S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K ________________________________________________________________________ 5316 2011-2012 Regular Sessions I N S E N A T E May 5, 2011 ___________ Introduced by Sens. STEWART-COUSINS, ADDABBO, AVELLA, BRESLIN, GIANARIS, HASSELL-THOMPSON, HUNTLEY, KRUEGER, MONTGOMERY, RIVERA, SERRANO, STAVISKY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to unlawful hiring discrimination by employers, employment agencies and licensing agen- cies based upon an individual's unemployment status 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 296-c 2 to read as follows: 3 S 296-C. UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES IN RELATION TO LICENSING OR 4 EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES; UNEMPLOYMENT STATUS. 1. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS 5 SECTION, THE TERM "UNEMPLOYMENT STATUS" SHALL MEAN BEING UNEMPLOYED, 6 HAVING ACTIVELY LOOKED FOR EMPLOYMENT DURING THE THEN MOST RECENT FOUR 7 WEEK PERIOD, AND CURRENTLY BEING AVAILABLE FOR EMPLOYMENT. 8 2. IT SHALL BE AN UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE FOR AN EMPLOYER OR 9 LICENSING AGENCY, BECAUSE OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S UNEMPLOYMENT STATUS, TO 10 REFUSE TO HIRE OR TO EMPLOY OR TO BAR SUCH INDIVIDUAL OR TO DISCRIMINATE 11 AGAINST SUCH INDIVIDUAL IN COMPENSATION OR IN TERMS, CONDITIONS OR PRIV- 12 ILEGES OF EMPLOYMENT. 13 3. IT SHALL BE AN UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE FOR AN EMPLOYER OR 14 AN EMPLOYMENT AGENCY TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ANY INDIVIDUAL BECAUSE OF 15 UNEMPLOYMENT STATUS IN RECEIVING, CLASSIFYING, DISPOSING OR OTHERWISE 16 ACTING UPON APPLICATIONS FOR ITS SERVICES OR IN REFERRING AN APPLICANT 17 OR APPLICANTS TO AN EMPLOYER OR EMPLOYERS. 18 4. IT SHALL BE AN UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE FOR AN EMPLOYER OR 19 AN EMPLOYMENT AGENCY TO PRINT OR CIRCULATE OR CAUSE TO BE PRINTED OR 20 CIRCULATED ANY STATEMENT, ADVERTISEMENT OR PUBLICATION, OR TO USE ANY 21 FORM OF APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT OR TO MAKE ANY INQUIRY IN CONNECTION 22 WITH PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYMENT, WHICH EXPRESSES DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, ANY EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD10544-03-1 S. 5316 2 1 LIMITATION, SPECIFICATION OR DISCRIMINATION AS TO UNEMPLOYMENT STATUS, 2 OR ANY INTENT TO MAKE ANY SUCH LIMITATION, SPECIFICATION OR DISCRIMI- 3 NATION, UNLESS BASED UPON A BONA FIDE OCCUPATIONAL QUALIFICATION; 4 PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT NEITHER THIS SECTION NOR ANY PROVISION OF THIS 5 CHAPTER OR OTHER LAW SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO PROHIBIT THE DEPARTMENT OF 6 CIVIL SERVICE OR THE DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL OF ANY CITY CONTAINING MORE 7 THAN ONE COUNTY FROM REQUESTING INFORMATION FROM APPLICANTS FOR CIVIL 8 SERVICE EXAMINATIONS CONCERNING THE AFOREMENTIONED CHARACTERISTIC, OTHER 9 THAN SEXUAL ORIENTATION, FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONDUCTING STUDIES TO IDEN- 10 TIFY AND RESOLVE POSSIBLE PROBLEMS IN RECRUITMENT AND TESTING OF MEMBERS 11 OF MINORITY GROUPS TO ENSURE THE FAIREST POSSIBLE AND EQUAL OPPORTU- 12 NITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT IN THE CIVIL SERVICE FOR ALL PERSONS. 13 S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.