Gianaris Announces NY HERO Act
Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside, parts of Woodside, Maspeth, Ridgewood, Woodhaven) announced Wednesday legislation to keep New York workers safe on the job during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The legislation, known as the NY HERO Act, requires businesses to have enforceable safety standards to prevent further spread of the coronavirus.
“Too many workers have already sacrificed their health for our community’s benefit. The New York HERO Act will honor their efforts by giving workers the tools to protect themselves while on the job,” Gianaris said.
The NY HERO Act, or the New York Health and Essential Rights Act, would mandate the Departments of Labor and Health to implement minimum standards for workplace safety, enforceable through significant fines. The regulations must include protocols on testing, PPE, social distancing, hand hygiene, disinfection, and engineering controls. Employers would be permitted to establish individual regulations for their businesses that exceed state requirements.
Workers would also be given a direct role in monitoring and reporting violations through workplace health and safety committees that would be empowered to raise complaints and report violations. The bill would protect employees from retaliation for utilizing their rights under the law.
The NY HERO Act is supported by more than 100 labor, community, and safety organizations.
Sanders Hosts Community Economic Development Training
State Senator James Sanders Jr. (D–Laurelton, Rosedale, Springfield Gardens, Edgemere, Bayswater, Arverne and Far Rockaway) is hosting a community economic development training with State Senator Leroy Comrie, and Assemblymembers Alicia Hyndman and Clyde Vanel.
The workshop will compare the main legal structures for doing business: Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships, Corporations, and LLCs. It will discuss the costs of formation, the differences in management structure, and the documents that are required for each different structure. The guest trainer will be Thomas M. Farrell, Esq. of TMF Law Offices, P.C.
The workshop will be held Monday, August 24 at 3 p.m. via Facebook Live on Senator Sanders’s Facebook page.
Meng Condemns DHS Treatment of Muslim Detainees in Florida
U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Bayside, Flushing, Forest Hills, Fresh Meadows, Glendale, Kew Gardens, Maspeth, Middle Village, Rego Park), a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security—which has oversight over the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) budget and policies—announced today she sent a letter to acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf after news emerged that Muslim detainees in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Miami, Florida, were forced to choose between pork or pork-based products and rotten or expired halal meals.
Meng called for a halt to the practices and an investigation into the matter.
“I’m appalled by the news that Muslim detainees are forced to choose between their faith and food. This is abhorrent and acting DHS Secretary Wolf must ensure all detainees’ religious and dietary requirements are met,” said Meng. “While our nation has struggled to contain COVID-19, this is no excuse to treat people with less dignity and respect, including those in U.S. detention facilities. I urge the secretary to personally resolve this issue and look forward to his response.”
A copy of Meng’s correspondence can be viewed here, and below.
BP Lee Hosts 7th Virtual Job Fair
Acting Queens Borough President Sharon Lee is hosting the seventh installment of the “Virtual Queens Jobs Recruitment Fair” on August 26th to connect Queens job seekers to available employment opportunities.
“With unemployment rates across New York City approaching levels not seen since the Great Depression, promptly and urgently connecting job seekers with available positions in key sectors of our restarting economy is more critical than ever,” said Lee. “Queens is pleased to have new partners join our returning employers at our seventh Virtual Queens Jobs Recruitment Fair to answer questions live about a wide variety of jobs hiring now.”
Featured employers and recruiters include: The Child Center of New York, Constructive Partnerships Unlimited, the Council for Airport Opportunity, LIFE Camp, Inc., Mercy Home, Metro One Loss Prevention, MetroPlus Health Plan, New York Life, Quality Services for the Autism Community (QSAC), Queens Centers for Progress, the United States Census Bureau, WATCH GUARD 24/7, Workforce1 and the Young Adult Institute (YAI).
Held every third Wednesday, the next Virtual Queens Jobs Recruitment Fair will be held online on Wednesday, August 26 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.. Prospective applicants interested in participating in the live interactive Q&A via Zoom Webinar must RSVP by Tuesday, August 25 at www.queensbp.org/rsvp. The Jobs Recruitment Fair will also be live streamed at www.queensbp.org/recruitmentfair.
