NY S01983

Repeals and replaces section 341 of the social services law to establish new procedures for addressing participant noncompliance with welfare-to-work program requirements.

Requires social services districts to provide verbal or written notice to participants about failures to comply with work activity requirements, including plain language explanations of what constitutes "good cause" for non-compliance and acceptable evidence such as domestic violence or health limitations.

Establishes a conciliation process allowing participants to request resolution of compliance disputes within 7 days (safety net participants) or 10 days (family assistance participants) before sanctions are imposed, with conciliation conducted by trained supervisory staff or independent entities with no direct responsibility for the participant's case.

Permits fair hearings for compliance disputes to be conducted using video conferencing equipment, and allows sanctions only for willful refusal without good cause, with exemptions for participants lacking required child care or facing net income loss from employment.

Exempts residents of cities with populations of one million or more from these conciliation and fair hearing provisions, and amends section 341-a to incorporate conciliation as an alternative to the re-engagement process.