Ortiz Bill Supporting Military Spouses To Get Cuomo Signature
Assembly Member Felix Ortiz (Sunset Park, Red Hook) announced that Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to sign his legislation next month that would expedite state occupational licenses for military spouses whose significant others get stationed in New York.
“My legislation provides an expedited review of an application for a license to any applicant who is the spouse of an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States, national guard or reserves who is transferred to this state. The applicant would only need to submit evidence of a license from another state to practice an equivalent occupation here,” said Ortiz, a veteran.
“In addition to the expedited review of the application, an applicant who has a license in good standing from another state would be granted a temporary practice permit for a six month period. After verification from the previous state is completed, a full New York license will be issued. My bill also provides that the initial license fee for applications submitted by spouses of active duty military personnel will be reduced by half of the normal fee,” he added.
Many occupations require a state license, often with state-specific conditions and processes, which can cause lengthy re-employment delays for military spouses moving between states. These delays and the expense of re-licensure cause many military spouses to not practice in their professions.
Through collaborative efforts with 27 states, the U.S. Department of Defense has collected best practices that can reduce the time required for a military spouse to transfer a current license when entering a new state.
These practices do not impact New York’s standards and still require military spouses to fully qualify within their occupations with little or no cost to the state.
Adams Takes Diplomatic Trip To Azerbaijan
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams yesterday embarked on his first delegation visit to the Sabail district of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, since he signed a sister city agreement between Brooklyn and the municipality back in November of 2014.
The four-day mission is focused on promoting cultural exchange and religious diversity, highlighted by his attendance at a Torah scroll gifting ceremony to a local synagogue that will bring together community members of the country’s Muslim majority and Jewish minority. Currently, there are thousands of Azeris living in the borough, most of them residing in the Sheepshead Bay area.
“I am honored to come to our sister city in Azerbaijan and further the expansion of cross-cultural relationships that will be the foundation of Brooklyn’s prosperity for generations to come,” said Adams. “It is my hope that foreign exchanges such as these lay the groundwork for long-term valuable partnerships across our public and private sectors, creating meaningful opportunities that enhance commerce, education, and tourism. The fact that 47 percent of Brooklynites speak a language other than English at home is more than a mere statistic of diversity; it is a compelling reminder that our borough succeeds when we foster meaningful ties with all of the communities that we are connected to around the world.”
Among the Azerbaijani leaders that Adams is scheduled to meet with on his mission are the heads of the local authorities for the Nasimi and Sabail of Baku, as well as the nation’s minister of culture and tourism. In addition to discussing expanded collaboration in cultural and economic affairs with Brooklyn, he will visit a number of historic sites in the region, including the Ateshgah of Baku and the National Art Museum of Azerbaijan.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan is sponsoring the trip.
Nadler Bill Prohibits Employers To Ask About Salary History
Congressman Jerrold Nadler (Brooklyn, Manhattan) announced when Congress returns from recess, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, the first woman to chair the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), will introduce a bill he originally co-sponsored to prohibit employers from asking job applicants for their salary history before making a job or salary offer.
Nadler said the bill seeks to eliminate the wage gap that women and people of color often encounter. Because many employers set wages based on an applicant’s previous salary, workers from historically disadvantaged groups often start out behind their white male counterparts in salary negotiations and never catch up. Even though many employers may not intend to discriminate on the basis of gender, race, or ethnicity, asking for prior salary information before offering an applicant a job can have a discriminatory effect in the workplace that begins or reinforces the wage gap, he said.
“Despite great strides forward, there are still far too many workplaces and professional situations where workers are denied equal treatment, or lack protection from unfair discrimination,” said Nadler. “The persistent gender and racial pay gap in our country shows the systemic disadvantages that remain. Ultimately, the only way to make sure women and minorities will be treated equally is to remove the early biases that exist, both in hiring practices and salary negotiations, and our bill works to eliminate those obstacles by requiring employers to offer salaries based on the value of the work. Employers can and should hire good employees without taking into account prior pay history or condemning someone to depressed wages due to gender and racial inequity.”
Treyger Officially Re-Opens Ulmer Park Branch Of Brooklyn Public Library
City Council Member Mark Treyger (Bensonhurst, Coney Island, Bath Beach, Gravesend) today will joins with Brooklyn Public Library officials for the reopening of the Ulmer Park Branch Library in Gravesend.
Located not far from Brooklyn’s southwestern shore, Ulmer Park Library is one of the borough’s busiest branches. The library serves a large patronship of Chinese and Russian language speakers, many of whom spend hours there engrossed in intense games of chess.
Its capital challenges were long among the most dire in the entire BPL system. Tarps and garbage bags have been a sadly familiar sight at the branch, the staff’s defense against a chronically leaking roof.
After a year-long closure, Ulmer Park Library reopened on August 22 with a new roof, HVAC units, floor, furniture and LED lighting. Treyger’s office along with the office of Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams provided funds for the renovation project.
The official re-opening is slated for 10:30 a.m., today at the library, 2602 Bath Avenue in Gravesend.
Deutsch To Take Seniors On Field Trip To 911 Memorial
City Council Member Chaim Deutsch (Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Homecrest, Brighton Beach) announced that in commemoration of the 15th Anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack he is hosting a free tour for seniors of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in lower Manhattan.
“I have limited seats available, so please call my office at 718-368-9176 to reserve your spot or for more information. Separate tours will be given in English, Russian, and Chinese,” said Deutsch.
The tour is slated for Tuesday, Sept. 20. Busses depart at 4:15 p.m. There is limited space.
