Our DOL September 2021

Find out what the weather and the newest member of the DOL Communications team have in common in this month’s OUR DOL Family!

Governor Kathy Hochul made history last month when she was sworn in as the 57th and first female Governor of the State of New York. Before being elevated to Governor, Kathy Hochul served as Lieutenant Governor from 2015 to 2021, regularly visiting every county across New York State and listening to concerns from residents, businesses, and partners in federal, state, and local government. 

Governor Hochul comes from a labor family. Her grandfather was a steelworker at Bethlehem Steel outside of Buffalo. Her father followed in his footsteps and became a union organizer. Governor Hochul has been fighting for working families throughout her career. As Lieutenant Governor, she fought for Paid Family Leave, a higher minimum wage, ending sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace, expanding access to childcare and more. Governor Hochul also chaired the statewide Regional Economic Development Councils, which has been strategically stimulating long-term economic development in communities across New York State. While serving in Congress, she championed job creation, bridging skills gaps for workers, and creating opportunities for returning veterans. 

To learn more about Governor Hochul, visit www.governor.ny.gov/about-governor-hochul.
 

Due to a rise in COVID-19 infections across New York State, the Department of Labor has issued new guidance to protect employees, clients, vendors, contractors, and visitors. Effective immediately, all individuals must wear face coverings indoors at all DOL facilities in counties with high or substantial transmission rates or in localities subject to a governmental mask order. Masks must be worn regardless of vaccination status. Employees must check county COVID-19 status updates regularly via the Centers for Disease Control’s Online Tracker at covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view. Masks must be worn in indoor spaces except in instances where: employees are alone in an office or room, at their desk or workstation, or when actively eating or drinking. Group gatherings are also prohibited at this time. 

Employees should continue to report to their work sites per their schedules or telecommuting agreements. Please do not enter a DOL facility if you are ill or are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Contact DOL Office of Employee Relations at 518-457-6651 or email [email protected] for appropriate guidance, if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, had recent close contacts as defined by CDC/DOH, and/or tested positive for COVID-19.

September 11, 2001 was a pivotal moment for all New Yorkers. This month, we mourn the thousands of victims who lost their lives in the deadly attacks. We also pay tribute to the thousands of essential workers who worked around the clock to restore New York. Because of their selflessness, New York emerged stronger and more resilient than ever, and it would not have been possible without their determination, vigilance, and love for our nation. 

The historic Excluded Workers Fund (EWF) program is off to an impressive start thanks to our DOL team! More than $850 million in EWF benefits was approved for distribution by DOL in the first month of the program going live. Of these benefits, $250 million has already been released and an additional $600 million is undergoing final verification for applicants identified as eligible.

Since the application launched on Aug. 1, DOL has processed over 90,000 applications in thirteen different languages. Fund administrators initially estimated that review and processing would take six to eight weeks, but close collaboration from DOL leaders with various State agencies allowed payments to go out much sooner.

The $2.1 billion fund was created to support New Yorkers who could not get unemployment, pandemic, or other federal relief benefits. It is the first entirely state-run and state-funded program in the country to support workers who did not qualify for government-issued economic relief.

Applicants can apply online 24/7 and DOL is also providing a 600-person multilingual call center, available to provide application assistance six days a week. 

To learn more about the efforts of our DOL family and EWF, visit dol.ny.gov/ewf.

Though New York was not the first state to pass a law recognizing Labor Day, it was the site of the first Labor Day parade, held in New York City on September 5, 1882. On that day, more than 10,000 workers took unpaid time off to march in New York City, from City Hall to Union Square, then to Reservoir Park where they had a picnic with their families. Labor Day was organized by the Central Labor Union and conceived to celebrate the contributions and achievements of the working class, while also bringing to light the need for serious reform in the workplace. 

The late 19th century Industrial Revolution saw workers enduring unimaginable work conditions at wages that were driven as low as possible by employers. It wasn’t uncommon for a worker to endure a 14- to 16-hour workday, six or even seven days a week. Most workers averaged around $8-10 a week, with women earning much less. Children as young as five in some cases were often employed in dangerous jobs suited to their smaller sizes. Factories utilized machines without safety standards, leading to a staggering number of injuries and deaths, with no worker compensation. The American factory worker frequently worked in settings where they saw very little sunlight, inhaled smoke, heavy metals, and chemicals, and were only given breaks at lunch and at dinner. 

Today, Labor Day celebrates how far we’ve come, and who we’re fighting for. It’s a moment to remember the pillars of our mission–to protect workers, to assist the unemployed, and to connect job seekers to jobs–and to remain true to the spirit of those reformers who fought for the safety and security of American workers and laid the foundations for what we do today. The work of the DOL has never been more important. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have instituted strict health safety guidelines in workplaces to keep our essential frontline workers safe. We’ve delivered almost $100 billion in Unemployment Insurance benefits. And we have become the first and best job-search resource for New Yorkers, offering everything from resume workshops to virtual job fairs, and leads to over 200,000 jobs in our Job Bank. When New York’s workers needed us, we delivered. And we will continue to deliver, to ensure that New York’s workforce continues to have access to the support they need and the jobs they deserve. 
 

The New York State Department of Labor was excited to be part of the return of the Great New York State Fair! As our state continues to move forward, our DOL family was thrilled to share resources and services with New Yorkers from all across the state. In case you weren’t able to visit us during the 18-day run, we thought we’d bring some of the fair to you! 

The Hispanic and Latinx communities are a vital part of New York State’s strong and diverse workforce. Hispanic Heritage Month runs September 15 to October 15. Please join us as we honor and celebrate their many contributions to the labor movement and to our robust economy. 

DOL’s Annual Hot Dog Day was held on Tuesday, August 17, 2021 at the Building 12 loading dock.

Due to the generosity of our DOL family, this year’s event raised $3,874 for the Tri-County Council of Vietnam Era Veterans. This marked 33 years of giving back to our veterans.

Tri-county Council Vietnam Era Veterans is a not-for-profit organization that was founded in 1982 to aid and assist veterans and their families and the community at large in the New York Counties of Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer. They have extended their services to Columbia, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Montgomery, Fulton, Saratoga, Schoharie, Warren, and Washington Counties.

Thank you so much to each of you who made this year’s event a success!

In 1979, DOL’s ‘Incoming Mail Unit’ received the following letter: 

Gentlemen:

I thought you might find the attached copy of an Unemployment check issued in August 1938 to be of interest. It was issued to my step-father & he never cashed it. The back advised that you could not earn more than $2.00 per week. 

Sincerely, 

Frances Landsberg,
North Hollywood, California

In fact, this check was issued on October 14, 1938, for the week ending August 12, 1938 – and thirty cents in those days is a little less than six dollars today, meaning that Louis Bendersky waited over two months to receive a check that would barely have bought him a meal. A far cry from today’s UI system!

According to Ancestry.com, Louis Bendersky was born in 1892 in Tarashcha, Ukraine (then in Russia) and came to the U.S. when he was 20 years old, where he found work in one of New York City’s garment factories, an occupation he appears to have followed both before and after his time collecting unemployment during the Great Depression. Mr. Bendersky passed away in 1973. 

Thanks very much to Colleen O’Neill of the DOL Property Office for bringing this fascinating piece of UI history to our attention!