STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                           809

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    January 11, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M.  of  A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
          Committee on Governmental Operations

        AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation  to  creating  a  company
          climate report system to assess the workplace environment of companies
          doing business in New York

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section  295-a
     2  to read as follows:
     3    § 295-a. Company climate reports. 1. (a) Every company that does busi-
     4  ness  in  New  York  state shall file a biennial climate report with the
     5  division. The requirements for the form  and  content  of  such  climate
     6  report  shall  be promulgated by the commissioner and at a minimum shall
     7  include:
     8    (i) Company climate surveys to be filled out anonymously by employees,
     9  which are  designed  to  assess  such  company's  workplace  environment
    10  including,  but  not  limited  to,  pay  equity,  sexual  harassment and
    11  discrimination  based  on  an  individual's  age,  race,  creed,  color,
    12  national  origin,  sexual orientation, military status, sex, disability,
    13  predisposing genetic characteristics, familial status, marital status or
    14  domestic violence victim status.
    15    (ii) A copy of the company's sexual harassment and anti-discrimination
    16  policies.
    17    (iii) Records of  any  sexual  harassment  or  discrimination  claims,
    18  settlements and cases and the disposition thereof.
    19    (b)  A  company  filing a company climate report shall not include any
    20  names or other personally identifying information in such report.
    21    2. (a) The commissioner shall develop  a  grading  system  to  rate  a
    22  company's  workplace  environment  and handling of sexual harassment and
    23  discrimination issues, determine what constitutes  a  passing  score  in

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD00690-01-3

        A. 809                              2

     1  such system and create an appeal process for a company to appeal a fail-
     2  ing score.
     3    (b)  The  division  shall  aggregate the data provided in each company
     4  climate report received and assign each company a score on  the  grading
     5  system created in paragraph (a) of this subdivision.
     6    (c)  The  division  shall  create  and  thereafter maintain a publicly
     7  accessible website which  shall  contain  the  content  of  the  company
     8  climate report and corresponding score for each company.
     9    3.  A company which receives a failing score and does not successfully
    10  appeal such score shall be required to implement changes recommended  by
    11  the  division to improve such score. A company who fails to improve such
    12  score to a passing score within two years shall be  ineligible  for  any
    13  type  of state benefit, including but not limited to submitting a bid to
    14  any contracting agency, as defined in section three hundred ten of  this
    15  chapter,  or  be awarded any such contract or tax credits awarded by the
    16  state, until such time as such company receives a passing score from the
    17  division.
    18    § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
    19  become  a  law.  Effective  immediately,  the addition, amendment and/or
    20  repeal of any rule or regulation necessary  for  the  implementation  of
    21  this  act  on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
    22  on or before such effective date.