S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7105
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 20, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. OTIS, SEPTIMO, SHIMSKY -- read once and referred
   to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
 
 AN ACT to amend the public authorities law,  in  relation  to  providing
   benefits to Metro-North employees involved in or who witness a serious
   injury or fatality of another person in the course of an assigned duty

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The public authorities law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 section 1266-n to read as follows:
   §  1266-N.  BENEFITS  FOR EMPLOYEES INVOLVED IN OR WHO WITNESS SERIOUS
 INJURIES OR FATALITIES OF ANOTHER PERSON IN THE COURSE  OF  AN  ASSIGNED
 DUTY.  1.  FOR ANY EMPLOYEE OF THE METRO-NORTH COMMUTER RAILROAD COMPANY
 WHO WITNESSES OR IS OTHERWISE INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS INJURY  OR  FATALITY
 OF  ANOTHER  PERSON THROUGH THE COURSE OF SUCH EMPLOYEE'S ASSIGNED DUTY,
 METRO-NORTH SHALL PROVIDE MANDATORY BENEFITS, INCLUDING BUT NOT  LIMITED
 TO:
   (A)  SEVEN CONSECUTIVE WORKING DAYS OF PAID LEAVE, BEGINNING THE IMME-
 DIATE SUBSEQUENT DAY THE EMPLOYEE IS SCHEDULED TO  WORK,  EXCLUDING  THE
 EMPLOYEE'S REGULARLY SCHEDULED DAYS OFF;
   (B) MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, INCLUDING COUNSELING, AT THE OPTION OF THE
 EMPLOYEE; AND
   (C)  A MANDATORY MENTAL HEALTH EXAMINATION CONDUCTED BY THE EMPLOYEE'S
 HEALTH CARE PROVIDER BEFORE BEING APPROVED TO RETURN TO WORK, WITH UP TO
 FOUR ADDITIONAL WEEKS OF PAID LEAVE, IF RECOMMENDED BY THEIR HEALTH CARE
 PROVIDER.
   2. SUCH EMPLOYEE SHALL BE COMPENSATED BY METRO-NORTH AT AN AMOUNT  NOT
 LESS  THAN  THE  EMPLOYEE WOULD HAVE EARNED ON THE ASSIGNMENT THEY WOULD
 HAVE WORKED UNTIL  SUCH  EMPLOYEE  HAS  USED  THEIR  FULL  ALLOTMENT  OF
 MANDATED TIME OFF PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07165-01-5