Directs the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities to establish a voluntary training and certification program for employers that have taken the EmployAbility Pledge.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8915--B
IN ASSEMBLY
January 19, 2022
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BURDICK, MEEKS, SEAWRIGHT, ABBATE, SANTABARBARA,
ENGLEBRIGHT, GALLAGHER, J. M. GIGLIO, DAVILA -- Multi-Sponsored by --
M. of A. COOK -- read once and referred to the Committee on People
with Disabilities -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- again
reported from said committee with amendments, ordered reprinted as
amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT in relation to directing the New York State Office for People
With Developmental Disabilities to establish a voluntary training and
certification program for employers that have taken the EmployAbility
Pledge
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. a. The New York State Office for People With Developmental
2 Disabilities (OPWDD) shall establish a voluntary training and certif-
3 ication program for employers that have taken the EmployAbility Pledge
4 and that support an inclusive workplace. The program shall promote tech-
5 niques and strategies employers can implement to increase diversity in
6 the employer's workforce through the hiring of individuals with disabil-
7 ities and to increase diversity in the selection of the employer's
8 supply chains by working with companies that employ individuals with
9 disabilities.
10 b. OPWDD will develop and manage the program. As part of the program,
11 OPWDD will develop a series of online/virtual training programs for
12 employers for key components related to training employers on topics
13 including:
14 (i) sensitivity training on disability disclosure;
15 (ii) providing reasonable accommodations to employees with disabili-
16 ties;
17 (iii) tax credits for employers who employee individuals with disabil-
18 ities;
19 (iv) website accessibility;
20 (v) interviewing individuals with disabilities and appropriate job
21 opening advertisements;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14043-04-2
A. 8915--B 2
1 (vi) workplace inclusion of individuals with disabilities;
2 (vii) supply chain diversity;
3 (viii) the role of job coaches in assisting employers; and
4 (ix) corporate partnership training for employers for purposes of
5 qualifying for preferred source procurement status.
6 § 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
7 have become a law.
