Issuu

January 2021 INSIDE

Changes to the H1-B Registration Process ... 19

Difference Between a Foreclosure & a Short Sale ... 18

Which Debts Should You Pay Off First? ... 9

Issue #16

Biden-Harris Administration Acts for Working People on Day One, Labor Movement Looks Ahead with Workers First Agenda BY THE AFL-CIO AMERICA’S UNIONS

NYC Food Delivery Workers Band to Demand Better Treatment. Will New York Listen to Los Deliveristas Unidos?

orking people across our nation celebrated the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris. In his first hours in office, President Biden took immediate action to secure the rights and protect the well-being of

Photo: Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

BY CLAUDIA IRIZARRY APONTE AND JOSEFA VELASQUEZ, THE CITY

continued on page 6

Hot Topics and News You Should Know About

These Indigenous Guatemalan and Mexican workers keep New Yorkers fed during the pandemic. They want fair wages, bathroom access and a place to shelter from the cold. They could be the face of the city’s next labor battle. Read the full story at www.workersworldtoday.com

How to Heal After a Break Up AG James Protects Rent-Stabilized Tenants ... 8

Safeguard Your New Baby’s FInancial Future... 13

How Trump’s Stalled Stimulus Bill Signing Impacts You ... 26

Labor-Related News - Nationally & Locally

... 23

What the Biden Presidency Means for Older Americans ... 20

Warning To Remote Workers: Out Of Sight Could Mean Out Of Job

A AFM Local 802 Warns of Looming Cultural Depression ... 22

Working Families Prevail in Georgia ...16

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh Tapped for Labor Secretary ... 3

lthough debate continues about whether the business world will return to normal even after most people have the COVID-19 vaccine, the expectation is that many companies will soon call employees back to the office. continued on page 17

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January 2021

I am convinced that if the members of labor organizations would follow some of the tactics of the employers organizations their movement could more successfully withstand its opponents and to progress as it has in the past. But if we are to be successful we must have, above all things, more loyalty and less selfishness. — Charles E. James, African-American Union leader, 1907

Contents

Labor History - January 29 In Solidarity: New York City Labor Year In Review..........................3 Boston Mayor Marty Walsh Tapped for Labor Secretary......................................................3 Civil Rights: Black Cops: “No One Took Us Seriously”..................4 President Barack Obama. Editorial credit: vipflash / Shutterstock.com

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is signed into law by President Obama. Ledbetter worked for Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. at a wage rate much less than men doing the same job; the statute of limitations for filing a claim of discrimination expired by the time she learned of the unequal treatment. The Fair Pay Act stipulates that the 180-day statute of limitations for filing an equal-pay lawsuit regarding pay discrimination resets with each new paycheck affected by that discriminatory action - 2009

Money Matters Which Debts Should You Pay Off First ............................................................................9 Union in Action Actors' Equity Association: Delays on Vaccines Hurt Arts Workers.......................................10

Historic “Climate Day” Executive Orders ....16

Workers’ Safety Utano Urges Greater Police Presence on Buses, Subways.......................................................15

“This isn’t time for small measures,

we need to be bold...” -President Biden

Love, Health & Travel How to Heal After a Break Up....................................23

Photo courtesy NYC Central Labor Council

Take Action: Take Action: Make International Women's Day a NYS Holiday The Red Carpet for Justice Coalition is asking for our support for a campaign to get New York State to recognize International Women's Day as a state holiday.

COLUMNS Love, Health & Travel .... 24 4 New Year’s Resolutions Black Women Can Make to Improve Heart Health According to the American Heart Association, the prevalence of high blood pressure among Black adults in the U.S. is among the highest in the world, with the prevalence of high blood pressure in Black women nearly 40 percent higher than white women in the U.S.

In the News....16 CUNY Faculty & Students, Demand Moratorium on Bursar’s Holds for Student Debt

Family: The True Modern Relationship .... 13 Unless you’re Julia Roberts and your baby has a multimillion-dollar trust fund, you need a financial game plan that will keep your baby financially safe in times both good and bad.

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January 2021

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In Solidarity

New York City Labor Year in Review

A Supports Workers’ World Today

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

s we come to the end of an unprecedented year in our city and our nation’s history, we’re taking a look back at all that we’ve accomplished as a city labor movement in the face of previously unimaginable obstacles. Throughout the pandemic, our labor movement has stood with essential workers who put themselves in harm’s way to make sure that New Yorkers had access to healthcare and critical goods and services. We’ve supported and fought for working families who saw their jobs and livelihoods slip away in the resulting economic crisis. We’ve mourned those who have been lost, and recommitted ourselves to the fight for strong safety and health protections. We’ve spoken

TEAM Publisher Workers’ World Today, Inc Editor-in-Chief Pearl Phillip Contributing Writers Marilyn Silverman Charles Tabasso Victoria Falk Erin Telesford Jennine Estes, MFT Travis Morales Mary Campbell Janet Howard Legal Advisor Brian Figeroux, Esq. Telephone 1-866-435-3286 Email info@workersworldtoday.com

out against racial injustice and the continuing systemic inequalities faced by our brothers and sisters of color. And at the same time, we’ve kept up our efforts to give workers a voice on the job, and we’ve reimagined our political and civic outreach programs to engage with our members in new

ways, in a year when that engagement was more critical than ever before. None of this would have been possible without our affiliates and their members. On behalf of all of us at the New York City Central Labor Council, we extend our deepest appreciation and gratitude for

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your solidarity and for your partnership, and we wish you and your loved ones a brighter, happier, and healthier 2021.p —AFL-CIO

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh Tapped for Labor Secretary

tatement from AFLCIO President Richard Trumka on Presidentelect Joe Biden’s nomination of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh for secretary of labor: Boston Mayor Marty Walsh will be an exceptional labor secretary for the same reason he was an outstanding mayor: he carried the tools. As a longtime union member, Walsh knows that collective bargaining is essential to building back better by combating inequality, beating COVID-19 and expanding opportunities for immigrants, women and

Mayor Marty Walsh. Editorial credit: vasilis asvestas / Shutterstock.com

people of color. He will have the ear of the White House, the Cabinet and Congress as we work to increase union density and create a stronger, fairer America. From the Boston Building and Construction Trades Council to the Massachusetts State House to the

mayor’s office to his own personal journey with overcoming addiction, Marty Walsh has always been a fighter who understands the power of working people standing together for a better life. President-elect Joe Biden has promised to be the “strongest

labor president” in American history. His message of “Build Back Better” hits home with our members because union growth and worker power are hallmarks of this agenda. It will take an unprecedented effort from the president-elect and the Labor Department to recover from the failed policies of the past four years, which have harmed working people and our families. But with Joe Biden and Marty Walsh, we are setting our sights high, starting with passage of the PRO Act so the tens of millions of workers who want to form a union can do so freely and fairly."p

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January 2021

Civil Rights

“No One Took Us Seriously”: Black Cops Warned About Racist Capitol Police Officers for Years BY JOSHUA KAPLAN AND JOAQUIN SAPIEN, PROPUBLICA

hen Kim Dine took over as the new chief of the U.S. Capitol Police in 2012, he knew he had a serious problem. Since 2001, hundreds of Black officers had sued the department for racial discrimination. They alleged that white officers called Black colleagues slurs like the N-word and that one officer found a hangman’s noose on his locker. White officers were called “huk lovers” or “FOGs” — short for “friends of gangsters” — if they were friendly with their Black colleagues. Black officers faced “unprovoked traffic stops” from fellow Capitol Police officers. One Black officer claimed he heard a colleague say, “Obama monkey, go back to Africa.” In case after case, agency lawyers denied wrongdoing. But in an interview, Dine said it was clear he had to address the department’s charged racial climate. He said he promoted a Black officer to assistant chief, a first for the agency, and tried to increase diversity by changing the force’s hiring practices. He also said he hired a Black woman to lead a diversity office and created a new disciplinary body within the department, promoting a Black woman to lead it. “There is a problem with racism in this country, in pretty much every establishment that exists,” said Dine, who left the agency in 2016. “You can always do more in retrospect.” Whether the Capitol Police managed to root out racist officers will be one of many issues raised as Congress investigates the agency’s failure to prevent a mob of Trump supporters from attacking the Capitol while lawmakers inside voted to formalize the electoral victory of Presidentelect Joe Biden. Already, officials have suspended several police officers for possible complicity with insurrectionists, one of whom was pictured waving a Confederate battle flag as he occupied the building. One cop was captured on tape seeming to

Allegations of racism against the Capitol Police are nothing new: Over 250 Black cops have sued the department since 2001. Some of those former officers now say it’s no surprise white nationalists were able to storm the building.

Washington DC, USA Jan 6 2021: Riots in DC Editorial credit: Gallagher Photography / Shutterstock.com

take selfies with protesters, while another allegedly wore a red “Make America Great Again” hat as he directed protesters around the Capitol building. While many officers were filmed fighting off rioters, at least 12 others are under investigation for possibly assisting them. Two current Black Capitol Police officers told BuzzFeed News that they were angered by leadership failures that they said put them at risk as racist members of the mob stormed the building. The Capitol Police force is only 29% Black in a city that’s 46% Black. By contrast, as of 2018, 52% of Washington Metropolitan police officers were Black. The Capitol Police are comparable to the Metropolitan force in spending, employing more than 2,300 people and boasting an annual budget of about a half-billion dollars. The Capitol Police did not immediately respond to questions for this story. Sharon Blackmon-Malloy, a former Capitol Police officer who was the lead plaintiff in the 2001 discrimination lawsuit filed against the department, said she was not surprised that pro-Trump rioters burst into the Capitol last week. In her 25 years with the Capitol Police, Blackmon-Malloy spent decades trying to raise the alarm about what she saw as endemic racism within the force, even organizing demonstrations where Black officers would return to the Capitol

off-duty, protesting outside the building they usually protect. The 2001 case, which started with more than 250 plaintiffs, remains pending. As recently as 2016, a Black female officer filed a racial discrimination complaint against the department. “Nothing ever really was resolved. Congress turned a blind eye to racism on the Hill,” Blackmon-Malloy, who retired as a lieutenant in 2007, told ProPublica. She is now vice president of the U.S. Capitol Black Police Association, which held 16 demonstrations protesting alleged discrimination between 2013 and 2018. “We got Jan. 6 because no one took us seriously.” Retired Lt. Frank Adams sued the department in 2001 and again in 2012 for racial discrimination. A Black, 20-year veteran of the force, Adams supervised mostly white officers in the patrol division. He told ProPublica he endured or witnessed racism and sexism constantly. He said that before he joined the division, there was a policy he referred to as “meet and greet,” where officers were directed to stop any Black person on the Hill. He also said that in another unit, he once found a cartoon on his desk of a Black man ascending to heaven only to be greeted by a Ku Klux Klan wizard. When he complained to his superior officers, he said he was denied promotions and training opportunities, and suffered other forms of retaliation.

In an interview, he drew a direct line between racism in the Capitol Police and the events that unfolded last week. He blamed Congress for not listening to Black members of the force years ago. “They only become involved in oversight when it’s in the news cycle,” said Adams, who retired in 2011. “They ignored the racism happening in the department. They ignored the hate.” The department’s record in other areas of policing have drawn criticism as well. In 2015, a man landed a gyrocopter on the Capitol lawn — top officials didn’t know the airborne activist was coming until minutes before he touched down. In 2013, when a lone gunman opened fire at the nearby Navy Yard, killing 12 people, the Capitol Police were criticized for standing on the sidelines. The force’s leadership board later determined its actions were justified. Last month, days after a bloody clash on Dec. 12 between militant Trump supporters and counterprotesters, Melissa Byrne and Chibundu Nnake were entering the Capitol when they saw a strangely dressed man just outside the building, carrying a spear. He was a figure they would come to recognize — Jacob Chansley, the QAnon follower in a Viking outfit who was photographed last week shouting from the dais of the Senate chamber. They alerted the Capitol Police at the time, as the spear

seemed to violate the complex’s weapons ban, but officers dismissed their concern, they said. One officer told them that Chansley had been stopped earlier in the day, but that police “higher ups” had decided not to do anything about him. We don’t “perceive it as a weapon,” Nnake recalled the officer saying of the spear. Chansley told the Globe and Mail’s Adrian Morrow that Capitol Police had allowed him in the building on Jan. 6, which would normally include passing through a metal detector, although he was later charged with entering a restricted building without lawful authority, violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. As of Tuesday, he had not yet entered a plea. For Byrne and Nnake, their interactions with the “QAnon Shaman” on Dec. 14 highlighted what they perceive as double standards in how the Capitol Police interact with the public. Like many people who regularly encounter the force, Nnake and Byrne said they were accustomed to Capitol officers enforcing rules aggressively — later that day, Nnake was told that he would be tackled if he tried to advance beyond a certain point. “As a Black man, when I worked on the Hill, if I forgot a badge, I couldn’t get access anywhere,” he told ProPublica. Congress, which controls the agency and its budget, has a mixed record of oversight. For the most part, Congress has been deferential toward the force, paying attention to its workings only after serious security failures, and even then, failing to meaningfully hold its leaders accountable. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat from D.C. who is a nonvoting member of Congress, told ProPublica she believes a national commission should be formed to investigate what occurred at the Capitol on Jan. 6, similar to what followed 9/11. “Congress deserves some of the blame,” she told ProPublica. “We have complete control over the Capitol Police. ... continued on page 5

January 2021

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Civil Rights No One Took Us Seriously/ continued from page 4 Long-term concerns with security have been raised, and they’ve not been dealt with in the past.” The force has also suffered a spate of recent, internal scandals that may prove pertinent as Congress conducts its investigation. Capitol Police officers accidently left several guns in bathrooms throughout the building in 2015 and 2019; in one instance, the loaded firearm was discovered by a small child. The agency has been criticized for a lack of transparency for years. Capitol Police communications and documents are not subject to the Freedom of Information Act and, unlike many local law enforcement agencies, it has no external watchdog specifically assigned to investigate and respond to community complaints. The force has not formally addressed the public since the riot last week. “All law enforcement is opaque,” said Jonathan M. Smith, executive director of the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs. “At least most

Washington, D.C. | U.S.A. - Jan 6th, 2021: Trump Initiated Riots at the Capitol: QAnon Shaman, Jake Angeli. Editorial credit: Johnny Silvercloud / Shutterstock.com

local police departments are subject to some kind of civilian oversight, but federal police agencies are left to operate in the shadows.” The agency’s past troubles have rarely resulted in reform, critics said. After the April 2015 gyrocopter incident, Congress held a hearing to examine how 61year-old postal worker and activist Doug Hughes managed to land his aircraft after he livestreamed his flight. Dozens of reporters and news cameras assembled in front of the Capitol to watch the stunt, which was designed to draw attention to the influence of money in politics. Capitol Police did

not learn of the incoming flight until a reporter reached out to them for comment, minutes before Hughes landed. Dine defended the force’s response to the incident, pointing out that Hughes was promptly arrested, and no one was hurt. Former Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a Republican from Utah, then the chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, harshly criticized the department and other federal agencies for what he perceived as an intelligence failure. “The Capitol Police is terrible and pathetic when it comes to threat assessment,” Chaffetz told ProPublica in an interview.

“They have a couple people dedicated to it, but they’re overwhelmed. Which drives me nuts. ... It’s not been a priority for leadership, on both sides of the aisle.” He said he is not aware of any serious changes to the force’s intelligence gathering following the debacle. Norton, who also pressed Dine at the hearing, told ProPublica the intelligence lapses surrounding the gyrocopter landing should be considered a “forerunner” to last week’s riot. “For weeks, these people had been talking about coming to the Capitol to do as much harm as they can,” Norton said. “Everyone knew it. Except the Capitol Police.” Reports show the force had no contingency plan to deal with an escalation of violence and mayhem at last week’s rally, even though the FBI and the New York Police Department had warned them it could happen. Law enforcement experts said that the agency is in a difficult position. While it has sole responsibility for protecting the Capitol, it must work with other nearby federal law enforcement agencies, Washington’s Metropolitan Police and

the National Guard in case of emergencies. In an interview, Nick Zotos, a former D.C. National Guard commander who now works for the Department of Homeland Security, said that the roughly two dozen agencies responsible for public safety in Washington can cause territorial disputes, finger-pointing and poor communication. “This is not a D.C. thing, necessarily, although it’s probably the worst in D.C.,” Zotos said. “Police departments just don’t play with each other nicely.” Blackmon-Malloy told ProPublica that divisions within the Capitol Police could be just as dangerous, not only for Congress but for Black officers themselves. “Now you got to go to work on the 20th,” she told ProPublica, alluding to the inauguration. “And stand next to someone who you don’t even know if they have your back.”p Dara Lind, David McSwane and Kirsten Berg contributed reporting. This story was originally published by ProPublica on January 14. ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power.

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January 2021

Workers’ Matters Acts for Working People/ continued from page 1 America’s working families by removing Peter Robb as NLRB general counsel. A union-busting lawyer by trade, Robb mounted an unrelenting attack for more than three years on workers’ right to organize and engage in collective bargaining. His actions sought to stymie the tens of millions of workers who say they would vote to join a union today and violated the stated purpose of the National Labor Relations Act—to encourage collective bargaining. Robb’s removal is the first step toward giving workers a fair shot again. But as a labor movement we also need to seize this opportunity to transform the lives of working people through bold, structural change, starting with the following five priorities identified by the national AFL-CIO: Worker Empowerment: Because stronger unions are essential to addressing the multiple crises facing America, we will urge the new administration to have a plan ready on

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris during the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, US,Jan.20,2021. Editorial credit: mccv / Shutterstock.com

Day One to enact the PRO Act and the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act; create an interagency task force on collective bargaining; and rescind executive orders undermining collective bargaining. Worker Safety and the Pandemic: The most immediate focus of 2021 will be bringing the COVID-19 pandemic under control, starting by guaranteeing access for all workers to free vaccines and rapid testing; issuing emergency COVID-19 standards from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Mine Safety and Health

Administration; signing an executive order under the Defense Production Act to ensure adequate supply of personal protective equipment; and ensuring paid sick days, paid family leave and child care for all workers. Good Jobs and Public Investment: The first order of legislative business in 2021 will be the next COVID-19 bill, which must include $1 trillion in flexible grants for state and local governments. But we must begin now to focus on “building back better,” starting with a multitrillion-dollar infrastructure package and federal

labor standards and domestic sourcing requirements for clean energy projects. Other priorities for promoting good jobs include rescinding the Trump Labor Department’s anti-worker regulations; raising labor standards for all jobs supported by federal funding; eradicating workplace discrimination; reforming Wall Street; making the global economy work for working people; building a more just immigration system; increasing public investment; and making the wealthy and big corporations pay their fair share in taxes.

Racial Justice and Democracy: The racial justice crisis is intimately connected to the ongoing public health and economic crises. We will urge the administration to appoint a “racial equity czar” to lead an interagency task force to survey and address the structural racial equity issues in jobs, health care, criminal justice and policing that have become more apparent during the ongoing COVID-19 crises. The Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol also underscored the pressing need for racial justice and democracy reform. Economic Security: We will urge Congress and the new administration to address America’s continuing economic security crisis by providing pension funding relief; increasing Social Security benefits across the board; reducing prescription drug prices; lowering the Medicare eligibility age to 50; creating a public option; strengthening the Affordable Care Act; rebuilding the unemployment insurance system; and establishing postal banking. p

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January 2021

Know Your Rights

AG James Secures Agreements with Condo Owner, Management Company, and Security Firm to Protect Rent-Stabilized Tenants

UEENS: New York Attorney General Letitia James on January 22, announced agreements with a condo owner, its principals, and a security firm over repeated violations of rent stabilization laws and guidance. The agreements with 132-40 Sanford LLC, the sponsor of the Summit at Infinity 8 Condominium located at 132-40 Sanford Avenue, its real estate management company, Pinnacle Managing Co., LLC, and security firm SW Security Services, LLC, resolves violations relating to the modification of a front door lock of the rent-stabilized building located in Flushing, Queens, which ultimately led to several of the building’s tenants, mostly Chinese tenants, forfeiting their rent-stabilized apartments. Under the terms of the agreements, the companies will implement a series of measures that are inclusive of all tenants, undergo anti-discrimination trainings, and donate $50,000 to nonprofit organizations that focus on tenant organizing in Asian communities. “Tenants have a right to remain in their homes, and we must do all we can to protect affordable housing,” said Attorney General James. “These companies failed to deliver the pinnacle of service to tenants, and their actions forced individuals — particularly Chinese tenants — out of their rent-stabilized homes. Let this serve as a warning that we will not tolerate anyone or any entity that violates our housing laws and threatens New Yorkers’ right to a safe and decent home.” In 2017, after acquiring the occupied rent-stabilized rental

curity services firm to distribute key fobs; and •Agreeing to comply with DHCR guidance and regulations.

building at 132-40 Sanford Avenue and submitting initial offering documents to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to convert the building to a condominium, the sponsor hired SW Security Services to change the building’s front door lock system to an electronic access system. However, the sponsor and Pinnacle Managing failed to apply to the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) for permission to change the door lock, in violation of the state’s rent stabilization guidance. The subsequent key fob distribution process was also overly burdensome on tenants and excluded certain individuals. Tenants were incorrectly told to present a valid New York state ID or other government-issued ID to receive their new key fob. At the time, only U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents qualified for government-issued IDs, leaving the significant number of non-citizen and non-legal permanent resident Chinese tenants of the building with the

impression that they were not entitled to access their own homes. According to DHCR guidance, owners must accept any form of identification from tenants as long as it contains a photo of the tenant and it is impermissible for a rentstabilized owner to require an ID issued by a certain state or jurisdiction. Additionally, the OAG’s investigation found that in March 2018, when SW Security Services distributed key fobs to tenants, the company’s Director of Investigations impermissibly recorded information from tenant IDs, including the jurisdiction issuing the ID and the address listed. The security company then used the information from the IDs as a basis for recommending 13 private investigations into certain tenants. Ten of the 13 tenants were individuals with Chinese surnames. Both the sponsor and management company authorized those investigations, which resulted in seven of the tenants — six of whom had Chinese surnames — to forfeit

their apartments. As part of the agreement with OAG, 132-40 Sanford LLC and Pinnacle Managing are required to implement a series of measures, including: •Donating $50,000 to nonprofit organizations that focus on tenant organizing on behalf of the Asian community; •Conducting anti-discrimination training for staff through the New York City Commission on Human Rights; •Implementing a form flyer for key fob distribution that does not require a New York ID. Pinnacle Managing is also required to have these flyers (and all applications for keys) translated into languages that are spoken in the building; •Agreeing not to record any data from IDs when handing out key fobs to tenants and their guests. The company will also be required to implement a system for key fob distribution that does not require any ID other than one that proves identity and does not require listing of individuals residing in the apartment; •Agreeing not to hire any se-

SW Security Services will also implement similar measures pertaining to their own staff, including: •Requiring investigators to attend anti-discrimination and rent-stabilization trainings; •Implementing policies for interactions with minors; and •Agreeing that investigators will not record any data from tenant IDs when handing out key fobs. “It seems clear that the owners and operators of the Infinity 8 Condominium and the security firm deliberately attempted to target members of our Asian American community in an effort force them out of their own homes,” said State Senator Toby Stavisky. “This practice is abhorrent, shameful, and cannot be tolerated. I applaud Attorney General Letitia James for investigating this discriminatory practice and protecting the rent-stabilized tenants.” “Targeting rent-stabilized tenants with private investigations is despicable beyond words, and I am very grateful to Attorney General James for making sure these condo owners are held accountable for their blatant harassment,” said Council Member Peter Koo. “I sincerely hope others looking to flip our rent-stabilized housing stock by intimidating immigrant tenants take note of this case and know that our community is watching, law enforcement is watching, and there are serious repercussions for playing fast and loose with tenants’ rights.”p

January 2021

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Money Matters

Which Debt Should You Pay Off First? payments on the rest of your accounts.

BY WIFE EDITOR

f you’re working to pay off debt, then congratulations for being an awesome, financially empowered woman! Maybe you’ve just gotten a promotion or have come into a little bit of extra money from a bonus, a tax return, or from selling that extra table that you’ve always hated. You want to use some or all of this money to pay down your debt. The question is, which debt do you choose? Different Kinds of Debt Most Americans carry a variety of debt. You may have student loans, a car loan, a mortgage, medical loans, credit card debt, and more. It can all be a little mind boggling and make it difficult to figure out which debt to tackle first.

Clarify Your Debt Before you make your decision on which debt to pay off first, take some time and make sure you understand all of your debt. Schedule an hour with yourself and build a quick little debt sheet. List each debt and include: Name of the debtor Amount of debt Monthly payment Interest rate Payment due date This will help give you a clear view of exactly what you

owe, to whom you owe it, and how much you’re paying in interest. This sheet will also help you figure out which debt to pay off first. Delinquent Debt If you have any delinquent accounts, pay those off first. Missing a payment is going to result in expensive fines and will damage your credit rating, which will make it harder and more expensive to get loans in the future. Do everything you can to pay off this debt while at least maintaining minimum

Highest Interest Rate After your delinquent debt is taken care of, your next target should be the account with the highest interest rate. Logically, this will save you the most money in the long term. If you have two accounts with identical balances but one has an interest rate of 6% and the other is a credit card with an interest rate of 18%, obviously you should take care of the credit card. Smallest Debt Our brains don’t always like to work logically. Let’s say you just earned a $3,000 commission check from work. It just so happens that you only have $3,000 left on your car loan. You’ve been trying to pay off your car FOR-EV-ER, and the

thought of never making another payment again makes your heart sing. However, you also have a credit card with $5,500 in debt on it. The interest on your car loan is only 4.5%, and your credit card interest is 16%. Logically, you should continue monthly payments on your car loan and use your commission to pay off as much of the credit card debt as possible. However, we’re not going to tell you not to pay off your car loan. Paying off any debt is better than nothing, and if the prospect of zeroing out an account will inspire you to use your commission check to pay off debt instead of spending it on an expensive night on the town, then go for it with our blessing.p Reprinted with the kind permission of WIFE.org

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January 2021

Union In Action

Actors' Equity Association: Delays on Vaccines Hurt Arts Workers

ew York: Actors’ Equity Association, the national labor union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, has released the following statement in response to the news that New York City is not doing vaccine distribution today and has canceled over 23,000 vaccination appointments this week. “Postponing vaccine distribution is heartbreaking for seniors and frontline health care workers who need vaccines now,” said Mary McColl, executive director of Actors’ Equity Association. “New York City must be vaccinating residents around the clock to get the virus under control. The theatre industry has been closed for over 10 months now, and it has no hope of fully returning, and bringing back jobs, if we don’t hit critical mass with vaccines. We ask

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workers, more members have been falling off of their union plan every month. A COBRA subsidy would make it affordable to remain on their health insurance during a global pandemic. Equity has also been advocating for increased arts funding to help the industry, and maintain resources for bringing back jobs once it is safe to resume live theatre.p

Governor Cuomo to coordinate with President Biden and redouble efforts on a plan that expands testing and distributes free vaccines for all, beginning with our most vulnerable.” Equity has been fighting for a governmental response to an arts industry shutdown since March, when it first asked for an economic relief package for an industry in crisis. This effort

continued with the passage of the CARES Act, followed by the HEROES Act, creating and extending pandemic unemployment insurance. Early during the crisis, Equity called for a federal COBRA health insurance subsidy. Equity members earn their union insurance one week at a time that they work on contract. With nearly 100% unemployment for theatre

ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION, founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers. Equity endeavors to advance the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits (health and pension included). Member: AFL-CIO, FIA. www.actorsequity.org #EquityWorks

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or the last 20 years, the New York State AFLCIO has co-sponsored, with Cornell University, the Union Leadership Institute (ULI). Hundreds of prospective leaders from local unions throughout the state have gone through the program with many progressing to leadership positions within their unions. As part of its commitment to fostering equity in our movement and ensuring our leadership reflects its membership, the New York State AFL-CIO Social Justice Task Force has proposed, and the Executive Council has approved, providing Union L.E.A.D. scholarships for prospective union leaders from diverse backgrounds. Hundreds of prospective leaders from local unions throughout the state have gone through the program with many progressing to leadership positions within their unions. In order for New York to remain union strong, we need our next generation of leaders, diverse in background and experience, to step forward. Are you ready for the challenge? Any card-carrying union member is eligible to apply. Go to nysaflcio.orgp

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Make a resolution to learn more. Every New Year, you make a list of things you will do to stay healthy so you can feel your best. But, did you realize that feeling your best includes seeing your best too? January is Glaucoma Awareness Month – the perfect time to spread the word about the disease. So, this year, add learning about glaucoma to your list! Your eyes will thank you for it. 1. Glaucoma can cause vision loss and blindness, which can’t be reversed. Glaucoma causes fluid to build up in your eye, causing pressure that can damage the optic nerve, which transfers visual images to your brain. But, you can save your vision with early detection and treatment. 2. There are no early symptoms. Glaucoma often has no early warning signs. No pain. No discomfort. No blurry vision. Only advanced glaucoma will affect your vision. Don’t wait for symptoms to visit your eye doctor!

3. In the United States, half the people who have glaucoma don’t know they do. Nearly 3 million Americans have glaucoma. Half don’t know it. Lack of awareness and the absence of symptoms are preventing people from detecting the disease early. You can change that! Find out if you have glaucoma. 4. Some people are at higher risk than others. African Americans over 40, adults over 60 – especially Hispanics/Latinos, and people with a family history of glaucoma are at higher risk, making early detection especially important. Are you at higher risk? Talk to your family about glaucoma. 5. There is only one way to know if you have glaucoma. Getting a comprehensive dilated eye exam is the only way to find out if you have glaucoma. During the exam, an eye care professional places drops in your eyes to widen the pupils and looks for signs of the disease in the optic nerve. Now that you’ve got the facts about glaucoma, make a resolution for healthier vision. Schedule a comprehensive dilated eye exam today! And encourage your friends and loved ones to do the same. To learn more about glaucoma, visit www.nei.nih.gov/glaucoma.

To learn more, visit www.nei.nih.gov/glaucoma The National Eye Institute (NEI) leads the federal government’s research on the visual system and eye diseases. NEI supports basic and clinical science programs to develop sight-saving treatments and address the special needs of people with vision loss. For more information, visit www.nei.nih.gov.

January 2021

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Family: The True Modern Relationship

Five Ways to Safeguard Your New Baby’s Financial Future BY CANDACE BAHR WIFE.ORG

our beautiful new baby has arrived and you think you’ve got the safety thing under control. The house is childproofed, you’ve got the pediatrician’s phone number posted on the fridge, and a brand new car seat sits in the back of your minivan. But physical safety is just part of the challenge. Unless you’re Julia Roberts and your baby has a multimillion-dollar trust fund, you need a financial game plan that will keep your baby financially safe in times both good and bad. Here are five steps to help you get started on the right financial foot. Step 1 – Get Life and Disability Insurance From diapers to diplomas, the cost of raising a child can really add up. If something awful were to happen to you or your

spouse, life and disability insurance offer a safety net to keep your loved ones’ financial lives on track. You can get an estimate of your insurance needs by using the online calculators at the non-profit Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education (LIFE) at www.lifehappens.org. Step 2 -Build an Emergency Savings Fund You never know when your roof will spring a leak or when the job market will turn sour. Keeping six months of income in a savings account or money market fund can help weather life’s inevitable pitfalls. Try setting aside money at the beginning of the month, not the “extra” at the end – there’s rarely any extra! Step 3 – Start Saving for College Your baby may not even be crawling yet, but with college costs rising 40% in the last

decade, it’s a good idea to start saving early. Consider opening a Section 529 college savings account. As long as you use the account for qualified higher education expenses, all distributions will be tax-free. Step 4 – Pay Less Taxes Many employers offer flexible spending accounts which allow you to set aside thousands of dollars in pre-tax income to pay for qualified childcare and healthcare expenses. Depending on which

tax bracket you are in, using these accounts can save you thousands of dollars a year. Step 5 – Talk to a Pro The financial stakes rise considerably when you bring a new child into the world, which is why it’s always wise to seek the advice of a qualified financial professional. Ask for a recommendation from a trusted friend, family member, business associate, or your lawyer or accountant. Now that you’ve got that all

covered, baby!p

enjoy

your

new

Candace Bahr is co-founder of the non-profit Women’s Institute for Financial Education, WIFE.org. With a career that spans more than three decades, Candace is known nationally as an advocate for women’s financial independence. As a trusted financial guide, she has enhanced the lives of thousands of people through her nonprofit endeavors. Reprinted with permission of WIFE.org

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January 2021

Education

Does Reopening Schools Cause COVID-19 to Spread? It’s Complicated BY SCOTT A IMBERMAN, DAN GOLDHABERIS & KATHARINE O. STRUNK THE CONVERSATION

e found that schools can reopen for inperson instruction without further spreading COVID-19 in nearby communities if the number of people with the disease is relatively low. But if there are more than 21 cases per 100,000 people, COVID-19 spread may increase. To reach this conclusion, we used data from September through December 2020 in Michigan and Washington states – both of which allowed districts to decide whether or not to offer in-person schooling at that time – to analyze how these different instructional decisions affect COVID19 case rates. It’s hard to figure this out be-

cause other factors, such as social distancing and the use of masks, could be to blame. So it might appear that going to school in person makes COVID-19 spread, but really it is due to safety habits – or the lack thereof – especially if those same communities are more likely to send students back to school in person. We tried to address this concern by including information in our statistical analyses on such practices as mask-wearing in a community and

how a county voted in 2016. Political preference was an important factor to consider, because Republicans appear less likely than Democrats to comply with COVID-19 safety measures. Republicans are also more likely to encourage in-person instruction during the pandemic. Despite our findings, coronavirus very likely does transmit in schools to some degree. But the spread of COVID-19 there may simply reflect what’s going on in the surrounding community. Kids and educators may be just as safe in school buildings – or possibly even safer – than they would be elsewhere. Why it matters Most districts closed the doors of their school buildings in March and did not reopen them for the remainder of the school year, instead offering students remote instruction. But evidence is growing that remote instruction isn’t working well, especially for low-income students and students of color. Given these challenges, many districts chose to offer in-person or hybrid instruction last fall. But as the number of COVID-19 cases rises, districts like Chicago’s and others are facing the difficult decision of whether to open schools – or to keep them open. To date there has been little data to guide them. Our study provides some of the first U.S.-based evidence to policymakers as they make these difficult choices. What still isn’t known While we provide specific estimates of when COVID-19 rates are high enough that the virus will likely spread as a result of opening schools, they should be treated with caution because statistical estimates are subject to error. The takeaway is not to focus on specific thresholds but rather to understand that levels exist at which in-person schooling contributes to community spread. Moreover, how schools open and the safety measures they take are likely to play a role in terms of what happens with COVID-19 cases. Schools can, for example, bring back only some students, require masks and keep desks spaced several feet apart from one another. These practices probably reduce transmission

of the disease. However, we are not able to assess how much these steps might help because we do not have information on safety protocols in individual schools or whether schools are following those protocols. What other research is being done So far, while there are some studies on how COVID-19 has affected learning, especially how the pandemic may be disproportionately harming the education of low-income and minority students, there is not much research about how the disease is spreading in U.S. schools. One study found associations between school closures in the spring of 2020 and COVID-19 in reductions deaths. However, other social distancing policies were enacted at the same time, making the contribution of schools unclear. A new study found results similar to ours when examining hospitalizations – that inwas instruction person associated with more nearby hospitalizations when existing COVID-19 rates were high, but that there was no such correlation when rates were low.p

Scott A Imberman is a Professor of Economics and Education Policy, Michigan State University Dan Goldhaberis a Director, Center for Education Data & Research, University of Washington Katharine O. Strunk is a Professor of Education Policy and EcoState Michigan nomics, University

January 2021

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Workers’ Safety

Actors' and Stage Utano Urges Greater Police Presence on Buses, Managers' Union Pledge to Help Subways

Distribute Vaccines

WU Local 100 President Tony Utano met on the afternoon of Thursday, January 14 with high-ranking Police Department chiefs to discuss the plague of assaults impacting Local 100 members in the subway and bus systems. Utano stressed the importance of an increased, more visible police presence to both deter crime and provide quicker responses in emergencies. “My members come to work to do a job, and they are going home with blood on their shirts,” Utano said. “These attacks are happening more and more, and they are getting worse.” The meeting included Chief of Department Terence Monahan, the second highestranking officer under NYPD Commissioner Dermot O’Shea; Chief of Patrol Juanita Holmes;

J and Transit Bureau Chief Kathleen O’Reilly, who is in charge of subway policing. In a bit of good news, Transit Bureau Chief O’Reilly said she expects the size of her division to grow in the near future. There are two classes of recruits in the NYPD Academy, and O’Reilly has been assured a “significant number” will be assigned to the Transit Bureau, she said. Chief of Patrol Juanita Holmes said precinct officers conducted 30,000 bus inspec-

tions last year. She said she would welcome union input on which routes and locations are the most problematic. Also attending the meeting were Assistant Transit Bureau Chief Vincent Coogan and Inspector Steven D’Ulisse, commanding officer of the police Public Information office. Police brass agreed to additional meetings with union leadership to exchange ideas and information regarding safety initiatives and operations.p

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oining its sibling union IATSE, Actors' Equity Association announced its commitment to providing resources from a shuttered theatre industry towards vaccinating the population— including union members. "Our collective industry depends upon promptness, attention to detail, adaptability, creative problem solving, taking initiative and being selfstarters," wrote Equity president Kate Shindle for Deadline. "That’s why so many stage managers and actors, the vast majority of whom have been unemployed since March 2020, have trained as census workers, poll workers, COVID compliance officers and more." Shindle went on to thank Pres-

ident Biden for invoking the Defense Production Act, and called on the administration to create a modern Works Progress Administration to find jobs for displaced workers.p

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January 2021

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In the News

Working Families Prevail in Georgia as Rioters Attack U.S. Capitol men and women who keep our Capitol running. All Americans must come together to not only condemn these attacks, but to hold accountable those within our own government who poured fuel on the fire by spreading lies and inciting their followers to politically motivated violence. Despite the efforts of those who would use force to defy the will of the American voters, Congress fulfilled its Constitutional obligation and certified the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as our next President and VicePresident. And on that same day, working people secured another historic victory, with AFL-CIO endorsed candidates Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff winning their Senate races in Georgia. The wins will give Democrats control of the Senate, with New York's own Senator Chuck Schumer poised to become the next Majority Leader. And as a result, we'll have a pro-labor majority and a chance at getting the real labor law reform and COVID-19 relief we’ve been fighting for. And NYC union members helped make it happen! Over the past few months, in partnership with our colleagues at the Georgia AFL-CIO, our affiliate members have made more than 10,000 calls to union households in Georgia. And in the days leading up to the election, members headed south to help in person, visiting and handing out PPE/GOTV information to over 500 workers at the chicken factories in Gainesville alongside GA Familias Unidas, knocking on doors with Poder LatinX, and opening/closing polls in Gwinnett County. They also participated in a voter engagement and volunteer meetup with Taco Sublime from Chicago sponsored by National LCLAA.p

CUNY Faculty & Students Call on Chancellor to Use New Federal Stimulus Funds to Keep Classes Open, Demand Moratorium on Bursar’s Holds for Student Debt

Pictured above: Bronxites Ivonne Rodriguez, UFT Retiree and Jose Vargas, LCLAA Executive Director and UFT member with other union members on the ground in GA. Photo courtesy NYC Central Labor Council

orking families across our city and nation were witness to one of the darkest days in our history, as a violent mob stormed the Capitol in an effort to overturn a free and fair election and prevent a peaceful and Constitutional transfer of power. Freedom of speech is one of our most fundamental principles, and every American has the right to protest and to make their voices heard. But that's not what this was. Wednesday, January 6 events, instigated by Donald Trump and his enablers, constituted an unprecedented attack on our democracy from within our own borders. Not only were our members of Congress and their staffs threatened, so was the safety of the thousands of hard working

Teamsters Win Hunts Point Strike

ore than 550 faculty, staff, students and union leaders were joined on Tuesday by NYC Council Higher Education Chair Inez Barron at an online press conference to demand that CUNY use the $455 million in new federal relief funds allocated to CUNY colleges to keep class sections open and allow students to enroll. CUNY colleges will receive more than $455 million under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), up to $337 million of which can be spent on institutional

needs arising from the pandemic. PSC-CUNY President Barbara Bowen said that CUNY must provide complete transparency about its spending of federal funds, use federal funds to maintain classes for students, relax course enrollment minimums, and immediately institute a moratorium on Bursar’s holds, temporary holds on re-enrollment caused by debt of as little as $100.p

Climate Jobs NY Update: CJNY Celebrates Historic “Climate Day” Executive Orders

B Photo courtesy NYC Central Labor Council

fter a one-week strike, 1,400 Hunts Point Produce Market workers are back on the job with historic raises. Teamsters Local 202 members approved their new union contract. The essential workers who

have stayed on the job throughout the pandemic supplying New York grocery stores and restaurants went on strike after management refused to offer them more than a 32-cent raise. The strike garnered widespread support from elected officials and community members. The Teamsters thank the New York City labor movement for bolstering their strike line and standing with them through this fight.p

efore President Biden signed the climate actions, National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy and Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry led a press briefing to preview the details of the Administration’s “whole-ofgovernment” approach to tackle the existential crisis of climate change while putting people back to work with good family-sustaining jobs. The order will take “historic strides” in addressing environmental justice, assessing how climate change is impacting U.S. foreign policy and national security, establishing a Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities to help workers transitioning out of the oil and gas industries and planning to double offshore wind production by 2030.

“This isn’t time for small measures, we need to be bold. It’s about jobs, good-paying union jobs, it’s a whole of government approach to put climate change at the center of our domestic, national security, and foreign policies. We can do this, we must do this, and we will do this," said President Biden before signing the Executive Orders. p

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January 2021

Jobs & Recession Remote Workers/ continued from page 1 Some workers may still get to work part-time from home, and some businesses will make remote work permanent. But tension between owners and workers is building as it becomes evident many employees are resistant to giving up working from home. In a survey, 65% said they want to work remotely full-time after the pandemic. And in a poll conducted by LiveCareer, 29% of working professionals said they would quit if they couldn’t continue working remotely. But those who push back against ownership’s preference to return to the office might paint themselves into a corner, especially if they aren’t in a position to quit, says Rod Robertson, international entrepreneur, and author of Winning at Entrepreneurship: Insider’s Tips on Buying, Building, and Selling Your Own Business. “The expected stimulus money will dissipate by the third quarter and as companies continue to struggle, the cuts will begin,” Robertson says. “Once we reach herd immunity, companies will be decid-

and coming up with more measurables for your performance.”

“Once there is herd immunity, the remote work issue shouldn’t be just about where employees feel they are most comfortable, but how they can be the most valuable and effective.” ing whether it makes sense to keep expensive office space. “Corporate gravity will begin to pull key workers back to the office, and there will be resistance from employees. And those companies that do choose to go remote at least part of the time may still downsize. The bottom line for workers is, if they want to work remotely, they would be wise to take the extra steps to ensure they stand out.” Robertson says employees who continue to work mostly from home should do these things to keep their performance and communication levels high: •Show up. Even if a company allows employees to work from home permanently, Robertson says they would be

wise to go to the office at least one day each week. “Out of sight might also mean out of mind, or out of job, when it’s time to trim the roster,” he says. “Working from a distance all the time is going to lower your skill level, your engagement, and your productivity. Employees need to make the time to have facetime in the office and stay in the groove with ownership and management. You can’t do that as well at home relying on technology.” •Show the human touch. “When we achieve herd immunity, face-to-face meetings with co-workers, managers and clients should be 20 to 25% of someone’s portfolio of time,” Robertson says. “Zoom

meetings are a pain because you have to set them up. Remote employees should prioritize live voice communication with colleagues, managers, and clients in order to stay in the game. Picking up the phone to talk with someone keeps the relationship alive and brings more clarity than constantly texting or emailing.” •Push your boss to measure you quantitatively. “Woe to the remote employees who believe they are not under increasing scrutiny – downsizing is on the way,” Robertson says. “The good employees working at home will have more reporting mechanisms in place. Show your boss your genuine enthusiasm by being proactive

•Do extracurricular work. “The question is, how can you be front-and-center with the boss?” Robertson says. “One way is to do extracurricular work by bringing relevant and helpful articles to ownership. Develop a thesis for those articles to show that you’re a thought leader. Executives and managers are flooded with emails, so the smart employees send a synthesis of an article that’s to the point. “Businesses can’t afford slippage,” Robertson says. “Once there is herd immunity, the remote work issue shouldn’t be just about where employees feel they are most comfortable, but how they can be the most valuable and effective.”

About Rod Robertson Rod Robertson’s 20-plus-year career in transaction experience and entrepreneurship includes guest lecturing around the globe at institutions such as Harvard Business School as well as business forums and news outlets worldwide.

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January 2021

Home Ownership

What Is the Difference Between A Foreclosure and A Short Sale? BY ALEX MASON

he real estate industry is facing some tough challenges today. Home values sinking under water have created a new set of home owner concerns accompanied by new terms and vocabulary. Many people have not yet adapted to the terminology of foreclosure versus short sale, often mixing up the two options when the mortgage can no longer be sustained. The two terms, foreclosure and short sale, are somewhat interrelated and often confused. To set the record straight, let's look at each maneuver in a nutshell. What Is a Short Sale? A short sale is a remedy to save the distressed property from a seizure by the lender. Home owners who believe that they can no longer handle

their house payments or are burdened with a property due to relocation issues may elect to sell the home for less than they owe through a short sale. The short sale is designed to move the property quickly before a Notice of Default is issued and foreclosure proceedings begin. This tactic is often the last resort before a distressed property hits the courthouse steps for auction. Although the short sale can release a distressed borrower from the property, there is often zero profit in the sale of the home for the owner's pocket. However, their credit damaged less than a foreclosure, and he or she is free to walk away. The short sale should be handled by a real estate specialist that has plenty of experience with successful short sales. Time is of the essence with a short sale to ensure the home

owner does not fall behind on the mortgage payments. A few missed payments could send the home into default, so the short sale must be smooth sailing to beat the deadlines. The short-sale real estate agent will advertise the home as a discounted property, yet try to recover as much for the home as possible with the sale. The short sale tactic involves the bank, so each offer on the property is subject to the lender's approval. The short-sale agent must have a strong working relationship with the lenders and be able to sell the property before the homeowner suffers financial consequences. A short sale can be tricky, so if this is the right pathway for you, be sure to shop wisely on who will represent your home with the short sale.

What Is a Foreclosure? A foreclosure is the last resort for a distressed borrower that can no longer make payments on the property. Perhaps he or she put their home on the market as a short sale, but there were no takers on the deal. A Notice of Default will be issued to the property owner which gives the borrower a small grace period to bring the mortgage current. If the borrower cannot make the payments, the property will be seized by the bank or private lender. If you are struggling with your mortgage payment, you must immediately contact your lender. Many finance companies are eager to work with a distressed borrower to avoid foreclosure proceedings. Despite popular belief, the lender does not want to take the property with a foreclo-

sure. This process costs them money in the long run with insurance, taxes and the responsibility to find a new owner. They are far more inclined to sit down and negotiate to keep the current owner in the home. To avoid foreclosure, honestly evaluate your financial status, set forth a budget, then make the necessary contacts to correct the issue. You may wish to do a short sale to quickly release the cumbersome property, seek an attorney for a bankruptcy escape or work out a new payment program with your current lender. Free Consultation Need assistance? We will be happy to meet with you and share our guidance. Schedule an appointment today. call us at 855-768-8845.p

January 2021

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Old & New Immigrants: Their Rights

What You Need to Know About the Latest Changes to the H-1B Registration Process BY LESLIE DELLON

he Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently issued a final rule changing the way U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) selects the registrations of U.S. employers that want to file H-1B petitions subject to the annual “cap.” The end result could dramatically reduce the number of recent foreign graduates who can work in the United States and may even trickle down to whether foreign students choose to study here. Instead of purely random selection, USCIS will give preference to jobs with the highest wages in the particular occupation and area of employment. Yet the law establishing the H-1B visa category does not provide for wage level selection.

The H-1B visa category is for jobs that require a worker to apply a body of highly specialized knowledge acquired through a bachelor’s or higher degree in a “specific specialty” or equivalent at the entry level. There are four wage levels that are supposed to correspond to the education, experience, and supervision required. Level 1 is “entry level;” Level 2 “qualified;” Level 3 “experienced;” and Level 4 “fully competent.” The effect of this change is that no Level 1 wage registrations and likely only 75% of Level 2 wage registrations will be selected to file petitions for the H-1B “cap” visa numbers. A company that offered an entry-level job to a recent foreign graduate of a U.S. university would not have that registration selected. A U.S. employer already must pay an H-1B worker the

higher of either the prevailing wage for the job’s occupational classification in the area of intended employment or the actual wage the employer pays to its workers with “similar experience and qualifications.” U.S. employers are prohibited from hiring an H-1B worker at a wage or under working conditions less favorable than comparable U.S. workers. The likely result of this change will be that recent foreign graduates of U.S. universities will not be able to work

in the United States. If recent foreign graduates will not be able to work, then foreign students are less likely to attend U.S. universities. Start-up companies and even more established smaller employers may also be unable to hire H-1B workers. The agency received over 1,000 comments despite providing only 30 days for comment. In responding to the negative comments, USCIS repeatedly asserted that while random selection is not opti-

mal for H-1B visa number allocation, the agency believes that using wage levels is “consistent” or “more consistent” with the “primary purpose” of the law. But the very definition of “specialty occupation” refutes this assertion. A specialty occupation requires the “theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge” and a “bachelor’s or higher degree in the specific specialty or its equivalent” at the entry-level. Wage levels are primarily based on years of experience— which does not equate with DHS’ repeated mantra of hiring the “best and brightest.” USCIS also claimed employers could just pay the noncitizen more so they fall into the higher wage level. This response demonstrates either ignorance of or disdain continued on page 20

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January 2021

Generations H1-B Process Registration/ continued from page 19

What The Biden Presidency Means For Older Americans BY CHRIS ORESTIS

n his run for the presidency, Joe Biden laid out a “Plan for Older Americans” that reflected the Democratic party philosophy that healthcare and living with dignity after retirement are an inalienable right for all. The Biden-Harris plan addresses long-standing inequities based on age and income when it comes to accessing quality, affordable healthcare and living in a financially secure retirement. This is critical because seniors are among the most vulnerable population in the United States from both a health and financial perspective. Some of the key points the plan makes that would improve the lives of older American’s and their families include:

There is no one magic bullet to address these issues. Access to healthcare and a dignified retirement comes from a mosaic of programs.

Prescription drug costs. As the plan articulates, Medicare should use its considerable bargaining power to reign in the expensive costs of prescription drugs. Bringing down these costs would have an immediate impact on the pocketbooks of seniors across the United States, many of whom struggle to make ends meet. Some are forced to choose between their medicine and food. They often address the high

costs of prescription drugs by rationing care and dosage. They can’t afford their prescriptions and so either delay or avoid needed care, or they try to stretch out their medications to last longer. This practice is not healthy and actually exacerbates the costs of healthcare because their health declines instead of improving, which is ultimately more expensive for themselves and all of us.

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Your right to health care with dignity

NYC Care, the key to the City’s health care, is a no- or low-cost medical services program offered by NYC Health + Hospitals to New Yorkers who do not qualify for health insurance.

Affordable health insurance. Providing affordable health insurance coverage to millions of Americans has been accomplished through the Affordable Care Act. But there is still work to be done. Biden vows to build on the program as it exists, finding ways to improve it and cover more people. That’s a far better plan than repealing the act and start-

for the responsibility of employers to have fair and consistent practices in setting salaries. In the real world, it is highly unlikely that an employer is going to offer a recent graduate the same salary as an employee with years of experience. If the final rule takes effect on March 9, the new selection process would apply to 2020 registration submissions for H1B visa numbers available as of October 1, the start of fiscal year 2021. The Biden administration is expected to delay the start of any rules published but not yet in effect as of January 20. The exact length of the delay will depend on the wording of the Biden administration’s memo. When the Obama administration took office, effective dates were delayed by 60 days. If the Biden administration follows this approach, then the effective date would be delayed until May. If USCIS plans to have an initial registration period in March, like it did in 2019, then this would effectively postpone the selection change for a year. If and when it becomes effective, the final rule is likely to be challenged in court as an unlawful agency action. Plaintiffs may be from the business and the academic communities.p

To learn more and to enroll, call 1-646-NYC-CARE (1-646-692-2273). Visit nyccare.nyc

oes your union have members that want to get more involved in their communities? Community Boards are the most grassroots level of New York City’s government and serve an advisory role providing recommendations to the City Council and the Office of the Borough President and working with City agencies to resolve local service issues. The NYC CLC offers various workshops to union members and retirees that include information on the City budget, Uniform Land Use Review Process (ULURP), Zoning Laws, application readiness and assistance, NYC government history, and understanding local community issues. For more information on our trainings and resources contact CLC Community Outreach Coordinator Xiomara Loarte at xloarte@nycclc.org or 917-2252712. p

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January 2021

Generations Older Americans/ continued from page 20 ing over from scratch, as some want to do. Over the last decade the ACA has become embedded into the American healthcare system like Medicare and Medicaid have since the 1960’s. Social Security and Medicare. The long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare must be addressed now before it’s too late. The challenge is how to find revenues and cost savings to extend these programs without lowering benefits. Not only is this the third-rail of politics, but it is the Gordian knot of our era that will require bold action to solve. Medicaid. Biden also recognizes the importance to seniors of protecting Medicaid. More and more seniors have come to rely on Medicaid to pay for their long-term costs, As a result, it’s imperative that the federal-state partnership that has funded and administered this program for decades continue to provide critical sup-

port for our most vulnerable populations. It will be important to offer tax incentives to encourage and reward people who seek private pay solutions such as long-term care insurance, life settlements and reverse mortgages as alternative funding vehicles so they don’t have as much need for Medicaid. Retirement savings. Creating greater incentives for people to save for the future with tax-advantaged retirement vehicles such as 401(k) accounts is necessary as this has become the 21st Century pension. Biden’s plan argues that the current

system provides upper-income families a stronger tax break for saving than it does lower wage earners At this point, it’s a no-brainer to level this playing field so that lower-income workers and seniors who want to continue working and saving are not at a disadvantage. Every opportunity to encourage saving for the future, no matter how far off or how close, should be provided for all Americans. There is no one magic bullet to address these issues. Access to healthcare and a dignified retirement comes from a mosaic of programs.

The combination of ACA, Medicare and Medicaid are all necessary to provide the broadest possible healthcare safety net for people at all ages and stages of life. The combination of protecting Social Security, tax-incentives for retirement savings, and programs designed to empower workers at all ages and income levels is how people will have the best shot at a financially secure and dignified retirement. The Plan for Older Americans lays out a blueprint to get there, but doing so will take a rare mix of vision, political will and cooperation from both sides of the aisle.p

About Chris Orestis Chris Orestis, known as the “Retirement Genius” is President of LifeCare Xchange and a nationally recognized healthcare expert and senior advocate. He is credited with pioneering the LongTerm Care Life Settlement over a decade ago. Orestis is e is a frequent columnist for Broker World, ThinkAdvisor, IRIS, and NewsMax Finance, has been a featured guest on over 50 radio programs, and has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, NBC News, Fox News, USA Today, Kiplinger’s, Investor’s Business Daily, PBS, and numerous other media outlets.

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January 2021

Arts & Entertainment

AFM Local 802 Warns of Looming Great Cultural Depression

ven in these extraordinary times, with millions having lost their jobs and tens of thousands of businesses having closed since the coronavirus pandemic spread, losses in the performing arts and related sectors have been staggering. During the quarter ending in September, when the overall unemployment rate averaged 8.5 percent, 52 percent of ac-

tors, 55 percent of dancers and 27 percent of musicians were out of work, according to the National Endowment for the Arts. The new $15 billion worth of stimulus aid for performance venues and cultural institutions that was finally approved this week will not end mass unemployment for performers anytime soon. And it only extends federal unemployment aid through

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mid-March. “My fear is we’re not just losing jobs, we’re losing careers,” said Adam Krauthamer, President of AFM Local 802, adding that 95 percent of the local’s 7,000 members are not working on a regular basis because of the mandated shutdown. “It will create a great cultural depression." In better news, a second

donor has stepped up to offer a matching grant for AFM Local 802's #SaveNYCMusic campaign in order to help reach the goal of $250,000 to provide emergency relief to musicians, address the health fund’s shortfall, and enhance 802's efforts to get musicians safely back to work, restoring the musical heart and soul of New York. p

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AFM Local 802 Calls Out Met for Outsourcing of NYE Gala

FM Local 802 is responding to the Metropolitan Opera's decision to hire non-Met musicians to perform under the banner of the Metropolitan Opera at the Opera's New Year's Eve gala. This is the fourth fundraising event where Met management is unethically outsourcing its musicians while, at the same time, attempting to use the pandemic as an opportunity to gut the regular Met musicians’ contract through destructive bargaining. "The deepest offense any artistic institution can make is the choice to attack its own artists," said Local 802 President Adam Krauthamer. "Let’s be clear: hiring non-Met musicians under the banner of the Metropolitan Opera and outsourcing the orchestra's work is an attack on the Met as an artistic institution and an insult to the very artists who work there. The Met is still the only major American orchestra that has furloughed and not paid its musicians or given them any kind of substantial financial aid or lifeline during the pandemic. This is the kind of negligent leadership that leads to the self destruction of the Met’s artistic credibility, and -on a larger scale -- to a Great Cultural Depression. p

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January 2021

Love, Health & Travel

How to Heal After a Breakup BY ESTES THERAPY

hether you’re the dumper, the dumpee, or a “conscious uncoupler,” breakups are hard. There’s tons of advice about dealing with breakups and most of it involves a rebound, a Louisville slugger to both headlights, and a pint of Ben & Jerrys. Not to discount the power of Half Baked, but we both know that a pint of ice cream lasts about 30 minutes and while that might have been enough time to get over your middle school crush, it takes considerably longer to heal after a grown adult heartbreak. You need real, helpful tips for getting through this time with at least a shred of sanity left. 1. Sit in the Uncertainty… When going through a breakup, it is normal to want to find any sliver of certainty in a chaotic situation. You Google things like, How long does it take to get over a breakup? and

Stages of grief and Buying Ben & Jerrys in bulk (okay, that last one is unrelated, but still). You try to plan and control the situation to determine when you will be ready to move on. That doesn’t work. But remember: It is okay to be uncomfortable. Just sit in that discomfort, because you know what? This is hard. It just is. Ride it out. 2. …And Take Comfort in Routine. While you are going through this transitional time, let yourself bask in the comfort of routines that still bring you joy. Make your morning coffee and drink it in bed. Go on your favorite Sunday-night walk with a friend. Re-read a favorite book and re-watch your favorite Netflix show. Schedule at least 30 minutes of something that brings you comfort and peace into every single day. Actually schedule it in: Add it to your Google Calendar and put it on the to-do list. Don’t let it get lost, because self-care is important work, es-

pecially during a break-up. 3. Feel Your Feelings… You might be feeling some horrible combination of devastated, confused, worthless, relieved, angry, afraid, embarrassed, or totally shocked. Feel those feelings. How? I want you to notice your emotion, name it, then validate it. Imagine you go check out your ex’s Instagram, and you find out they blocked you. You feel the blood drain out of your face and your heart gets tight in your chest. This is your emotion showing up in your body. Notice the way that it feels and how long it lasts. Name the emotion. In this case, it might be “anger,” or “shock,” or “sadness.” Now validate, validate, validate. Say something like, “I am angry, and that’s okay. This emotion is temporary. I am safe.” 4 …But Also Escape for a Bit. While it is so important to not ignore the feelings that are showing up, it’s also okay to

take a break. One of our favorite ways to escape is by reading a book: It feels so nice to take a break from the craziness of your own life and dive into the drama of characters’ lives. Plus, reading increases empathy and understanding. The same general effect can be achieved through pretty much any reality TV franchise. 5. Move Your Body… Remember to prioritize gentle and joyful movement. Exercise releases endorphins which act as analgesics, which are basically natural painkillers. The

endorphins from exercise are also known to improve your mood and decrease anxiety and depression. FYI: Punching a bag with your ex’s face taped to it totally counts. Bonus points for any movement you can do outside. 6. …And Rest You might notice that things you could normally breeze through feel way more difficult when you’re going through a breakup. That is totally normal and there is actually a scientific explanation for continued on page 24

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January 2021

Love, Health & Travel

4 New Year’s Resolutions Black Women Can Make to Improve Heart Health

igh blood pressure — the leading risk factor for heart attack and stroke — continues to disproportionately affect communities of color. Addressing this health inequity is especially important right now, as people with hypertension and serious heart conditions are at an increased risk for more severe outcomes if they acquire COVID-19. According to the American Heart Association, the prevalence of high blood pressure among Black adults in the U.S. is among the highest in the world, with the prevalence of high blood pressure in Black women nearly 40 percent higher than white women in the U.S. While many long-standing inequities and stressors produced by structural racism have created and continue to exacerbate these conditions, there are steps individuals can take to help improve their blood pressure right now. The New Year is a great opportunity to prioritize self-care and get started.

This is why the American Medical Association (AMA), the AMA Foundation, Association of Black Cardiologists, American Heart Association, Minority Health Institute and National Medical Association have launched the “Release the Pressure” campaign. The campaign is aimed at partnering with Black women to help improve their heart health and be part of a movement for healthy blood pressure, with a shared goal of engaging more than 300,000 Black women. As part of the campaign, the AMA and this coalition of national health care organizations encourages Black women to take a pledge to be part of a healthy blood pressure movement at ReleaseThePressure.org. Specifically, the pledge encourages Black women to take the following four steps: 1. Set a blood pressure goal: Schedule an appointment with your physician or other health care professional, inperson or virtually, to work in partnership on understanding

your blood pressure numbers and knowing your goal for optimal blood pressure. 2. Monitor blood pressure numbers at home: Once you learn your blood pressure numbers, take and keep regular records of your blood pressure. 3. Activate a personalized wellness plan: Identify specific goals for fitness and heart healthy eating and connect virtually with family members and friends from your “squad” to keep you on track.

4. Make regular check-ins with your “squad”: Lean on your family and friends to help you achieve your heart health goals by checking in with them on a daily basis. “Preventive care is vital to breaking the devastating impact of high blood pressure within the Black community, particularly during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” says Patrice A. Harris, M.D., MA, president of the AMA. “At the individual and family level, it starts with understanding blood pressure numbers and taking action to manage blood pressure.”(StatePoint)p

After a Breakup/ continued from page 23

it. Because our bodies haven’t caught up with our modernday problems, they still think that stress = lions, tigers, and bears, so our fight-or-flight response kicks in. This is super adaptive, but not totally helpful during a breakup. It makes us hone in on the danger (making it hard to concentrate on day-to-day tasks), gets our muscles ready to run (leading to sore muscles, stiffness, and a flu-like feeling), keeps us onguard (making it hard to sleep), and stops our digestive processes (meaning tons of stomach aches). In light of all of this, be intentional about building in time to move a little more slowly so you can actually take care of yourself without adding to the stress hormones that are already floating around in your body. 7. Know Your Normal. If you notice yourself experiencing high levels of anxiety or depression, or if your mood is impeding on your basic functioning, you may need more support. Breakups are not easy and you deserve to be supported through that profoundly painful time. If you’re struggling, reach out to your doctor, a psychiatrist, or a therapist for some breakup counseling. If you are having any suicidal thoughts or thoughts of self-harm, know that you don’t have to be alone. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741741 for 24/7 support. At the end of the day (and at the beginning… and in the middle), healing after a breakup is imperfect and bumpy. Be kind and gentle with yourself as you navigate the grief. And, of course, we highly recommend keeping a pint of ice cream handy, just for a little extra comfort and love.p

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Here at Estes Therapy we like to put our minds together and collaborate on pieces in order to get the best content for our readers. So when you see a post by “Estes Therapy” it means we all worked together to provide even more well rounded information on these topics from the differing experiences and viewpoints of the team!

High blood pressure, diabetes & your heart Type 2 diabetes puts you at higher risk for heart disease, but there are steps you can take to lower your risk. Managing your blood pressure is one way to lower your risk of heart disease.

High blood pressure is anything above 120/80 mmHg.

What can you do? Start simple

What’s the connection?

Ask your doctor to check your kidney function and blood pressure.

Adults with diabetes are

Know your numbers

MORE LIKELY TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK OR STROKE THAN PEOPLE WITHOUT DIABETES.

The combination of high blood pressure and diabetes drastically increases your risks. That’s why it’s vital to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range. If you have diabetes, there is a lot you can do to manage your high blood pressure. Talk to your doctor about your next steps.

Keeping your blood pressure and blood glucose in your target ranges is vital for your overall health.

Keep it up Take care of yourself with exercise, healthy diet and taking your medications as prescribed.

You’re not in this alone. Find answers to your questions and join the initiative at: https://KnowDiabetesbyHeart.org/join © 2020 American Heart Association, Inc. and American Diabetes Association, 501(c)(3) not-for-profits. All rights reserved. Know Diabetes by Heart is a trademark of the American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association. Unauthorized use prohibited. Citations available upon request.

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January 2021

Conversations

How Will Trump’s Stalled Pandemic Stimulus Bill Signing Impact Unemployment Benefits? How can you access the new benefits? If you are currently receiving unemployment benefits:

BY LAUREN COSTANTINO THE CITY

resident Donald Trump’s stalled signing of the $900 billion pandemic stimulus bill Sunday came a day after two key pandemic unemployment aid programs expired under the CARES Act. The president’s delay spurred concerns about a lapse in benefits. But unemployed workers in New York are not expected to lose this week’s benefits over Trump’s timing, according to a state Department of Labor spokesperson. This means New Yorkers will receive 11 full weeks of the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) of the extra $300 per week — including both the week ending Dec. 27 and the week ending Jan. 3. Michele Evermore, employ-

Continue to recertify No need to call to receive the extended benefits, according to the Department of Labor If you received benefits, but your benefit year has ended: You need to reapply for unemployment benefits online.

ment law expert at the National Employment Law Project, said: “It was really confusing, but now it looks like this benefit week will be covered.” So when can you expect to see the new benefits in your account? Next week, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo. He announced Tuesday afternoon

that New Yorkers will receive extended federal unemployment benefits starting the week of Jan. 3. This includes extended Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits and the additional $300 per week from Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation.

What about that extra $100 per week? As we mentioned in our last update, it’s for workers who have both wage income (as recorded on a W-2 form) and are self-employed (like freelancers). These workers may have lost both jobs due to the pandemic. Workers in this situation could get traditional UI after losing their wage job. But if they made more than $5,000 of self-employment income, they

would be ineligible for PUA, meaning their unemployment benefits could be significantly less. Now workers who can’t get PUA may be eligible for an extra $100 per week, in addition to the extra $300. The benefit is called the Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC) program. New York has officially signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor to offer these benefits to eligible workers. New York’s Labor Department is still waiting on guidance from the federal government on how exactly to implement that program, according to a spokesperson. We’ll keep you updated — including where to apply — as we learn more.p

This story was published on December 30, 2020 by THE CITY.

AFTER YOU HAVE A LUNG REMOVED, TAKE SHORT BREATHS. Annette, Age 57, Diagnosed at 52 New York

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