New York Assembly Bill A05912

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/24/25
• Refer: 2/24/25
• Report Pass: 4/30/25
• Refer: 4/30/25
• Report Pass: 6/6/25
• Refer: 6/6/25
• Report Pass: 6/9/25
• Engrossed: 6/9/25
• Refer: 6/9/25

Caption

Requires each agency to conduct exit surveys for employees resigning from state civil service; directs the state civil service commission to create an annual report on such surveys; exempts individual responses to exit surveys from the freedom of information law.

Impact

This legislation aims to enhance retention and understanding of employee turnover within New York's state civil service system. By requiring agencies to conduct exit surveys and interviews, the state hopes to gain insights into the factors affecting employee resignations, which can inform future policy modifications and improvements in work conditions. Although the act is directed at state agencies, it emphasizes a systematic approach to collecting data that could lead to enhanced employee satisfaction and retention strategies.

Summary

Bill A05912, known as the 'Improve Civil Service Working Conditions Act', introduces mandatory exit surveys for employees resigning from state civil service. The bill defines key terms such as 'resigning employee' and 'retiring employee', and stipulates that by January 1, 2028, each state agency must provide copies of their exit survey policies to the Department. Additionally, the bill mandates the development of a comprehensive exit survey and interview protocol to gather information on employee experiences and their reasons for leaving.

Contention

While the bill is generally viewed as a positive step towards improving workplace conditions, there may be concerns regarding implementation and the potential administrative burden on state agencies. Critics could argue that such requirements may not be effective if the data collected is not acted upon meaningfully. Moreover, issues surrounding employee confidentiality and the treatment of sensitive information will need to be addressed, given that individual responses to exit surveys are exempt from the Freedom of Information Law.