Bill > A08615

This bill amends existing labor and education laws to explicitly include home care visits in provisions that protect nurses from being required to work beyond their regularly scheduled hours. Specifically, the bill modifies the definition of "health care employer" to encompass facilities licensed under additional public health law articles, and updates the definition of "regularly scheduled work hours" to specifically mention home care visits. The legislation clarifies that nurses cannot be forced to work overtime, including additional home care visits beyond their pre-scheduled shifts. The bill also ensures that a nurse's refusal to work beyond their scheduled hours, including home care visits, will not be considered patient abandonment or neglect, except under very specific circumstances outlined in labor law. By making these changes, the bill aims to provide greater workplace protections for nurses working in home care settings, giving them more control over their work schedules and preventing mandatory overtime. The bill will take effect 90 days after becoming law.

Labor and Employment

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A8615