURPOSES  SIMILAR TO THOSE UNDER THIS SECTION, AND
 IDENTIFY OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR THESE PURPOSES.
   § 2. The sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), or  so  much
 thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the department of
 labor out of any moneys in the state treasury in the general fund to the
 credit  of  the  women  and  high-wage, high-demand, nontraditional jobs
 grant program, not otherwise appropriated, and made  immediately  avail-
 able,  for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act.  Such
 moneys shall be payable on the audit and warrant of the  comptroller  on
 vouchers  certified  or  approved  by  the  commissioner of labor in the
 manner prescribed by law.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition,  amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation  of  this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
 completed on or before such effective date.