Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateFeb 11, 2026Result: passed
(42) (17) (0) (4)
Senate bill · S372 (2025-26)
Establishes the "no severance ultimatums act"
PassedLatest action Jun 1, 2026
New York State Senate
Same as A6480, the matching bill in the Assembly.
Summary
Establishes the "no severance ultimatums act", which prevents employers from giving coercive ultimatums to employees or former employees relating to severance agreements.
Summary from NY Open Legislation. How we handle summaries
Amends the Labor Law.
From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 22, 2026. About our data
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Purpose, from the sponsor's memo
To ensure that all New Yorkers are provided protections when reviewing severance agreements, including providing ample time to review such agreements.
Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)
Where it stands
Passed the legislature and is awaiting a signature.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Up for a vote
- Passed one chamber
- Passed
- Enacted
Committee
Codes · New York State Assembly
Also referred to Codes · New York State Senate, Labor · New York State Assembly, Labor · New York State Senate.
Cosponsors
Al Taylor, Deborah Glick and 5 more on Agora
Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.
Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab)- Democratic7
Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.
The sponsor's argument
Why Michael Gianaris says this is needed
Under the federal Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA), part of the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act, an employer is required to provide a 21-day attorney review period in any severance agreement offered to an employee who is age 40 or older. The agreement must also contain a 7-day revocation period. However, there are current- ly no statutory protections, in either New York State or federal law, for those under the age of 40 being offered severance agreements. In these instances, employers can force an employee or former employee into considering an agreement on the spot, with no additional time to review it themselves or with legal counsel. Several other states have sought to address this gap in policy, though none as comprehensively as in this proposal. In 2020, Illinois provides 21-day consideration periods with a 7-day revocation period but only if the agreement contains promises of confidentiality related to alleged unlawful employment practices. More recently, California implemented a 5-day minimum severance consideration period to workers. This bill would seek to extend the protections from the OWEPA to all employees of the state, regardless of age.
This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.
Recorded votes
Vote: Committee vote · Labor
Senate LaborJan 28, 2026Result: passed
(10) (2) (0) (0)Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateJun 12, 2025Result: passed
(41) (18) (0) (4)Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateMar 4, 2025Result: passed
(41) (20) (0) (2)Vote: Committee vote · Rules
Senate RulesMar 4, 2025Result: passed
(15) (5) (0) (1)Vote: Committee vote · Labor
Senate LaborMar 3, 2025Result: passed
(11) (2) (0) (0)
Full history
- Jun 1, 2026
Passed a chamber
PASSED ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
- Jun 1, 2026
Returned to Senate
RETURNED TO SENATE
NY Assembly
- Feb 26, 2026
Ordered to Third Reading CAL.160
ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.160
NY Assembly
- Feb 26, 2026
Substituted
SUBSTITUTED FOR A6480A
NY Assembly
- Feb 11, 2026
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
Show full history (23 earlier events)Show less history
- Feb 11, 2026
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
- Feb 11, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CODES
NY Assembly
- Feb 3, 2026
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
- Jan 29, 2026
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate
- Jan 28, 2026
1ST Report CAL.190
1ST REPORT CAL.190
NY Senate
- Jan 7, 2026
Died in Assembly
DIED IN ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
- Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO LABOR
NY Senate
- Jun 12, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CODES
NY Assembly
- Jun 12, 2025
Passed a chamber
REPASSED SENATE
NY Senate
- Jun 12, 2025
Returned to Assembly
RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
- Jun 11, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED
NY Assembly
- Jun 11, 2025
Rules Report CAL.619
RULES REPORT CAL.619
NY Assembly
- Jun 9, 2025
Amended
AMENDED ON THIRD READING 372A
NY Senate
- Jun 9, 2025
Recalled From Assembly
RECALLED FROM ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
- Jun 9, 2025
Returned to Senate
RETURNED TO SENATE
NY Assembly
- Jun 5, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED REFERRED TO RULES
NY Assembly
- Apr 30, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED REFERRED TO CODES
NY Assembly
- Mar 5, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO LABOR
NY Assembly
- Mar 4, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
- Mar 4, 2025
Ordered to Third Reading CAL.442
ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.442
NY Senate
- Mar 4, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
- Mar 3, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO RULES
NY Senate
- Jan 8, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO LABOR
NY Senate