Watchdog Supports Bill Clarifying Definition of Full-Time Job in NYS Database of Economic Incentives
TITLE OF BILL
An act to amend the New York state urban development corporation act, in relation to certain reporting measures.
STATEMENT OF SUPPORT
Reinvent Albany strongly supports this bill because it will give New Yorkers better data to evaluate how effective New York State’s $5 billion-plus in annual corporate subsidies are at creating full-time, sustainable, well-paying jobs.
Since 2022, Empire State Development (ESD) has been required to report on which companies are receiving state subsidies, how much they’re receiving, and whether they’re creating any jobs. Unfortunately, the law does not define “full-time job” as being 35 or more hours per week, nor does it require ESD to provide detailed information on temporary contract jobs created by projects. The limitations in the current data make it extremely difficult for the public to determine how much in taxpayer subsidies a full-time job costs or compare the subsidy per job across different subsidy programs.
This legislation will ensure that the Database of Economic Incentives is producing the best possible data. We urge the Legislature to pass the bill, and the Governor to sign it.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS
Section 1 amends New York State Urban Development Act §1(58)(3)(c)(iv) and (v) to define “full-time job” as a position in which an individual is employed for at least 35 hours per week by a company receiving subsidies. It also requires that ESD report the number of full-time jobs, full-time equivalents, part-time jobs, and project hires for each job in the Database of Economic Incentives. Section 2 states that the bill takes effect immediately.