S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6480
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               March 5, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. BRONSON, SHIMSKY, GLICK -- read once and referred
   to the Committee on Labor
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  labor  law, in relation to establishing the "no
   severance ultimatums act"
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1.  Short  title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 the "no severance ultimatums act".
   § 2. The labor law is amended by adding a new section 215-d to read as
 follows:
   § 215-D. PROHIBITION AGAINST COERCIVE SEVERANCE ULTIMATUMS.  1.  DEFI-
 NITIONS.  FOR  THE  PURPOSES  OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL
 HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A) "EMPLOYEE" SHALL HAVE THE SAME MEANING AS SET FORTH IN SECTION ONE
 HUNDRED NINETY OF THIS CHAPTER.
   (B) "EMPLOYER" SHALL:
   (I) HAVE THE SAME MEANING AS SET FORTH IN SECTION ONE  HUNDRED  NINETY
 OF THIS CHAPTER; AND
   (II) INCLUDE GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES.
   2.  SEVERANCE  ULTIMATUMS. ANY EMPLOYER OFFERING AN EMPLOYEE OR FORMER
 EMPLOYEE AN AGREEMENT RELATED TO SUCH EMPLOYEE'S SEVERANCE FROM  EMPLOY-
 MENT SHALL NOTIFY SUCH EMPLOYEE THAT:
   (A)  SUCH EMPLOYEE HAS THE RIGHT TO CONSULT AN ATTORNEY REGARDING SUCH
 AGREEMENT, AND SUCH EMPLOYEE SHALL BE PROVIDED WITH A REASONABLE  PERIOD
 OF  TIME NOT LESS THAN TWENTY-ONE BUSINESS DAYS IN WHICH TO CONSIDER THE
 AGREEMENT;
   (B) SUCH EMPLOYEE MAY REVOKE SUCH AGREEMENT WITHIN SEVEN DAYS  OF  THE
 EXECUTION  OF  SUCH AGREEMENT, AND THE AGREEMENT SHALL NOT BECOME EFFEC-
 TIVE OR ENFORCEABLE UNTIL SUCH REVOCATION PERIOD HAS EXPIRED; AND
   (C) SUCH EMPLOYEE MAY SIGN SUCH AGREEMENT PRIOR TO  THE  END  OF  SUCH
 REVOCATION  PERIOD,  AS LONG AS SUCH EMPLOYEE'S DECISION TO SHORTEN SUCH

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00738-01-5
              

 A. 6480                             2
 
 REVOCATION PERIOD IS KNOWING, VOLUNTARY, AND NOT INDUCED BY THE EMPLOYER
 THROUGH FRAUD, MISREPRESENTATION, OR A THREAT TO WITHDRAW OR ALTER  SUCH
 REVOCATION  PERIOD PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF SUCH REVOCATION PERIOD, OR
 BY  PROVIDING  DIFFERENT  TERMS  TO SUCH EMPLOYEE IF SUCH EMPLOYEE SIGNS
 SUCH AGREEMENT PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF SUCH REVOCATION PERIOD.
   3. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL NOT  APPLY  TO  ANY  SEVERANCE
 AGREEMENT NEGOTIATED PURSUANT TO A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT.
   4. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER LAW TO THE CONTRARY, ANY SEVERANCE AGREE-
 MENT  SHALL  BE  DEEMED  VOID  AND  UNENFORCEABLE  IF  IT  VIOLATES  THE
 PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
   5. NOTHING HEREIN SHALL BE DEEMED IN ANY WAY TO  LIMIT,  RESTRICT,  OR
 IMPAIR  ANY  LAW, RULE, OR REGULATION FROM PROVIDING GREATER PROTECTIONS
 THAN PROVIDED FOR IN THIS SECTION.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.