Int. No. 1693-A
By Council Member Chin, Ayala, Rosenthal, Rivera, Koslowitz, Gibson, Louis, Adams, Kallos, Eugene, Vallone, Rose and Barron
A Local Law to amend the New York city charter, in relation to recommendations regarding age discrimination and developing the older adult workforce
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Section 2402 of the New York city charter, as amended by a vote of the electors at a general election held on November 8, 1988, is amended to read as follows:
§ 2402. Powers and duties. The department shall have the following powers and duties:
a. to stimulate community interest in the problems of the aging;
b. to promote public awareness of resources available for the aging, and to refer the public to appropriate departments and agencies of the city, state and federal governments for advice, assistance and available services in connection with particular problems;
c. to cooperate with and assist local neighborhoods in the development of programs and the establishment of local offices;
d. to serve as a clearing house for information relating to the needs of the aging;
e. to disburse available city, state and federal funds to programs throughout the city and, when practical, coordinate such funds with available funding from the private sector;
f. to provide regular guidance and support to the center for older workforce development;
g. to promulgate rules and regulations for the operation of facilities, services and programs under its jurisdiction; and
h. to maintain, operate and control such programs and facilities as may be necessary or required for the proper administration of the department.
§ 2. Section 2403 of the New York city charter, as amended by local law 6 for the year 1980, is amended to read as follows:
§ 2403. Advisory council. a. There shall be in the department an advisory council consisting of thirty-one members at least sixteen of whom shall be recipients of services rendered to [the elderly] older adults. Beginning in December 2021, [These] these members shall include representatives from the areas of social service, health care, business, legal services, the academic community and local neighborhoods.
b. It shall be the duty of the council to advise the commissioner and make recommendations. The council shall submit an annual report of its activities to the mayor and the speaker of the council. Beginning with the report due in December 2021 and biennially thereafter, the council’s report shall include recommendations for how to eliminate age discrimination in the workplace and how to develop the older adult workforce. These recommendations shall also be submitted to the center for older workforce development and should be developed while considering the following:
1. Data and reports of age discrimination in the workplace, nationally and within the state, including any trends in different industries, demographic differences, age ranges, reporting statistics and any successful remedies;
2. The development and use of new technologies and systems in combating age discrimination in the employment process and during employment;
3. Existing policies across city agencies, guidelines and resources related to age discrimination and reporting by victims thereof; and
4. Existing methods and procedures for reporting and responding to allegations of age discrimination in the workplace, within city agencies and across the city.
c. The members of the council shall be appointed by the mayor. Ten of said members, two residents from each of the five boroughs of the city, shall be recommended for appointment by a majority vote of the city council members of the respective boroughs.
d. The terms of office of the thirty-one members of the council first appointed shall be as follows: eleven appointees, five of whom shall be recommended for appointment by the city council members of the respective boroughs, one from each borough, shall serve for a term ending the thirty-first day of March, nineteen hundred eighty-one; ten appointees shall serve for a term ending the thirty-first day of March, nineteen hundred eighty-two; and ten appointees, five of whom shall be recommended for appointment by the city council members of the respective boroughs, one from each borough, shall serve for a term ending the thirty-first day of March, nineteen hundred eighty-three. Upon the expiration of such terms, the terms of office of their successors shall be three years. Vacancies occurring otherwise than by expiration of term shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as regular appointments.
e. The mayor shall designate one of the members of the council to be chairman and one to be vice-chairman.
f. The members of the council shall serve without compensation.
§ 3. This local law takes effect on the same date as a local law for the year 2020 amending the New York city charter relating to creating a center for older workforce development, as proposed in introduction number 1694-A, takes effect.
NJC
LS #10089
11/10/20
6:24 PM