The state Senate on Wednesday is set to approve a package of bills meant to provide protections and rights for domestic workers in New York by insuring access to temporary disability benefits and bolstering support for caregivers. 

The bills are largely aimed at ensuring domestic workers — a term that can describe a wide range of jobs within a home — can take time off without risking their jobs. At the same time, the measures would allow for great flexibility during a health emergency or crisis. 

And parents and caregivers would have a greater degree of ability to manage personal needs under the proposals. 

“Working women and families have consistently served as the backbone of our labor force,” Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said. “This legislation upholds, protects and promotes their livelihoods by defending basic worker rights. I am proud of what this package sets out to accomplish and optimistic that this will put us on a path towards greater workplace reform. I commend the bill sponsors for their work on this legislation, and we will continue to fight for all workers.”

The bills include provisions that are meant to improve access to temporary disability insurance for domestic workers who work at least 20 hours in a week. Another bill would provide employee protections from punishment for legal work absences, such as prenatal care, supporting a sick family member, responding to an emergency or religious observances.

Lawmakers also want to increase protections for caregivers by barring employers from discrimination based on their caregiver status. Another bill would expand the human rights law to cover domestic workers to extend to them protections based on age, sex, race, religion, sexual orientation and disability. 

A bill would require a multi-agency study on the issues affecting caregivers and lawmakers want more flexibility for caregivers who must respond to a health crisis or an emergency that closes schools. Employers would be blocked from punishing workers who request more leeway to work from home.