Our DOL October 2021

Our DOL family lost our beloved friend and colleague, Ed Vargas, on Friday October 1, 2021. Ed began his journey with the DOL in 2015, and served as our Director of Labor Relations.

Ed was a powerful force in the labor movement, and he had a true compassion for other human beings. After he returned from the Air Force, he joined the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) as a shipping clerk in Local 99. He rose through the labor ranks and became one of the most respected and beloved union organizers NYC has ever seen. 

After decades in organized labor, it’s no surprise that Ed ended up at the Department of Labor to continue to fight for workers and their rights.

Ed was very instrumental in organizing the annual Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire memorial, and due to his efforts, New York will now have a permanent memorial to remember those who lost their lives in that horrible tragedy.

He will be greatly missed by all. 

See how Stephanie Pena’s strong family bonds made her a helpful, calming voice in our call center, and how a unique skill led to her voicing TV and radio ads that aired statewide.

By Daniel Gorman

Starting this month, the NYS DOL will begin rolling out a video series for the “This Is Why” campaign. We turned our attention to the jobs in New York State with the greatest need for new applicants, while also showcasing that our Jobs Bank has employment opportunities for people of all skill and experience levels. Each video features someone in the industry offering their honest take on the job, from how they got into it, to what it takes to perform their duties, to perks of the position. We hope that these enthusiastic testimonials by real New Yorkers about available jobs will create a groundswell of excitement in our out-of-work population, and give them new ideas for careers they might have never considered. 

Here’s a sneak peek! 

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, victims of domestic violence lose 8 million days of paid work each year, resulting in a $1.8 billion loss in productivity. The New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (NYS OPDV) reports that calls to the Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline increased an average of 45% during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the NYS DOL reminds employees that help is available to anyone in need. NYS OPDV offers several free resources, including the Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline, which is staffed by professionals who can help. To talk to an advocate, reach out by calling 800-942-6906, texting 844-997-2121, or via live chat at opdv.ny.gov. All calls, text messages and chats are confidential, secure, and private.

Thursday, October 21 is National Wear Purple Day. The NYS DOL encourages employees to wear purple that day in support of raising awareness of domestic violence. 

One in 8 women in the U.S will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lifetime, and 1 in 39 women will die from breast cancer. A man’s risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 833.

In 2021, in the United States alone, more than 281,500 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women, and over 2,600 cases diagnosed in men. This year, about 43,600 women in the U.S. are expected to die from breast cancer. 

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. The good news is that there are more than 3.8 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. alone. While there is no way to prevent breast cancer, there are some things everyone can do to lower their risk, including getting regular breast cancer screenings to help with early detection. 

Researchers continue to study ways to fight breast cancer and work towards a cure. During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, you can support their efforts by participating in fundraising activities in your region, being an advocate for breast cancer awareness, and volunteering to help breast cancer survivors in your community. Make a donation to provide a life-saving mammogram for women in need. Spread the word about Breast Cancer Awareness Month on social media and encourage others to get screened. Share a message of encouragement with someone who is battling breast cancer, a survivor, or someone who has been affected by breast cancer. Wear a pink ribbon to show your support. One small deed can make a world of difference.

To learn more, partner with one of the local organizations in your community such as the American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen, the National Breast Cancer Foundation, or the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to name a few. 

By Daniel Gorman

Would you like to change the life of someone in need this holiday season? With the SEFA campaign in full swing, now is the time to make a difference in someone’s life. The SEFA campaign is the annual charitable solicitation of New York State employees. It’s a fast, easy way to contribute to the charity of your choice. From September 1 through to December 31, you can make a flat donation or pledge an amount to be deducted from your paycheck. And you get to choose which charities your contributions will support. One person’s charitable contributions can make a huge difference in the life of someone in need. Last year, NYS employees raised $654,213 for Capital Region charitable organizations, and this year we’d love to give even more. If you want to give back this holiday season, visit www.sefanys.org today and fill out your ePledge form. 

By Aaron Cagwin

While presidential elections tend to dominate when it comes to media coverage and voter turnout, off-year local elections can have a greater impact on our day-to-day lives. 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are about 19,500 incorporated places – cities, towns, and villages – in the United States. On Tuesday, November 2, elections in these locations will affect local laws, taxes, land use and development, water quality, transportation, education, and more.

In addition to electing leaders who will make decisions concerning these critical issues, New Yorkers will also weigh in on five statewide ballot measures:

• Proposal 1 - Makes changes to the redistricting process in New York
• P2 – Creates a state constitutional right to clean air, clean water, and a healthful environment
• P3 - Authorizes the legislature to pass a law for same-day voter registration
• P4 - Authorizes the legislature to pass a law for no-excuse absentee voting
• P5 - Increases the NYC Civil Court's jurisdiction from civil cases involving $25,000 to $50,000

To learn more about the November 2 elections, view your registration status, request an absentee ballot or find your polling place, visit the New York State Board of Elections website at elections.ny.gov.
 

Each year, New York State offers annual trainings to its employees to support and assist them in their work. Training topics range from workplace safety to cultural awareness to supervisory training.  All NYS DOL employees are pre-enrolled in these training classes in the Statewide Learning Management System (SLMS). 

All classes are designed to keep employees informed and safe, helping them perform their work with integrity and accuracy. The NYS DOL would like to make sure all employees are aware of the following topics and complete the relevant training class by November 15. Please be sure to review each of the descriptions below.

• Prevention of Workplace Violence 
  • This class will examine the legal and regulatory requirements that each agency must meet in workplace violence prevention.
• Sexual Harassment in the Workplace 
  • This class will examine discrimination based on sex, what constitutes inappropriate behavior in the workplace, and reporting requirements
• Privacy and Security of Health Information 
  • This class will review privacy and security laws that protect patient health information in New York and how they affect day-to-day work activities including laws specific to mental health, HIV, developmental disabilities, or alcohol and substance abuse information.
• Safe Mail Handling
  • This class will look at how to handle mail safely in the work environment. Ensuring not only your safety; however, the safety of others as well.
• Equal Employment Opportunity: Rights and Responsibilities
  • This class will review employee rights and responsibilities under equal employment laws and policies.
• Language Access 
  • This class goes over the importance of Language Access and how New York State provides translation services to the people of our state. 
• Supervisor’s Guide to Reasonable Accommodation of Employees with Disabilities and Pregnancy-Related Conditions 
  • This class will review the procedures for implementing reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities and pregnancy-related conditions in NYS agencies.
• Supervisor’s Guide to Reasonable Accommodation of Religious Observance or Practices 
  • This class will review the procedures for implementing reasonable accommodation based on religious observance or practices in NYS agencies.

Have questions or need assistance? 

The Training and Development Office helps with the annual training effort, and if you have any questions, they are always happy to hear from you. You can reach them at 518-457-7442 or [email protected].