New York Senate Bill S9298A focuses on community hiring and workforce development, particularly aiming to provide employment opportunities for economically disadvantaged individuals. Here’s a simplified overview:

1. Establishes an Office of Community Hiring and Workforce Development (CHWD): This office will create rules to ensure entities doing business with New York City make efforts to hire economically disadvantaged candidates.
2. Targets Economically Disadvantaged Candidates: The bill defines these candidates as those with incomes below a certain threshold or those living in areas with high poverty rates, such as certain ZIP codes and New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) facilities.
3. Sets Hiring Goals for Construction Projects: For construction work, the bill requires that 30% of labor hours be performed by economically disadvantaged individuals, with specific targets for apprentices.
4. Considers Impact on Minority and Women-Owned Businesses: The bill ensures that the implementation of these hiring goals does not unfairly disadvantage small businesses, minority- or women-owned enterprises, and nonprofits.
5. Authorization for Various Entities: It grants authority to several city entities, including the New York City School Construction Authority and the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, to set employment goals in line with the CHWD’s program.

The bill is designed to reduce economic inequality by providing more job opportunities to those in disadvantaged communities.