NYC Council proposes 10 days of bereavement leave for workers who lose family members to gun violence.

A new legislative proposal is set to be brought before the New York City Council this week, aimed at ensuring that private-sector employees in the city are granted paid bereavement leave following the loss of a loved one due to gun violence. This bill, sponsored by Bronx City Councilman Rafael Salamanca, will be introduced at the Council’s meeting scheduled for Thursday.

According to a preview of the legislation, the proposed measure mandates that private employers provide ten fully paid days of bereavement leave to workers who experience the death of a family member as a direct result of gun violence. The term “relative” is comprehensively defined to include a spouse, parent, domestic partner, child, sibling, grandchild, or any individual with a close association to the employee akin to that of a family member.

Currently, some private employers in New York already implement similar bereavement leave policies; however, there exists no uniform requirement across the board. It is important to note that the proposed legislation does not extend to public-sector employees, as such provisions would necessitate collective bargaining agreements.

The genesis of this bill is credited to Melody Jimenez, the founder of No Voice Unheard, a Bronx-based organization that provides support and counseling for families affected by gun violence. The bill emerged from her discussions and observations during court proceedings involving relatives of victims, such as Eve Hendricks, mother of Brandon Hendricks, a 17-year-old tragically shot and killed in the Bronx in 2020.

As the legislation proceeds, it must navigate the standard legislative process, which entails committee hearings before a full Council vote, and subsequently, approval from the mayor to become law. Kayla Mamelak, spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams, has refrained from indicating the mayor’s stance on signing the bill, although she acknowledged a commitment to addressing gun violence in the city. Recent statistics from the NYPD reveal a decline in shooting incidents, with the first seven months of the year recording 412 shootings, the lowest in decades. Despite this positive trend, recent violent incidents have underscored ongoing concerns about gun violence within the city.

Salamanca has suggested that future iterations of the bill could incorporate bereavement leave provisions for other catastrophic events, such as fatalities resulting from stabbings or health-related issues. He emphasized the necessity of recognizing and accommodating the profound emotional impacts of such losses, particularly those endured by families burying their children.

As this proposal gains attention, it highlights the urgent need for comprehensive practices that support families grappling with the aftermath of gun violence, while also reflecting a broader societal commitment to addressing the emotional toll of such tragedies.

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