Bill > S04644

This bill amends New York state labor law to explicitly allow employees who choose not to receive a coronavirus vaccine to be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. Specifically, the bill adds language to existing unemployment statutes that prevents workers from being disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits if they voluntarily separate from their job due to a coronavirus vaccine mandate. The bill covers vaccine refusals stemming from two primary scenarios: (1) government health department orders mandating vaccination, such as the September 2021 healthcare worker vaccination directive, and (2) employer-specific policies requiring vaccination with termination as a potential consequence. By adding these provisions, the bill ensures that employees who lose their job or choose to leave employment because of their decision not to be vaccinated against coronavirus will not be penalized and can still collect unemployment insurance. The bill takes effect immediately, with some technical provisions about the timing of amendments to existing labor law sections.

Labor and Employment

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4644