S5465

The New York State Senate passed the Caregiver Discrimination Act on a 54-7 vote, legislation sponsored by Sen. Jackson that prohibits workplace discrimination against caregivers and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations. The bill, which amends the Executive Law, addresses what supporters characterized as systemic undervaluation and discrimination against the estimated 18 percent of American adults serving as caregivers—a population that is over 75 percent female. Sen. Jackson argued that caregivers frequently face unjust denial of promotions and employment opportunities due to assumptions about their availability, creating lasting economic consequences. Sen. May, former chair of the Committee on Aging, supported the measure on grounds of basic fairness and economic necessity, noting that family caregivers save the nation billions in medical expenses annually while often spending their own money to support loved ones. She also highlighted the bill's importance given potential federal work requirements for SNAP benefits that could affect unemployed caregivers. Seven senators voted against the measure: Borrello, Lanza, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Stec, and Walczyk. The bill takes effect 90 days after becoming law.