The New York State Employer Workplace Violence Prevention Law
Chapter 82 of the Laws of 2006

Public employers across the state are currently in the process of complying with the law passed in 2006 at the urging of CSEA.

The law requires public employers to perform a risk evaluation at every worksite and implement programs to prevent or minimize workplace violence.

State Employee Injury Reporting
Chapter 171 of the Laws of 2007

To help track and reduce injuries over the long tern, this CSEA supported law requires the Department of Civil Service to issue an annual report on the number, type and cause of injuries to state employees as well as workers' compensation and other related costs.

Leave For Breast I Prostate Cancer

A.10035A - Brodsky

Last year, CSEA passed a law allowing for four hours of leave for local government and school district employees to receive screening for breast and prostate cancer. State and county employees are already entitled to the four hours leave.

This clean up bill would expand those eligible for leave and explicitly state that the time granted is to be paid time.

Nurses Overtime

A.1898B -Gunther I S.6342- Morahan

This bill prohibits employers from requiring Registered Professional Nurses (RNs) or Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) to work excessive overtime. This bill would prohibit hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers from scheduling and requiring shifts of longer than 8 consecutive hours or workweeks longer than 40 hours except as consistent with the nurse's regularly scheduled hours.

Statewide Safe Patient Handling Policy

Proposed Legislation (planned introduction in the 2008 Legislative Session):

This proposed legislation would require a Statewide Safe Patient Handling Policy to be developed by the Commissioner of Health in consultation with an 11-member New York State Safe Patient Handling Task Force also created in the legislation.

The task force will include members who have expertise in healthcare and occupational safety and members representing nurses and direct care workers. The main focus of the policy will be to develop guidelines for the procurement of engineering controls, lifting and transferring aids or assistive devices and for training in the proper use of such equipment.