Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon (D-Utica/Rome) announced that she’s sponsoring a number of bills to keep workers safe and uplift their voices in honor of Workers Memorial Day, which is observed around the world on April 28 to remember those who were killed, disabled, injured or made unwell by their work. 

“From our heroic first responders to the grocery store workers and farmers who kept our state running, this past year showed just how dedicated and resilient New York workers are,” Buttenschon said. “To that end, it also highlighted the urgent need for better workplace conditions and accessible resources and support programs that protect workers on the job. This Workers Memorial Day, I’m more committed than ever to enacting real change and fulfilling the promise of safer jobs for all.”

Buttenschon has long been a staunch advocate for workers’ rights and has authored and helped pass many bills to support New Yorkers in the line of duty. This includes bills to:

• Increase the severity of certain assault crimes against police officers and first responders by one degree (A.999);
• Provide additional protections for police officers and peace officers by creating the crime of stalking and making this offense a class E felony (A.1066); and
• Establish a $500,000 dangerous employment benefit for law enforcement officers who are disabled or killed in the line of duty (A.1233).

To support workers in the home care system and help manage the transition from fee-for-service to managed care, Buttenschon sponsored legislation requiring contracts with home care service providers to provide sufficient resources and support wage parity (A.1137). This bill also authorizes the Department of Health to establish a program that provides loans, through the Dormitory Authority, to home care facilities in order to finance health care reform efforts. She also co-sponsored legislation to create healthier working conditions and set nurse-to-patient ratios in state hospitals by requiring these facilities to establish clinical staffing committees that would develop and oversee a safe staffing plan (A.108-B).

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Buttenschon has worked tirelessly to provide essential workers and their families with the support they need. She passed bills to:

• Extend the eligibility period to Dec. 31, 2022, for beneficiaries of public workers who died of COVID-19 after reporting to work on or after March 1, 2020, to receive a death benefit equal to 50% of the employee’s monthly salary (Ch. 78 of 2021)
• Grant time off for public employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccination (Ch. 77 of 2021)

“We truly depended on our essential workers this past year to keep us safe and healthy,” said Buttenschon. “Workers Memorial Day takes on an even deeper meaning this year and must serve as a time not only for remembrance, but for action. There’s no better way to honor the lives we lost than dedicating our efforts to making New York State a safer, more equitable place to work.”