Bill > S00515

This bill establishes new labor protections for parents and legal guardians during state or local disaster emergencies that close schools or day care centers. The bill defines key terms such as "school-aged child," "parent," and "flexible working arrangement," and creates a framework for employees to request remote or flexible work when they need to care for children whose schools or day care centers are closed. Employees have a presumptive right to work remotely if they have previously worked remotely for two consecutive pay periods, provided the essential functions of their job can be performed remotely. Employers must consider such requests and can only deny them if the arrangement would be inconsistent with business operations, which is defined by a specific list of considerations like undue cost, impact on business performance, or inability to reorganize work. The bill protects employees from retaliation for requesting such arrangements and allows the commissioner to take action against employers who violate these provisions, including imposing a $500 civil penalty for each violation. The law aims to provide working parents more flexibility during emergencies that disrupt childcare, while also giving employers some discretion in managing such requests.

Labor and Employment

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S515