ITHACA, N.Y. — City lawmakers established the broad details of Ithaca’s proposed “just-cause” legislation during a committee meeting Wednesday. The policy would aim to protect Ithaca workers from unjust termination.
The four members of the Ithaca Common Council’s Special Committee on Wrongful Discharge and Labor Protections, which was tasked with drafting the legislation, also discussed a potential one-year pilot program for the policy.
Alderpersons discussed ideas for enforcement, restitution for unfairly terminated workers, exceptions for small businesses and which workers would be covered under the potential local law.
The city attorney will now review council members’ guidelines and craft a preliminary draft in the next 90 days. Committee members can then refine the draft legislation, which they expect to take to the council for a vote sometime before March 2027.
Just-cause protections typically require employers to provide a reason before terminating workers. Proposals for Ithaca have also called for a system of progressive disciplinary measures before employers seek termination. In New York state, most workers are employed “at will,” meaning they can be terminated without a stated reason.
Council members have discussed a potential just-cause employment law since 2024. If implemented, Ithaca could become the first municipality in upstate New York to have such worker protections.
At a previous committee meeting at the end of June, council members were not yet sure...
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