Workers' World Today - Issue 28

January 2022 INSIDE

Pause on Federal Student Loan Payments Extended ...11

Our Constant: The Unwavering Love of a Father...9

Here’s to 2022: Pay Yourself First ...20

Issue #28

What Supreme Court’s Block of Vaccine Mandate for Large Businesses Will Mean for Public Health: 4 Questions Answered

New Groundbreaking Legislation Will Help 65,000+ Delivery Workers

BY DEBBIE KAMINER THE CONVERSATION

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he U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 13, 2022, blocked the Biden administration’s vaccine-or-test mandate, which applied to virtually all private companies with 100 of more employees. But it left in place a narrower mandate that requires health care workers at facilities receiving federal funds to get vaccinated. The ruling comes at a time when the number of COVID-19 cases continued on page 4

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N Dr. King: Still Making the Impossible Happen ....3

Hot Topics and News You Should Know About

Schools Boss Banks: A Remote Option Is Possible This Year ...14

Man Fakes Covid Positive Tests to Get Workers’ Comp ...5

Fees Waived for Those Denied Visas Due to the Muslim Ban ...13

Labor-Related News - Nationally & Locally

Mayor Adams. Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

EW YORK, NY: Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Peter A. Hatch announced that, starting January 24, third-party food delivery apps will be required to have a DCWP license to operate in New York City. This law is the first part of a suite of new sweeping legislation regulating online third-party food delivery apps and enforcing brand new labor standards for delivery workers.

“Delivery workers risked their lives and served as a lifeline to our city during the pandemic despite continued on page 10

Patients Overwhelm Resources at Jacobi Medical Center ...17

January Is Divorce Month ....18

Climate Jobs NY Update: State of the State Signals Climate Action that Creates Good Union Jobs

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AFL-CIO President Shuler on the Fight for Voting Rights ...7

Nonprofits Sue City Over Pro-Union Law ...15

NY Labor Hosts Virtual Cannabis Industry Roundtable ...16

n Governor Hochul’s State of the State, she signaled important steps forward on climate action that creates good union jobs, including significant investment in the offshore wind supply chain, movement toward necessary transmission upgrades, and much-needed investments in schools. continued on page 8

Governor Hochul . Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Brian Figeroux, Esq.

www.workersworldtoday.com

January 2022

There is no such thing as the open shop, really. There is a union shop and a nonunion shop. Everybody that believes in the open shop disbelieves in the union shop, whatever they say.

— Clarence Darrow

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

Contents In Solidarity: Dr. King: Still Making the Impossible Happen...............................................................................3 Workers’ Rights Staten Island Man Fakes Covid Positive Tests to Get Workers’ Comp Benefits...................................5 Civil Rights SPLC Vows to Continue to Defend Voting Rights...................................................................6 Money’ Matters Pause on Federal Student Loan Payments Extended........................................................11

Conversations - 22 Tackling 2022 With Hope: 5 Essential Reads

Education Schools Boss Tells Parents NYC Might Create a Remote Option This Year............................14

If you’re not exactly feeling hopeful about the year ahead, you’re not alone.

Here are five of our favorite stories spotlighting resilience, healing, and yes, hope, to help you face 2022.

Jobs & Rececession Social Service Nonprofits Sue City Over Pro-Union Law................................................................15 Love, Health & Travel Here’s to 2022: Pay Yourself First .........................20

This Day In Labor History - January 17

COLUMNS Family: The True Modern Relationship .... 9 Our Constant: The Unwavering Love of a Father

Editorial credit: chrisdorney / Shutterstock.com

President John F. Kennedy signs Executive Order 10988, guaranteeing federal workers the right to join unions and bargain collectively - 1962

Divorce doesn’t have to be the end of a father’s relationship with his children.

Love, Health & Travel .... 21 4 Things to Know About Acute Respiratory Illness RSV Respiratory syncytial virus - commonly referred to as RSV - is a growing concern, especially for infants, older adults and the immunocompromised.

AFL-CIO President Shuler: Photo courtesy NYC Central Labor Council

It is deeply disappointing that just days after our nation paid homage to the great civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., critical legislation that would have strengthened our elections and ensured the right of every person to cast their vote was actively blocked.

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January 2022

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In Solidarity

Dr. King: Still Making the Impossible Happen

BY GREGORY FLOYD

A Supports Workers’ World Today

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ecently, I was in Albany fighting and seeking support of A1261/S1947, legislation that will create a clear definition of public work and level the playing field for New York’s contractors.

District Council 9 Painters and Allied Trades Union (DC9), the union for painters, prides itself on being a strong advocate for workers’ rights and safety. We are excited about this new publication, Workers’ World Today, which covers the issues of relevance and concern for all workers.

We are encouraged that all workers: blue and white collar will have a voice and platform.

Congratulations on your inaugural issue. We wish much success to the leaders and team of Workers’ World Today and pledge our support.p Davon Lomax Political Director, DC9

round this time of year, many people pause to consider the true legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Some will conjure up his nearly endless wisdom-packed, insightful words as evidence of his greatness: “You can kill the dreamer but not the dream,” “The impossible just takes a little longer,” or perhaps the most prophetic of his words, uttered at the Mason Temple in Memphis 54 years ago, where he spoke on behalf of striking sanitation workers protesting their meager wages of $1.65 an hour and deplorable working conditions. It was there that he said: “I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land.” He was assassinated the next day.

Indeed, civil rights, voters’ rights and workers’ rights are intertwined. Dr. King knew this and ultimately died fighting for equality and dignity in the workplace. As we celebrate his birth and prepare for February Black History Month commemorations, we must consider the obvious question: How far have we really come in turning Dr. King’s momentous 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech at the National Mall into a reality?

Some would say the answer is just as obvious as the question—not far enough. One newspaper headline sums it all up: “MLK family asks for no celebration until lawmakers pass voting rights legislation” (Amsterdam News, Jan. 11, 2022). And there have been many other telling insights.

For example, during the April

3, 2018 commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. King, an adorable little 9-year-old girl came to the mic, standing on a box to reach it. She was greeted with thunderous applause as an overflowing crowd waited to hear what she had to say. Little Yolanda King, standing in the very same spot her grandfather stood 54 years before, did not disappoint. Referring to her grandpa’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech, she told the crowd that she had a dream of her own. She said: “This should be a gun-free world.

PERIOD!” From the stage, she could see thousands of people, most of them not too much older than her. They carried signs reading “Enough Is Enough” and “Stop Killing Us.” Yolanda then went on to lead the crowd in the roaring chant: “Spread the word. Have you heard? All across the nation, we are going to be a great generation.” Later, in an interview on CNN, Yolanda was asked what her grandfather would have thought about other current protest movements such as “Black Lives Matter,” “Me Too” and “DACA.” She said her grandfather would be so amazed to see all these people coming together.

It is interesting to note that with all three major TV networks at the time (ABC, CBS and NBC) airing Dr. King’s speech, and although he was already a national figure by then, it was the first time many Americans—reportedly including President John F. Kennedy—had heard him deliver an entire speech.

Kennedy was assassinated

less than three months later, but his successor, Lyndon Johnson, would go on to sign into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, marking the most significant advances in civil rights legislation since Reconstruction.

With so many challenges confronting us today—some new, others lingering for decades, from COVID to gun violence to voting rights, an analysis of Dr. King’s true legacy is made even more difficult to accurately define. But one theme seems to bind all his accomplishments together: an inspiration to ingrain in people the commitment to do what’s right when you’ve been wronged, and to draw upon the best instincts of each generation. Dr. King still brings people together.

Yolanda was right. He’d be amazed at how many people—from so many different backgrounds—are tuned in and turned on to trying to make the impossible happen.

Senator Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, has set the deadline date of Monday, January 17, when the nation observes Dr. King’s birthday, for the passage of the new voting rights protection legislation, The Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Advancement Act, both keys to fulfilling Dr. King’s magnificent legacy. p Gregory Floyd is president, Teamsters Local 237 and vice president at-large on the general board of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

This Op-Ed was published in the Amsterdam News on Jan 20, 2022

TEAM Publisher Workers’ World Today, Inc Editor-in-Chief Pearl Phillip Contributing Writers Linda Nwoke Charles Tabasso Victoria Falk Erin Telesford Jennine Estes, MFT Travis Morales Wayne Jordan Mary Campbell Janet Howard Chris Tobias Legal Advisor Brian Figeroux, Esq. Telephone 1-866-435-3286 Email info@workersworldtoday.com Visit us at www.workersworldtoday.com

Call Equity Smart Realty at 888-670-6791 for a FREE consultation.

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January 2022

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Workers’ Matters Vaccine Mandate/ continued from page 1 and hospitalization rates continues to soar throughout the United States as a result of the omicron variant.

We asked Debbie Kaminer, a professor of law at Baruch College, CUNY, to explain the ruling’s impact.

1. What did the Supreme Court decide?

The court’s six conservative justices held that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration exceeded its power in issuing the mandate on private companies, which would have covered about 80 million workers.

The majority opinion distinguished between workplace safety and occupational health, determining that “although COVID-19 is a risk that occurs in many workplaces, it is not an occupational hazard in most,” as it can spread wherever people gather. The majority also expressed concern that the mandate was a “blunt instrument” and did not distinguish “based on industry or risk of exposure to COVID19.”

The three liberal judges dissented, arguing that “COVID19 poses special risks in most workplaces, across the country and across industries.”

At the same time, by a narrower 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court allowed continued enforcement of a mandate requiring health care workers at facilities that receive government funding through Medicare or Medicaid to be vaccinated. According to the court, this mandate by the Department of Health and Human Services “fits neatly” within the congressional power given to the agency because of the increased risk associated with health care workers becoming ill with COVID-19 and infecting their patients.

2. How does this affect other worker mandates?

Despite this Supreme Court ruling, many types of COVID19 vaccine mandates remain legally enforceable and continue to be an important tool in ensuring Americans get vaccinated.

Approximately half of all states have some type of vaccination mandate, and the enforceability of these mandates is not affected by the court’s latest decision. While the Supreme Court limited the authority of administrative agencies, this does not affect the ability of state and local governments to pass laws regulating the health and safety of the public. These mandates most commonly cover health care workers and government em-

ployees, while some cover all employees. New York City, for example, recently passed a mandate covering most employees who work in person or interact with the public, and this mandate is not affected by the court’s decision.

Some states and localities have also issued vaccine mandates covering customers in public spaces. For example, New York City has broadly mandated the vaccine at most indoor venues, including restaurants, gyms and theaters.

Many private businesses, on their own authority, require employees to get vaccinated.

This includes major companies such as Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Delta Airlines, Google and CVS. The ruling doesn’t affect their legal ability to impose such mandates – though it may make companies that had been mulling a mandate less likely to institute one for their workers.

In all, about 36% of U.S. workers are required by their employers to get vaccinated, according to Society for Human Resource Management, an industry group.

3. How about school mandates?

Educational institutions also continue to play an important role in mandating COVID-19 vaccination, and this is not affected by the court’s decision.

Over 1,000 universities have some form of vaccine mandate, and in August 2021 the Supreme Court refused to block Indiana University’s mandate. Unlike the OSHA case, this did not involve the authority of an administrative agency.

Additionally, as a result of the omicron outbreak, a growing number of universities are now also requiring students, faculty and staff to get the COVID-19 booster.

Some public school districts have mandated the vaccine for teachers and other school employees. At least two states, California and Louisiana, have mandated the vaccine for students, but both states have said they will not enforce the mandate until the 2022-2023 school year, and even then, only if the vaccine has full FDA authorization for children.

While COVID-19 vaccine continued on page 7

“GETTING VACCINATED PUT ME ON PACE TO BEAT COVID.” - Kojo, Bronx

People who are fully vaccinated and boosted are much less likely to get sick or spread COVID-19.

GET VACCINATED AND BOOSTED TODAY! To find a vaccination site, visit nyc.gov/vaccinefinder or call 877-VAX-4NYC.

Health

January 2022

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Workers’ Matters

Staten Island Man Fakes Covid Positive Tests to Get Workers’ Comp Benefits

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ew York State Inspector General Lucy Lang announced the arrest and indictment of a Staten Island man who allegedly falsified multiple COVID-19 test results over five consecutive months in 2020 to obtain workers’ compensation benefits.

Ajani Shaw, 23, of Staten Island was arraigned yesterday afternoon in Richmond County Supreme Court before Hon. Alexander B. Jeong on one count of Grand Larceny in the 4th Degree (Felony), one count of Insurance Fraud in the 4th Degree (Felony), seven counts of Forgery in the 3rd Degree (A Misdemeanor), seven counts of Falsifying Business Records in the 1st Degree (Felony) and seven counts of Workers’ Compensation Fraudulent Practices (Felony).

“Workers’ Compensation insurance is essential to the suc-

cess of our state’s workforce and businesses, and all the more so during times of crisis,” said Inspector General Lang. “Thanks to our partners at the Staten Island District Attorney’s Office for helping ensure the integrity of this vital safety net.”

In March 2020, Shaw was working as a part-time kitchen service employee at Staten Island’s Seaview Nursing

Home. He filed a workers’ compensation claim for exposure to COVID-19, including an April 3, 2020 “out-of-work” note signed by a physician from Staten Island’s Advantage Care Physicians and an April 8, 2020-dated positive COVID-19 test to the insurance carrier. The insurer then began paying Shaw $150/week in workers’ compensation benefits.

Shaw later emailed addi-

tional documents to the carrier purporting to be in support of extending his claim and benefit. Specifically, Shaw submitted a COVID-19 positive test result dated April 19, 2020 and an “out-of-work” note dated April 22, 2020. Further, he submitted six additional COVID-19 positive test results spanning May 8 through August 8, 2020 and an “out-ofwork” note prescribing four more weeks of quarantine.

The carrier continued to pay benefits to Shaw through July 24, 2020, when the carrier noticed that many of the positive test results used the same specimen ID. The investigation determined that Shaw submitted two legitimate COVID-19 positive test results in April 2020.

Shaw had two appointments with a physician at Advantage Care in April 2020 but was not seen again until August 2020.

While the April 2020 notes

were legitimate submissions, a June 2020 note prescribing four additional weeks of quarantine was fraudulent. In total, the investigation found that Shaw submitted six fabricated positive test reports to the insurance carrier in addition to the June 2020 false medical note.

Because of these submissions, Shaw continued to receive $150/week in benefits, totaling $1,761 in indemnity payments.

Inspector General Lang thanked Richmond County District Attorney Michael McMahon and his office's Economic Crimes Bureau for prosecuting the case and conducting the arrest. The investigation was handled by Attorney-in-Charge for Workers’ Compensation Fraud Bryan Richmond and Investigator Jaclyn Desautels.

The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.p

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January 2022

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Civil Rights

With Federal Voting Rights Legislation Blocked

by Political Gamesmanship, SPLC Vows to Continue to Defend Voting Rights

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ASHINGTON, D.C.: Today, the U.S. Senate failed to overcome the 50-vote threshold to change the body's rules and permit a vote on essential voting rights protections after each senator has been allowed a maximum of two speeches of any length of time. The changes to these rules were proposed in order to vote on the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would strengthen and restore provisions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act weakened by Supreme Court decisions, and the Freedom to Vote Act, which would blunt many of the recent state laws seeking to restrict voting. The following statement is from Margaret Huang, President and CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC): “Today the U.S. Senate failed

to stand up for the fundamental right to vote of all Americans and dealt a seismic blow to our democracy by defending an archaic rule at the expense of American voters, particularly voters of color.

Allowing a minority of politicians to block essential voting rights legislation supported by a majority of Americans and a majority of U.S. Senators is unacceptable and indefensible given the history of this country. This same repressive political maneuver was used to delay enactment of the original 1965 Voting Rights Act. “Only 15 years ago the Vot-

ing Rights Act enjoyed the bipartisan support it deserves with legislation approved by 98 senators and signed into law by President George W. Bush. Even U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond (R-SC), who led the 1957 filibuster against the Civil Rights Act, later voted to renew the Voting Rights Act. “As the nation recently celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday, Dr. King’s words from 1963 unfortunately still hold true today: 'I think the tragedy is that we have a Congress with a Senate that has a minority of mis-

guided senators who will use the filibuster to keep the majority of people from even voting. They won’t let the majority senators vote. And certainly they wouldn’t want the majority of people to vote, because they know they do not represent the majority of the American people. In fact, they represent, in their own states, a very small minority.'

“With this essential voting rights legislation now blocked at the federal level, it becomes more important than ever for the Department of Justice to act against discriminatory anti-voting laws – and for activists and grass roots organizations to protect and advance voting rights through every tool we have in our communities. We must channel and harness the activism of our forefathers to realize the dream that they struggled for.

“The SPLC remains firmly committed to defending and advocating for voting rights.

We are challenging Georgia and Florida for creating barriers to voting and suing Georgia and Alabama for diminishing the voices of communities of color through unfair and discriminatory voting maps. Furthermore, we will continue to fund grass roots efforts to engage voters and promote ballot access through our Vote Your Voice Program.

“We call on everyone who values democracy to join us in this great struggle for voting rights by condemning voter suppression and political violence whenever and wherever you see it, standing up to the enemies of democracy at all levels, and advocating for just laws and representatives in government who will defend our voting rights.”p

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January 2022

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Civil Rights

AFL-CIO President Shuler: The Fight for Voting Rights Is Far from Over

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tatement from AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler on the failure of Republicans in the U.S. Senate to pass the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act: It is deeply disappointing that just days after our nation paid homage to the great civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., critical legislation that would have strengthened our elections and ensured the right of every person to cast their vote was actively blocked.

It is unfathomable that our democracy is dangerously fragile because of the obstructionist tactics of senators who refuse to sideline an outdated rule conceived during segregation. These were the same tac-

Editorial credit: Phil Pasquini / Shutterstock.com

tics that some, as Dr. King put it, “misguided senators” used to block civil rights legislation more than 50 years ago. We should expect that our leaders are capable of learning from the past and do not get in the way of progress. Voting rights should not be a tough vote, and we will remember those

senators who chose to stand on the wrong side of history.

This year and beyond, we will put the full force of our federation behind efforts to defeat racist voter suppression tactics and secure voting rights for working people nationwide.p

Vaccine Mandate / continued from page 4 mandates in public schools may be challenged, proof of immunization for other diseases, such as measles, are nothing new. As such, I believe there is a strong chance that COVID-19 vaccine mandates for schools will generally be upheld as constitutional. Before the pandemic, all 50 states already had in place some form of vaccine mandate for schoolchildren.

4. Will this affect the government’s ability to protect public health?

The court’s decision is significant in that it limits the authority of government administrative agencies generally, and specifically limits the power of OSHA to protect public health.

Still, this decision will not meaningfully restrain the government’s ability to fight pandemics more generally, as federal statutes, state and local vaccine mandates, public university mandates and public K-12 school mandates are not

affected by the decision.

The Supreme Court essentially determined that because the risk of COVID-19 exists both within as well as outside the workplace, OSHA does not have the authority to generally protect employees across workplaces. In doing so, the majority essentially determined that the court – and not OSHA – is the institution that should make health policy and decide which workplaces are high enough risk that a vaccine mandate is appropriate.

The dissenting justices responded with incredulity: “In the face of a still-raging pandemic, this court tells the agency charged with protecting safety that it cannot respond in the most effective way possible. Without legal basis, the court usurps a decision that rightfully belongs to others.”p Debbie Kaminer is a Professor of Law, Baruch College, CUNY

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January 2022

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NYC Politics Climate Jobs NY Update/ continued from page 1 We applaud these important steps forward and look forward to working with the Hochul administration in the budget process and beyond to ensure that these investments in climate action both reduce emissions and create good union jobs and careers for New Yorkers and their communities. Commitments announced in conjunction with Governor Hochul’s address included: Offshore wind •Investing $500 million in critical offshore wind infrastructure, including ports, manufacturing, and supply chain infrastructure, projected to leverage more than $2 billion in private investments and create 2,000 jobs •Moving forward on planning to upgrade the transmission grid to accommodate New York’s nation-leading goal of 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind power, bringing 6,000 megawatts of electricity into New York City, enough to power 4 million homes •Launching the next solicita-

tion for offshore wind power, expected to procure an additional 2,000 megawatts in new projects, enough to power 1.5 million homes •Initiating a new Offshore Wind Master Plan 2.0 to continue building the offshore wind industry in New York Investing in schools •Expanding New York State’s Clean, Green Schools program to bring retrofits like geothermal heating and cooling, solar power, and upgrades to improve air quality and ventilation to more schools Green Hydrogen •Directing the New York State

Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), New York Power Authority (NYPA), and Empire State Development to take steps to make New York a hub for green hydrogen, including competing for billions of dollars in federal funding to support green hydrogen research and development made available under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and releasing $27 million in NYSERDA Hydrogen Innovation.

“We are encouraged to see today’s announcements on climate and jobs from Governor Hochul, which signal that the Governor is serious about meeting the State’s emissionsreduction goals, upgrading our infrastructure, and creating a clean-energy economy that works for everyone," said NYC CLC President and Climate Jobs NY Director Vincent Alvarez. "We look forward to working with the Governor and her team to make sure the State’s investments in clean energy include strong labor standards and create the kind of good union jobs New Yorkers and our communities need.”p

Staten Island Ferry Union Hopeful Mayor Eric Adams Will Prioritize New Contract

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he Staten Island Ferry workers union that has gone over a decade without a new contract or wage increase is cautiously optimistic that New York City’s new mayor will prioritize resolving the longstanding stalemate. The union has been fighting the city for over 10 years for a fair and respectful new contract, citing current insufficient wages that are contributing to the ongoing staffing issues that have limited the city’s ability to provide full service on the Staten Island Ferry in recent months. The wages offered by the City up to this point would still leave Staten Island Ferry workers grossly underpaid compared to other professional mariners.

“I spoke to [the Mayor] himself, and I explained to him the situation, and I think his team

is going to be extremely receptive to what’s going on,” said Roland Rexha, Secretary-Treasurer of the the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (MEBA), the union that represents the captains, assistant captains, mates, chief engineers and marine engineers on the Staten Island Ferry.

“I know they care about the people of Staten Island, and in caring about the people of Staten Island, they want to get this resolved. That’s something that they made very clear to me,” he added. p

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January 2022

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Family: The True Modern Relationship

Our Constant: The Unwavering Love of a Father

BY JACQUELINE PROCTOR FATHERHOOD.GOV

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ivorce doesn’t have to be the end of a father’s relationship with his children. A father can be a constant parental figure, even if he doesn’t reside in the same household. No matter the circumstance of a separation or divorce, successful coparenting can give children a sense of normalcy. Children need both of their parents, and research shows that a loving and nurturing father improves outcomes for children, and ultimately families and communities.

My mother and father divorced when I was just one year old. Although I was young, none of my memories of their interactions are negative. In fact, my parents were the perfect model of successful coparenting. My mother valued my father’s role as a par-

ent and understood that his presence was just as important as hers. My sister and I would spend weekends with my father and although we didn’t always go anywhere, we were just happy to be with him. He was our constant and that means a lot to a child. But it doesn’t only mean a lot to a child, it also means the world to a father.

My mother’s job required us to travel overseas for years at a time. I will never forget the weekend my sister and I spent

with our father, days before we were scheduled to travel to Africa. I was riding in the front seat when he stopped the car, grabbed my hand, and just cried. I was about seven years old at the time.

I was confused at first and didn’t really know what to do.

I had never seen my father cry before. That’s when I knew that my father not only loved us, but he was really going to miss us and didn’t want to see us go.

Although we were many

miles away from my father, I never felt his absence. He wrote us letters and sent us things like videos and toys. He stayed connected to us. He was consistent and he didn’t let a lot of time pass between communicating with us.

As I reflect on my childhood, I realize that my parents maintained a healthy coparenting relationship and kept my sister and me in mind. They put aside their differences to ensure that we had a sense of normalcy. The best gift that parents can give to their children is the gift of seeing a healthy relationship. p Jacqueline Proctor is a Family Assistance Program Specialist at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA), Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) Program.

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January 2022

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Workers’ Rights Groundbreaking Legislation/ continued from page 1 them being denied basic worker protections,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

“With this legislation, we are taking a transformative step in protecting these essential workers, and also supporting our city’s restaurants, to ensure a fair and equitable recovery for all New Yorkers.”

“Throughout the pandemic, delivery workers supported New Yorkers and continue to be essential to our city. Today, we show our support for them,” said Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer.

“DCWP’s licensing of thirdparty food delivery apps is an important step in bringing accountability to the system while protecting workers, customers and restaurants alike.”

“The food delivery industry boomed during the pandemic and we owe it to the tireless delivery workers who support New York City’s restaurants and residents to improve their working conditions and provide better protections,” said DCWP Commissioner Peter A. Hatch. “By licensing food delivery apps, we can now bring

Commissioner Hatch Editorial credit: DCWP

much needed oversight and regulation to this expanding industry, which will greatly benefit not only these essential workers, but the restaurants and consumers who use the apps as well.”

In addition to requiring a license, the law requires apps to tell the worker how much the customer tips for each delivery and their total pay and tips for the previous day. The law also sets caps on the fees that the apps can charge restaurants and requires apps to have a written agreement with a restaurant to list it on their app, which is expected to result in workers also having better access to restaurant bathrooms when they pick up orders. If an app lists the

phone number of the restaurant, it must include the restaurant’s direct number.

Delivery workers who deliver restaurant food for any app—not just licensed apps— will also have additional new rights starting on April 22, 2022 and January 1, 2023.

Starting April 22, 2022, thirdparty food delivery apps must: •Allow food delivery workers to set limitations on distances they will travel from restaurants and which bridges or tunnels they are unwilling to use; •Provide upfront disclosure to food delivery worker about route, pay, and gratuities; •Pay food delivery workers at least once a week; •Not impose any charges or forms of payment that include any fees; and •Provide a free insulated delivery bag to a food delivery worker after 6 deliveries.

Starting January 1, 2023, apps must pay workers the new minimum pay rate that the City will set. The rate will not include tips. DCWP is conducting a minimum wage study and is working with

stakeholders on all sides to obtain information on current working conditions in order to determine the new minimum rate.

“Worker’s Justice Project is proud to give birth to Los Deliveristas Unidos, a new movement that’s led by app delivery workers who are determined to win protections and representation for 65,000 NYC Deliveristas,” said Ligia Guallpa, Executive Director of the Workers Justice Project. “It took two years of organizing and mobilizing to make NYC recognize delivery workers as essential. Last year, 4,000 deliveristas marched from here to City Hall, to demand access to basic labor standards.

Today, we are here to celebrate the power of Los Deliveristas—who organized and won these labor protections.

Worker’s Justice Project and Los Deliveristas Unidos have demonstrated that it’s possible to rewrite the rules of the delivery app industry and guarantee protections to app delivery workers in our city.

The fight isn’t over. We’re getting ready to be in every corner of our city, educating the

65,000 deliveristas about these new rights. We will continue to organize to transform this job into a profession that is well paid and that can better provide opportunities to live and work with safety, dignity and respect.”

“Today is a day of celebration for all Los Deliveristas and our families,” said Antonio “Toño” Martinez Solis, Leader of Los Deliveristas Unidos. “As of tomorrow, January 24, 2022, we will see the fruits of the fight we started together - new labor rights for all Los Deliveristas of NYC - regardless of nationality, language, dialect, skin color. This journey has had challenges and human loss, but together we have come ahead. Thanks to the Worker’s Justice Project, elected officials, and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection staff, to the allies, and the community that has supported us and continues to support us. But this journey has not culminated— Los Deliveristas Unidos will continue to fight to obtain justice and better working conditions for our colleagues and their families.” p

GetCoveredNYC Don’t Wait!

Deadline is January 31 to enroll or switch your health insurance plan.

LOW OR NO-COST HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS ARE AVAILABLE. Get free help 昀nding an affordable plan that’s right for you and your family.

Call 311, text COVEREDNYC to 877877 or visit nyc.gov/getcoverednyc to be connected to a GetCoveredNYC Specialist.

January 2022

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Money Matters

Pause on Federal Student Loan Payments Extended

BY ARI LAZARUS

A

s you may have heard, the U.S. Department of Education announced another extension of the flexibilities offered to federal student loan borrowers.

Understanding these options can help you make more informed decisions about paying your bills and prioritizing your debts. The benefits have been extended through May 1, 2022.

You don’t need to hire a company to help you get this student loan payment relief.

The program is already in place and there’s nothing you need to do to enroll. Anyone who tells you they can help you sign up for this program for a fee is a scammer.

So, just to recap, what does this mean for you if you have a federal student loan?

1. This program gives tempo-

rary payment relief to borrowers with qualifying federal student loans. But some federal student loans don’t qualify – for example, older Family Federal Education Loan (FFEL) program loans or Perkins Loans that are owned by the school you attended.

Contact your federal loan servicer online or by phone to find out if your loans are eligible.

2. If your federal loans are covered, the U.S. Department of Education has automatically placed your loans into what’s called “administrative forbearance.” That means you can stop making payments on those loans right away, up through May 1, 2022. If your payments automatically come out of your bank account, check if any payments have been processed since March 13, 2020. If they have, you may

be able to get a refund as part of administrative forbearance.

3. If you want to keep making payments on your qualifying federal student loan through May 1st, the interest rate is now 0%. So any payments you make during the forbearance period may help you pay off your debt faster. If you’re on an income-based repayment program and/or a forgiveness program, you should check

out Federal Student Aid's Coronavirus page to see which option makes sense for you.

4. If your federal student loans are in default, the U.S. Department of Education has stopped making collection calls, and sending letters or billing statements through May 1, 2022.

And if your federal loans were in default and your employer continues to garnish your wages, you’ll get a refund.

This program only applies to federal student loans. Not sure what kinds of student loans you have? Here are two things you can do to find out: •Get a complete list of your private and federal student loans by pulling your credit report.

(In fact, you can get your report for free every week through April 20, 2022.) Read through it and find your student loans, taking note of the companies that are your lenders or loan servicers. Compare it to the full list of federal loan servicers found here.

•Confirm which of your loans are federal. Log into FSA or call the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at 1-800433-3243.p Ari Lazarus is a Consumer Education Specialist at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

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January 2022

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12

Old & New Immigrants: Their Rights

New Report Amplifies Concerns About ‘Dedicated Docket’ for Asylum Seekers

BY AARON REICHLIN-MELNICK

W

hen the Biden administration announced a new “dedicated docket” in immigration court for families seeking asylum at the border, many advocates raised concerns that the docket would forgo due process for efficiency’s sake. This was the case for the “rocket dockets” that existed under President Obama, which suffered from lack of access to counsel and frequent bureaucratic errors.

A new report from the nonpartisan Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) reveals that some of those concerns are being borne out.

The TRAC report found that 92% of cases completed in the first seven months of the program resulted in an immigrant being issued an order of removal. In nearly all those cases, the immigrant did not

have a lawyer. In total, just 16% of people put onto the Dedicated Docket since May have told the court they have a lawyer.

Those whose cases have been pending the longest are most likely to have obtained lawyers. 46% of people with cases pending longer than six months secured a lawyer. This is to be expected, as many people take months to obtain a lawyer.

Out of the 1,687 Dedicated Docket cases completed since

May, just 13 people were granted any form of relief, as many cases have not reached the final hearing stage yet.

Concerns about bureaucratic errors were also validated by the data. When asylum seekers are released at the border with a court date, that court date is generated by a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officer using the immigration court system’s “Interactive Scheduling System.” But after that date is generated, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

(ICE) still needs to formally file removal charges against the immigrant for the court case to begin.

TRAC found that in 10% of all Dedicated Docket cases, an immigration judge terminated the case because ICE failed to file that paperwork with the court before the hearing was scheduled. In total, over 7,000 cases were terminated for “failure to prosecute.”

ICE’s failure to file the right paperwork can leave asylum seekers in limbo, waiting for ICE to file new charges against them to restart the case. In many cases, people will fall through the cracks and may find themselves entirely undocumented through no fault of their own.

TRAC’s data also reveals the disproportionate effect of Title 42 at the border. In previous years, most new asylum cases were for individuals from Honduras, Guatemala, and El

Salvador. But under Title 42, most nationals of those three countries are rapidly expelled back to Mexico, while other nationalities which can’t be expelled to Mexico are more likely to be admitted and allowed to seek asylum.

As a result of this discrepancy in border processing, nationals of Brazil, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Haiti, Cuba, and Colombia make up 71% of all Dedicated Docket cases. Nationals of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador make up just 22% of cases.

The TRAC report makes clear that concerns about expedited dockets remain. As the Biden administration expands the use of this docket across the country and sends thousands of asylum seekers into the system, it must ensure that all asylum seekers have access to counsel and are not unable to pursue their case due to bureaucratic error.p

January 2022

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13

Old & New Immigrants: Their Rights

State Department Waives Fees for Immigrants Denied Visas Due to the Muslim Ban

BY KATE GOETTEL

T

he State Department announced a new rule that will waive fees for visa applicants who were denied because of the Muslim and refugee ban.

Under the new rule, an immigrant visa applicant who has an approved immigration petition may reapply for a visa without paying the fees if they were refused a visa under the Muslim Ban. The new rule is in furtherance of a presidential proclamation that President Biden issued on his first day in office. That proclamation, titled “Ending Discriminatory Bans on Entry to the United States,” immediately rescinded the Muslim Ban. The president directed the State Department “to develop

a proposal for individuals whose immigrant visa applications were denied.” The State Department was also directed to “consider whether to reopen immigrant visa applications that were denied” and “whether it is necessary to charge an additional fee to process those visa applications.”

In the first week of his term, President Trump issued a presidential proclamation banning entry of Muslims and refugees. Trump issued a second version two months later, in March 2017. The first two versions of the ban were blocked by lower courts. The courts found they exceeded the authority granted to the president by Congress and were motivated by Trump’s well-documented prejudice against Muslims.

The third iteration of the Muslim Ban imposed indefinite bans on many immigrants and refugees from six Muslim-majority countries (Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen). The ban also blocked all individuals from North Korea and a small subset of Venezuelan government officials.

In 2018, the Supreme Court affirmed the legality of the third ban. A majority of the Justices found that that the president has “broad discretion” under the law to suspend entry into the United States of certain classes of individuals when detrimental to the national interest. But Justice Sotomayor shot back in a dissent

that “the policy now masquerades behind a façade of national-security concerns.”

The new fee exemption applies to any visa denied solely because of the Muslim Ban. Applicants who were denied under the Muslim Ban, as well as other, additional refusal grounds “are not eligible for the fee exemption established by this final rule, unless a consular officer has previously determined . . . that the refusal on other grounds has been overcome and the only impediment to issuance of [the Muslim Ban.]” The new rule went into effect on January 20, 2022. The rule is an important and practical step to right the wrongs of the Muslim Ban and increase accessibility for immigrant visas.p

www.workersworldtoday.com

January 2022

14

Education

Schools Boss Tells Parents NYC Might Create a Remote Option This Year

BY ALEX ZIMMERMAN CHALKBEAT

N

ew York City is in talks to create a remote option this school year and is working to iron out the specifics with the city’s teachers union, schools Chancellor David Banks said on Thursday.

“My goal is to create an option that will take us at the very least to the end of the school year,” Banks said at a virtual meeting of the Chancellor’s Parent Advisory Council, which is made up of parent leaders citywide. “If I could figure out a way to do a remote option starting tomorrow I would … It’s not quite as simple as that because you have to negotiate this stuff with the unions.”

He added: “I do think we can come up with something because there’s enough political pressure that has been put on.”

‘Need to Do This’ The city’s teachers union indicated Thursday morning that they are open to a remote option, but did not say what specific models they might support.

“We’ve called for a remote learning program since September, and we believe we need to do this,” Michael Mulgrew, the union’s president, said on Fox 5. “On the remote option, we don’t want to go back to 65% of the children staying home. So, for parents, I’m going to ask again: Please, if we have this option, use it judiciously.”

Banks has hinted since he took office that he is open to remote learning, even as he and Adams have emphasized the importance of in-person learning and have resisted calls to shut down school buildings in the face of a massive surge of coronavirus infections. More students and staff have reported positive coronavirus infections since the winter recess than the entire rest of the school year combined.

But despite the administration’s insistence on keeping schools open and requiring in-person attendance, absenteeism has skyrocketed in recent weeks as thousands of students have tested positive for the virus and many families are keeping their children home to avoid exposure.

Since the winter recess, daily attendance has

City Schools Chancellor David Banks. Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY not exceeded 76%, meaning roughly a quartermillion students are not receiving instruction on any given day, almost the population of the Broward County school district, the nation’s sixth largest system. (Attendance typically tops 90%.) And in-person learning is also being disrupted as staff members are infected and must stay home, with schools shuttling students to auditoriums in some cases or scrambling to find substitutes.

Mayor Will Consider Still, Banks’ remarks are in tension with what Adams told lawmakers this week: The city would not be able to launch a remote option for at least six months.

Adams told reporters on Thursday that he is willing to consider a remote option and negotiate with the United Federation of Teachers, but did not offer any specifics about what that might look like.

“I’m willing to sit down and entertain, with the UFT, if there is a way to do a temporary remote option,” he said. “We do have to be honest, that there’s a substantial number of children, for whatever reason, parents are not bringing them to school. I have to make sure children are educated.”

Still, Adams said the fallout of remote learning is “unbelievable” and reiterated the importance of keeping students in school buildings, which he said are safe.

Creating a remote option for parents, rather than universal remote instruction, would represent a massive logistical undertaking. Hybrid learning, in which educators are responsible for students in person and when they’re learning remotely, created a significant staffing crunch last year. And a move back to a hybrid model would immediately raise questions about whether it’s possible to execute without shortchanging instruction for students who show up to buildings.

Banks hinted that one way to resolve that dilemma would be for teachers to livestream their classrooms, a model that educators have said is challenging to pull off — challenges that Banks acknowledged. The city’s current agreement with the teachers union prohibits schools from requiring teachers to livestream their class-

rooms. Banks said officials are meeting with the teachers union this afternoon.

“That’s my first goal was to say, ‘Can we turn that agreement around and just do a livestream and let kids just participate in the class?’” he said.

Banks also encouraged parents to talk with their school’s union chapter leaders to press for a remote option.

“Our parents are demanding a remote option,” Banks said.

“Can we get a deal done with the UFT? That’s where it’s coming to.”

In a statement, Mulgrew indicated the union was not an impediment to creating a remote option. But a spokesperson did not say whether the union would support a model that involved teachers livestreaming their classrooms nor did she provide other details about how the union wants to structure virtual instruction.

“Clearly the chancellor has been misinformed about the UFT’s position,” Mulgrew said in a statement.

“We have long called for an instructionally sound remote option and have been speaking directly to the mayor about creating one, a program that will work for students.”p Christina Veiga contributed to this story.

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat, a nonprofit news organization covering public education. This story was published by on January 13, 2022 by THE CITY.

January 2022

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15

Jobs & Recession

Social Service Nonprofits Sue City Over Pro-Union Law

BY REUVEN BLAU THE CITY

A

nonprofit umbrella group has taken the unusual step of suing the city — over a recently passed law aimed at easing the path to joining a union for staffers at social service organizations.

The Human Services Council, which represents 170 organizations in the city, contends in the lawsuit that the measure, known as Local Law 87, is a “ticking time bomb” that previous top city officials left for Mayor Eric Adams.

The legislation “cedes control over the City of New York’s social services to union leaders, period,” alleges the suit filed by HSC in Manhattan federal court late last month.

The lawsuit seeks to “strike down” the new legislation, arguing it unfairly allows union leaders to decide which nonprofits get city contracts and unfairly blocks social service staffers from striking.

At stake is the future of an estimated 125,000 private workers, among them thousands of social workers, who make far less than their counterparts directly employed by the city. The nonprofit leaders contend the city could easily increase pay for their employees working under municipal contract by adjusting baseline salaries and making yearly cost-of-living adjustments.

The new law requires city human service providers, like United Way and City Harvest, to enter into “labor peace” agreements with unions seeking to represent their employees. The pacts essentially mean that nonprofits won’t hinder possible votes by workers to join a union.

The lawsuit is among the first tests of the Adams administration’s close relationship with District Council 37, part of the Association of Federal, State and Municipal Employees and the city’s largest municipal union. The labor group — an early endorser of Adams’ mayoral campaign — supported the legislation, which was pushed by former City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and signed into law

by former Mayor Bill de Blasio.

DC 37 has long attempted to make inroads into the nonprofit sector to increase workers’ pay and the union’s enrollment.

‘Disrupting the Process’ The legal case also puts a spotlight on the longstanding relationship between City Hall and the city’s nonprofit sector.

HSC has never sued the city in its 30-year history, according to Michelle Jackson, the group’s executive director.

Many of the organizations it represents fill in service gaps for the city’s most vulnerable, who are not directly covered by municipal agencies and staff. Instead, they are contracted out to private entities to cover those areas of need.

“Local Law 87 places New York’s communities at great risk,” the lawsuit alleges. “It allows union leaders to decide which social service organizations will receive the government funds they need to help those in crisis, and it places the power to cut off critical services into the hands of union officials, beyond the control of the city officials elected to make those decisions.”

Union leaders essentially have “veto power” over city contracts — a violation of the nonprofit groups First Amendment right to freedom of speech, according to the lawsuit. The new legislation also “strips [nonprofit] employers” rights they have under the National Labor Relations Act by giving outsized power to unions, the lawsuit alleges.

Nicholas Paolucci, a spokesperson for the city’s Law Department, said the case is under review. “We’ll defend the local law in court,” he added.

Nonprofit leaders say they have no objection to making it easier for their staff to unionize and note that roughly half of the sector is already represented by unions.

But they contend the legislation was poorly worded and creates confusion. The only part of the law that is clear, they say, is that providers who are found out of compli-

Members of various city unions gathered at the Essential Workers Union Rally in Foley Square, Sept. 3rd, 2020 Jason Scott Jones/THE CITY

ance could have their contracts with the city terminated.

“For us this legislation is about disrupting the contracting process and not providing clear guidance for providers,” Jackson said.

Organized Confusion Even providers who are al-

ready unionized are struggling with how to comply with the law because the paperwork is confusing, she said.

The law went into effect Nov. 16, but the city is asking nonprofits to sign a compliance attestation document for discretionary contracts that predate the law, according to

Jackson.

“If the city wants to take actions to raise the salaries and benefits of human services workers, they don’t need a third party to do that,” she said.

DC 37 has said it was “deeply involved” in “drafting” the legislation, the lawsuit notes.

Asked about the legal case, the union’s executive director, Henry Garrido, declined to discuss it, but called nonprofit workers the “backbone of the city” who are “too often treated like an afterthought.”

“They deal with dangerous working conditions daily, understaffing, low pay and poor benefits,” he added in his statement to THE CITY. “If they want to come together to organize for more respect on the job they should be able to do so without fear of retribution.”p This story was published by on January 9, 2022 by THE CITY.

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January 2022

16

In the News

Actors' Equity Association Standing Strong for Broadway Musicians Testifies At House Hearing

A

ctors' Equity Association urged Congress to consider arts and entertainment unions at a House Small Business Committee hearing on Wednesday, January 19.

Speaking on behalf of Equity, Sandra Karas, the union's Secretary/Treasurer, spoke of the urgency to pass the Performing Artists Tax Parity Act, a bipartisan bill that updates a portion of the tax code that allows arts workers to deduct career expenses from their taxes.

She also spoke about the union's concerns of misclassification of workers in the arts in-

Karas: Photo courtesy NYC Central Labor Council

dustry, and voiced Equity's support for the PRO Act. "As we’ve just seen during the pandemic, these are critical basic protections that all workers should have, especially in the arts," she said. "In an industry where competition is keen and there are more workers than jobs, we ensure workers have a voice in their workplace, secure standards and safe working conditions."p

AFL-CIO HIT Finances New Construction in New York City

T

he AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust (HIT) is helping to finance the $337.7 million new construction of 311 West 42nd Street, a mixed-use development comprised of 330 residential rental

units, 83 of which are affordable, and 41,678 square feet of rentable retail space. The investment objective of the HIT is to provide competitive returns for its investors and to achieve the collateral benefits of creating jobs for union members in the construction trades and related industries and building affordable and workforce housing. p

Salon Ratifies Second Contract with Writers Guild of America, East

S

alon’s 16-member bargaining unit on January 20, unanimously ratified their second collective bargaining agreement with the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE).

The Salon Bargaining Committee said, “We worked hard and in good faith with management to secure a contract

that will vastly improve life for current and future employees.

We believe the contract will not only lift the standards at Salon, but in the industry.

Raising the salary floor and pay equity were high priorities for us, and now no WGAE member will make under $60,000. and our minimums

ALAA Holds Virtual Rally for Virtual Arraignments

for all titles better reflect the quality of our work and the dedication of our colleagues.”

In the new three-year contract, 40% of the unit will receive a salary increase of $10,000 or more.p

NY Labor Hosts Virtual Cannabis Industry Roundtable

T

he NYC CLC, in partnership with the NYS AFL-CIO and Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW, recently held a virtual roundtable with over 60 labor and community partners to discuss the impact of the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA).

The MRTA will bring additional protections for workers

A

FM Local 802 President Tino Gagliardi was quoted by Broadway World, CNBC and Crains this week in stories about Broadway producers who are putting their shows on "hiatus" (which really means closing the shows). President Gagliardi said, "Our Broadway contract does allow a show to go on hiatus in a way that protects everyone’s jobs and gives audiences the promise that the show will return. But that provision requires that producers open their books to us, including showing us how much federal pandemic aid they got from taxpayers.

and create restorative opportunities in communities throughout the state. p

Unfortunately, producers aren’t choosing to be that transparent. Instead, they simply close down their shows completely, with a vague promise of re-opening."

"Stopping a show abruptly and firing everyone creates a financial shock to our musicians and the other hardworking theatre professionals.

When a show closes like this, none of the artists have a guarantee of being re-hired when - or if -the show reopens.

Artists deserve a written guarantee that they will be rehired. And if artists have to suffer economically when a show does poorly, we should share in the profit when a show does well. We are optimistic that Broadway will bounce back once the current Covid surge recedes. Everyone loves Broadway -- and tourists flock to NYC to experience the best musical theatre in the world!" p

T

he Association of Legal Aid Attorneys/UAW Local 2325 held a virtual rally on Wednesday, January 5 to demand the New York State Office of Court Administration and Governor Hochul reinstitute virtual arraignments until the rates of COVID-19 positivity have subsided to lower levels. As part of the event, advocates shared first-hand accounts of the constant exposure and proliferation of infections within Arraignments.

“Everyone who is entering these spaces is getting sick,” said Lisa Ohta, ALAA President. “We are inundated with daily notifications from court

staff, judges, DAs, and other personnel, who are all testing positive at higher rates than we’ve seen in months. We’re also getting reports from members that they’re testing positive after working a single shift.”

Maintaining in-person arraignments has resulted in a massive shortage of staff because nearly every in-person shift results in significant close contact exposure to COVID-19.

Those left find themselves in the impossible position of having to constantly cover shifts, knowing with certainty they will be exposed, due to the court’s insistence on this actively dangerous policy.

Refusing a return to virtual arraignments is to the detriment of all who interact with the court system. The state is gambling with the lives of workers providing the constitutional right to counsel, who now must navigate protecting the health of themselves and their family in addition to the vicarious trauma they experience daily. p

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January 2022

17

Union In Action

Hospital at the Breaking Point: Patient Numbers Overwhelm Resources at Jacobi Medical Center; Patients Put in Jeopardy

N

ew York: Nurses at Jacobi Medical Center held a press conference on Thursday, January 13, 12 noon, to address the intolerable conditions at the public facility, where overcrowding, delays and lack of resources are so extreme as to put patients’ lives in jeopardy, say nurses. The nurses, members of the New York State Nurses Association, will be joined by fellow nurses of the NYC Health+Hospitals system and elected officials to underscore the threat to the public’s health at Jacobi and other city hospitals.

“What’s worse about this current wave is that patients are now suffering and risking death from conditions we know how to treat but we sim-

ply cannot get to everyone on time,” said Kelley Cabrera, RN, Emergency Department, Jacobi Medical Center. “We know how to do our jobs but lack the space, capacity and resources to do so. We must not accept these conditions as a ‘new normal.’”

Patients sick from the Coronavirus and the Omicron variant, as well as other serious illnesses requiring hospitalization, are spilling out of the ER into hallways, where nurses say patients routinely spend days in cots because no beds on admitting floors are available in the facility. Delays are putting patients’ lives in jeopardy, say nurses. Too numerous to keep separate and in an atmosphere of what nurses call “mass confusion,” patients

testing positive for the virus are not effectively isolated, raising the risk of infection for others.

Nurses are among the infected and recover at home, heightening the severe RN understaffing that permeates both public and private hospitals in NYC. Contacted to return to work at Jacobi before testing negative, a vicious

cycle of virus transmission worsens a public health crisis of vast dimensions.

“Jacobi Medical Center suffers from terribly inadequate resources in a system of gross inequality,” said Judith Cutchin, RN, NYSNA Board Member and President, NYC H+H/Mayorals Executive Council. “Public hospitals, and other safety net facilities in NYC, are the backbone of care for low-income families, in particular communities of color. The need for resources for safety net hospitals could hardly be greater and we join with elected officials and community advocates calling for an immediate infusion of assistance on par with a public health crisis of this magnitude.”p

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January 2022

18

Love, Health & Travel

January Is Divorce Month

BY LINDA NWOKE 311DIVORCE.COM

T

he United States ranks as the country with the sixth highest divorce rate in the world, with an average of over 2 million divorces per year, calculated at the rate of 200 dissolved marriages per hour, granted every 13 seconds.

Did you also know that individual states and not federal law apply to divorce within the United States? For instance, there are variations by the state in the divorce process serving requirements, waiting periods/cooling-off periods, property distribution, divorce filing fees, child support, legal separation requirements, and so on. California insists on six months and a one-day cooling-off period. Nevada can dissolve a marriage within six weeks. Florida has one of the highest filing fees for divorce in America and New York bars serving divorce papers on Saturday and Sunday if the couple observes a religious

holiday.

Divorce Trends There is evidence that divorce rates have significantly dropped over the years by 8%, according to CDC; specifically, there have been fewer divorces and annulments between 2007 and 2017. Plausible explanations for this observation are the changes in attitudes towards marriage, especially between the Baby Boomers generation and the millennial/generation X. However, one trend that has not declined is the high volume of divorce filings that takes place within January every year. Online media sites

like Google trends and Pinterest reveal a significant increase in divorce, especially within the first two weeks of January.

Possible Reasons for January Divorces Anecdotal data have shown that dates between January 6th and January 12th record the highest days for divorce filings, which has led to January identified within legal circles as the month of divorce. Divorce does not take place overnight, and most divorced couples started pursuing the dissolution of their marriage before the time of filing the papers. The myth surrounding January as a divorce month

can be associated with a few considerations from the emotional, logical, psychological, and economic perspectives.

Consistent with the findings of some researchers, cultural celebrations and expectations often influence the decision to delay taking a decisive action to dissolve a marriage. Researchers like Julie Brines and Brian Serafini found what to be the first evidence of a pattern of filing for divorce and seasons. In their study, they found a significant increase in divorce filing cases between March and August, specifically the periods after winter and summer holidays; however, after August, the number of divorce filings dropped until after December. They claim that the winter and summer holidays are culturally sacred times for most families. Therefore, most couples with children often delay filing for a divorce until after festivities like the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, which are all family celebrations.

They do this for emotional rea-

sons since they want to give their children their last memory as a happy family.

Similarly, the associated high-stress level caused by the financial demand and incompatibility endured during the Christmas festivities often serves as a trigger for the actual action to file for divorce among strained couples. For couples who are thinking about divorce, the most plausible time to file a divorce falls within the week of January 5th up to two weeks after. Typically, this is the period when professionals such as lawyers, judges, and other agencies required to initiate the divorce process, return to work after the festivities. Consequently, practical/logistic reasons contribute to the timing.

Another possible explanation is the psychological association between the beginning of the year and our desire to have a new start. The New Year is a time when we make resolutions, and often, people resolve to live a better life, with a focus continued on page 19

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Love, Health & Travel January Is Divorce Month/ continued from page 18 on eliminating stress. Relationships are considered a stressor, and most emotionally strained couples usually identify their relationship with a partner as a stressful situation. Thus, the beginning of the year serves as an excellent time to start anew, when people work towards eliminating any obstacle towards their happiness. The filing of divorce papers often serves as a determined effort towards achieving the desire to live a happier and fulfilling life.

Finally, financial gains from payments and tax cuts can be of consideration to either couple seeking for dissolution; consequently, the economic benefit might be a marginal reason.

Causes of Divorce While any or some of these factors might be contributing to the high rise of divorce filings in January, several factors lead to divorce. Research findings show that most marriages after eight years are more likely to end in a divorce; issues like ab-

sence of commitment (identified as the most common reason for a divorce), constant arguments, and accusations of infidelity were also frequently identified. Other matters, such as having unrealistic expectations, getting married too young, feelings of inequality within the relationship, and not being adequately prepared for marriage, are also contributing factors. Interestingly, domestic violence or abuse was the least ranked factor mentioned. Also, other sociocultural factors that influence divorce include the couple’s level of religiosity/morality.

Couples who consider themselves liberal-minded are more likely to get divorced quicker

than others. Furthermore, couples who are products of broken homes and the couple’s age before marriage also indicated as factors. The younger the couple is at the time of marriage, the more likely they will file for a divorce as the marriage progresses, not to mention the level of compatibility.

Effect of Divorce In the event of a divorce, issues may include child custody, child support, alimony/spousal support, and in some cases, distribution of joint property, to mention a few problems that are addressed by the presiding

judge. In most cases, the dissolution of marriages often leaves scars that vary in magnitude on the couple and their children.

While some people may be able to move on after a divorce without regrets or scars, no divorce can take place without leaving a mark. Economically, most women are often hard hit by most divorces, especially among low-income socioeconomic class families. Women, left with the custody of their children from the marriage, struggle financially, despite the payment of child support.

The family never remains the same; the quality of life for the woman and her children declines.

Psychologically, the children are often the worst hit. Most times, they contend with suppressed feelings of anger, guilt, and sadness. Such feelings are often unresolved and remain with the children as they grow and become adults. Unresolved emotions manifest in relationships and can lead to a repeat of the past in the form of failed relationships and, eventually, their divorces.

Conclusively, irrespective of the month a couple decides to file for divorce, divorce is expensive, not just in terms of the financial cost as emotional, psychological, and other effects have a far-reaching impact that goes beyond January or any other month. The price paid by all involved goes beyond the individual into the community and the larger society. Before seeking a divorce, couples should explore other options like counseling, therapy, and temporary separation. Only after these and other options have been explored, should divorce be considered as a last resort.

Get Legal Help In the event, that you do need a divorce, it’s important to hire the right attorney whether the divorce is amicable or not. Rest assured, your spouse will be hiring an attorney to seek their best interest. The Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates reminds you: Don’t divorce your money or your kids; divorce your spouse. For a FREE case evaluation, call 855-7688845.p

www.workersworldtoday.com

January 2022

20

Love, Health & Travel

Here’s to 2022: Pay Yourself First

BY TARSHA GIBBONS

H

ere are some thoughts on success in a Forbes article from James Cash Penny, the founder of JC Penny, "Though plenty of people want to be successful, only a self-selected few will even come close." I could not agree with this statement more. In other words, if you are willing to buckle down and commit yourself to do the hard work it takes to achieve big goals, you can be one of them. Using fitness as a catalyst is a surefire way to pave your path to success.

I have noticed that we tend to have moments of success, but we usually don't live a perpetual life of success. Do you notice that you may be rocking it in one area of life but not so much in others? I have seen this in my own life more than I care to admit. To be completely honest, I have limited my potential success because I stop when I feel something is "good enough."

That hurts just to write it. Can we take "good enough" out of our vocabulary?

When you become complacent, it translates to, I know it can be better, but I am not willing to go that far, or I don't feel like doing what it is going to take for that result, or I did not prepare appropriately for this to be excellent, so this is going to have to be good enough. Oh, my goodness!

Can I share something with you? Just because you don't FEEL like it doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. Your feelings are natural and can be deceiv-

ing at times, especially when it requires discomfort. They usually are momentary, and when they go against what you know is logically beneficial, you have to ignore them.

You have to push past them.

When you move past the point of discomfort, you usually find yourself in a better place.

In the same way, you push past your feelings of not wanting to go to work but show up anyway because you have bills to pay. You need that same reasoning when you know

you need to go work out or not eat the fried chicken. You are trying to live a long healthy life just like you are trying to have money to enjoy it.

Treat your body the same way you treat someone else's business that you show up to daily. The difference is that this paycheck is paid in longer days here on the earth. Live your life by design, not by default. Pay yourself in health and wealth, and success will follow suit. Good health allows you to thrive, not just survive.

I am cheering you on, my friends, and if no one told you today, "You are Amazing."p Tarsha Gibbons is the founder of Gibbons Family Fitness. I am a wife, mom, entrepreneur, businesswoman and fitness professional. Check her out: Website: www.gibbonsfamilyfitness.com FB: www.facebook.com/GibbonsFamilyFitness Instagram: www.instagram.com/GibbonsFamilyFitness

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January 2022

21

Love, Health & Travel

4 Things to Know About Acute Respiratory Illness RSV

W

ashing your hands.

Covering your cough and sneeze.

Staying home when sick.

These actions help limit the spread of common respiratory illness like colds, influenza and coronavirus. To help keep yourself and your communities well, there is another potentially life-threatening virus that should be on your radar.

Respiratory syncytial virus commonly referred to as RSV is a growing concern, especially for infants, older adults and the immunocompromised.

“RSV is a common cause of acute respiratory illness," said Dr. Bill Gruber, M.D., senior vice president of Pfizer Vaccine Clinical Research and Development. "Symptoms can be similar to a common cold for some people, but for the elderly and the immunocompromised, infection can be serious, even deadly."

According to the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention: •RSV is highly contagious and affects the lungs and airways.

adults and for those with chronic heart or lung disease or a weakened immune system.

•RSV affects children younger than 6 months of age or children with lung or heart disease.

•Each year, approximately 58,000 children under 5 years of age are hospitalized with RSV and more than 177,000 older adults are hospitalized and 15,000 of them die in the United States due to RSV.

•The risk of serious RSV infection also increases in older

RSV infections occur in people of all ages. The virus can spread in many ways, including through coughs or sneezes from an infected person, virus droplets getting in the eyes, nose or mouth, touching a surface with the virus on it, and direct contact with the virus, such as kissing someone infected, according to the CDC. "RSV symptoms mimic the common cold but can worsen in some people. Common symptoms include runny nose, decrease in appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever and wheezing," said Gruber. "Although RSV is discussed frequently in pediatric care, the risks are not as frequently discussed for people ages 65 and older. No matter your age, if you feel ill, contact your doctor. The best way to know if you have RSV or another type of respiratory illness is an evaluation through your health care provider."

There is no cure or vaccine

for RSV. Health care providers are limited to offering supportive care, such as oxygen and fluids, for those impacted by the illness, according to the Virus Research journal. The best ways to prevent the spread of RSV are to wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, and to stay home if you feel sick, Gruber said.

"We believe there is a clear and urgent global need to develop a safe and effective vaccine to help reduce the incidence and severity of RSV infections," said Gruber. "A vaccine for RSV has been an elusive goal for over half a century due to scientific hurdles, but Pfizer is committed to developing a potential vaccine for vaccination of adults, as well as pregnant women to help protect their infants from RSV disease."p (BPT)

January 2022

www.workersworldtoday.com

22

Conversations

Tackling 2022 With Hope: 5 Essential Reads

BY MOLLY JACKSON THE CONVERSATION

S

ix months ago, it was easy for many Americans to think COVID-19 was on the defensive. Vaccinations were ticking up as case numbers ticked down. Summer sunshine made hanging out outside actually enjoyable, after a cooped-up winter of socializing with just our pods.

Maybe, just maybe, Zoom fatigue would soon be a thing of the past.

Today, that optimism seems miles away. Hospitalizations are hitting new highs. Concerns about school safety amid climbing case counts have working parents and teachers on edge.

If you’re not exactly feeling hopeful about the year ahead, you’re not alone. Here are five of our favorite stories spotlighting resilience, healing, and yes, hope, to help you face 2022.

1. ‘Work with hope’ Face it, poet and classics

scholar Rachel Hadas writes: “We’re in a prolonged period of maddeningly, scarily bad news.”

But if you think that makes our society unique, think again. For as long as humans have been writing, they’ve been facing crises, learning to adapt – more than we give our species credit for – and keeping hope afloat. And readers today can draw strength from yesterday’s literature.

Whether it’s Homer’s Greek epic “The Iliad” or American poet Emily Dickinson, writing about resilience often shares key themes, Hadas says: learning to balance the present and the future, the big-picture horizon and the joy of small things along the way. Quoting the modern Greek poet George Seferis, she writes of the need to “put to sea again with our broken oars.”

2. Before healing, remembering The pandemic has robbed people not only of joy, but also of ways to process grief. As

If hope feels far-fetched this winter, you’re not alone.

Beautiful yellow Blossom yellow crocus breaking the snow cover. many people grasp “every opportunity to reconnect” and find new normals, others are still mourning lost loved ones, especially if COVID-19 restrictions prevented the kinds of healing and commemoration families once took for granted.

Eventually, as the pandemic ebbs, both groups can find happiness, but in different ways, writes David Sloane, who studies commemoration and mourning practices.

With normal healing interrupted, “everyd a y memorials” from flags and photographs to tattoos can help people “transition from the depths of the pandemic to the reopened society by offering ways for them to mourn and remember.”

As we recover, joy and grief are often mixed together, he says, but don’t let “survivor’s guilt” keep you from finding comfort.

3. Lean in to rituals Across cultures, rituals can mark life milestones, strengthen social ties and even promote hygiene – such as Wudu, ritual

cleansing before prayers in Islam. Yet the pandemic has interrupted everyday rites like handshakes and hugs, not to mention once-in-a-lifetime events like weddings or bar mitzvahs.

But that presents an opportunity to adapt, writes psychologist Cristine Legare.

People often rely on rituals to manage stress and exert control, which helps them deal with uncertainty – part of what’s so overwhelming about the pandemic.

“There are good reasons people spend time, money and energy engaging in rituals in the face of COVID-19 restrictions,” she writes. “They are essential to meeting our physical, social and psychological needs in the face of adversity.”

4. Hope vs. optimism Hope isn’t expecting good things, psychologist Jacqueline Mattis clarifies: It’s believing they’re possible, and then creating paths to achieve them. In other words, having a plan.

She offers five strategies to actively cultivate hope: having goals, harnessing uncertainty, managing attention, seeking community and looking at evidence. Challenges like a global pandemic call for adapting, not giving up, and “uncertainty is not reason for paralysis – it is a reason to hope,” Mattis writes.

“Hopeful people do not wish – they imagine and act,” she writes, emphasizing the importance of acting in community. Research on anti-poverty activists, for example, underscores that their relationships ignited their hope and conviction, giving them “a sense of accountability, to recognize

that their work mattered and that they were part of something bigger than themselves.”

5. Get in the flow For people still crafting their 2022 resolutions, cognitive scientist Richard Huskey has a suggestion: Add some flow.

It’s on his own list, too.

“Flow,” a term coined in the 1970s by psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, is that feeling of complete absorption, or intense concentration, when someone’s thoughts “are focused on an experience rather than on themselves,” Huskey explains.

Intrinsically rewarding experiences, like those that put us “in the zone,” support mental health, well-being and resilience. In fact, a study from China shows that people with more “flow” in their lives “had better well-being during the COVID-19 quarantine.”p Molly Jackson is a Religion and Ethics Editor. She interviewed Cristine H Legare, Professor of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts, David Sloane, Professor of Policy, Planning, and Development, University of Southern California. Jacqueline S. Mattis, Dean of Faculty, Rutgers University – Newark, Rachel Hadas, Professor of English, Rutgers University – Newark and Richard Huskey, Assistant Professor of Communication and Cognitive Science, University of California, Davis

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