The state's so-called "labor-neutrality law" and other HR-related legislation from the 2002 session will be the focus of a March 4 meeting of The Business Council's Labor and Human Resources Committee.

The committee will meet from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at The Council's Albany office. This will be a joint meeting with the New York State Society for Human Resource Management.

A member of the Assembly or Senate Labor Committee will be invited to speak at the meeting. In addition, Committee members will have opportunities to meet with their legislators from 1:30-3 p.m. The Council's staff will make appointments with committee members' states Senators or their key staff members for discussions of HR-related bills. Briefing material will be mailed to registrants before the meeting.

New York's so-called "labor-neutrality law," which was conceived and promoted by labor leader Dennis Rivera and other union officials, is intended to restrict employers' ability to use public funds to hire or pay attorneys, consultants, or other contractors that encourage or discourage union organization, or participation in union drives, or to hire or pay employees whose principal job duties are to encourage or discourage union organization or participation in drives.

The Legislature passed the bill in July 2002 with broad support in both parties despite strong Council opposition.

Employers that receive state funds can be required to prove that they did not spend any of the funds inappropriately, and must submit those records to any state entity and the state attorney general if asked to do so.

For more information, contact Janet Carroll at or 518/465-7511, x217.