NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A10179
SPONSOR: Rules (Rozic) TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the social services law, in relation
to training and education for sustainable wage jobs and traditional and
nontraditional employment in public assistance employment programs
PURPOSE:
To prevent families from cycling in and out of dependence on public
assistance and permanently life them out of poverty by increasing empha-
sis on training and education for sustainable jobs in public assistance
employment programs.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section I defines "non-traditional employment" and "sustainable wage."
Section II requires that local social services district plans for public
assistance employment programs emphasize training for sustainable wage
jobs and promote understanding of nontraditional employment opportu-
nities for participants.
Section III requires that participant orientations include information
on education and training for sustainable wage jobs and non-traditional
employment opportunities available under the local plan.
Sections IV and V require participant employability plans to take into
account the potential for available employment that pays a sustainable
wage such as apprenticeable, technical and professional occupations and
non-traditional employment.
Section VI sets forth the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
In the rush to reduce welfare rolls under federal welfare reform, many
welfare recipients have been placed in low-paying jobs. In particular,
initial studies of women moving from welfare to work placements indicate
that the vast majority of women move into jobs that do not lift them and
their children out of poverty. These jobs are typically in industries,
such as food service and home health care, which traditionally-have been
populated by women workers.
A 2001 study of job training for low-income people, particularly women
leaving welfare, found a clear pattern of gender segregation in job
training referral and placements. Program training for jobs as a bank
teller and nail technician had 100% female enrollment, while program
training for higher paying jobs such as appliance technician and automo-
tive technician had overwhelming male enrollments.
Non-traditional employment can help women achieve economic independence
by offering wages paying on average 20% to 30% more than traditional
female occupations, as well as good benefits and opportunities for
advancement.
As welfare reform continues, increased emphasis needs to be placed on
services that will move participants into sustainable wage jobs to
permanently lift families out of poverty, and prevent them from cycling
in and out of dependence on public assistance. This becomes especially
critical as the 60 month lifetime limit for federally-funded public
assistance is reached.
A crucial but underutilized route to a sustainable wage job is through
non-traditional employment. The provisions of this bill would ensure
that local social services districts increase their emphasis on coun-
seling, education and training for non-traditional employment and
sustainable wage jobs.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2014: A01785 (Millman)Social Services
2013: A01785 (Millman)-Third Reading
2012: A03298 (Millman)-Third Reading
2011: A03298 (Millman)-Ways and Means
2010: A4096A (Millman)-Ways and Means
2009: A4096 (Millman)-Third Reading
2008: A09197A (Millman)-Social Services
2007: A09197 (Millman)-Third Reading
EFFECTIVE DATE:
The one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become law and shall
apply to employability plans made or updated on and after such effective
date.
