S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4787
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 8, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  B. MILLER  --  read once and referred to the
   Committee on Labor
 
 AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to  creating  the  "New  York
   working soldiers' assistance program"
 
   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  219-b  to
 read as follows:
   §  219-B.  NEW  YORK  WORKING  SOLDIERS'  ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.   1. THE
 DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH A MATCHING GRANT  PROGRAM  TO  AWARD  PRIVATE
 SECTOR  EMPLOYERS  OF NEW YORK STATE WHO PROVIDE WAGES TO NEW YORK STATE
 RESIDENTS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD OR OTHER RESERVE  COMPO-
 NENT  OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES AND ARE ORDERED TO ACTIVE
 MILITARY DUTY IN A COMBAT THEATER OR COMBAT ZONE OF OPERATIONS.
   2. SUCH GRANT SHALL REIMBURSE THE EMPLOYER FOR NOT MORE THAN  ONE-HALF
 OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MONTHLY WAGE PAID BY THE EMPLOYER PRIOR TO
 THE  DATE  THE EMPLOYEE WAS CALLED TO OR ORDERED TO ACTIVE MILITARY DUTY
 IN A COMBAT THEATER OR COMBAT ZONE OF OPERATION AND THE  AMOUNT  OF  THE
 EMPLOYEE'S MILITARY PAY AS DEFINED IN SECTION 101(21) OF TITLE 37 OF THE
 UNITED  STATES  CODE  AND  ALLOWANCES  PAYABLE TO A MEMBER OF THE UNITED
 STATES ARMED FORCES UNDER CHAPTER 7 OF TITLE 37  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES
 CODE AND IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR FEDERAL MILITARY ACTIVE DUTY SERVED ON OR
 AFTER JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE.
   3. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP A PLAN BY NO LATER THAN OCTOBER FIRST,
 TWO  THOUSAND  TWENTY-TWO,  TO  ADMINISTER  THE  APPLICATION AND PAYMENT
 PROCEDURES PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
   4. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE  EMPLOYEE  MUST  BE  A  LEGAL
 RESIDENT  OF  THE STATE FOR THE PERIOD OF TIME HE OR SHE WAS DEPLOYED TO
 ACTIVE MILITARY DUTY.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next  succeed-
 ing  the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately
 the commissioner of labor is authorized to promulgate any and all  rules
 and  regulations and take any other measures necessary to implement this
 act on its effective date on or before such date.
              

 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08817-01-1