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U.S. CITIZENSHIP VIRTUAL SEMINAR WEDNESDAY, NOV. 2 at 6 PM Interested in becoming a United States citizen? Learn about the benefits of becoming U.S. citizen at a virtual presentation by the DC 37 Municipal Employees Legal Services (MELS), 32BJ SEIU Legal Services Fund, CUNY’s Citizenship Now! and the Emerald Isle Immigration Center at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 2, on Zoom. This seminar will answer how and when to file for citizenship, requirements, preparing for the citizenship test, and other questions. Register at: https://bit.ly/3LxVTHT or call 212-815-1111. — Oct 11
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DC 37’s MELS MEDICAID PLANNING WEBINAR REPLAY The DC 37 Municipal Employees Legal Services (MELS) held a basic introduction to Medicaid Planning webinar on Sept. 21. Medicaid is the most extensive public health insurance program in the U.S. and pays for over half of all long-term care services provided to seniors. As a result, the Medicaid program has become the equivalent of instant long-term care insurance for many individuals who require long-term care at home or in a nursing home. Elder law attorney Douglas J. Chu walked through the steps necessary to become eligible for Medicaid. During the presentation, he covered the basic income and resource rules, how the application process worked, options for protecting assets from Medicaid estate recovery, and the new transfer penalty rules for home care services. View the video replay of the webinar and presentation slides below. Slides: https://bit.ly/3S70SSb Video Replay: https://bit.ly/3dxkmjW — Oct 6
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FDNY EMS Lt. Russo Brutally Killed Outside Queens Stationhouse By DIANE S. WILLIAMS Local 3621 EMS Lieutenant Alison Russo-Elling, a 25-year veteran of the Fire Department of New York, was stabbed to death while on duty in a random and unprovoked attack less than a block from her worksite at Fire Station 49 in Astoria, Queens on Sept. 29. Lt. Russo was rushed to nearby Mount Sinai Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries. “Lt. Russo was a beautiful person who loved her family and served this city well,” said Vincent Variale, president of Uniformed EMS Officers Union Local 3621. “This horrendous act demonstrates that EMS officers take on the same risks as other first responders and don’t receive the same recognition for their labor.” Lt. Russo joined the FDNY in 1998 and rose through the civil service ranks. She was a paramedic and a first responder at the World Trade Center during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. A dedicated public servant, Lt. Russo also volunteered with the Huntington Rescue Squad on Long Island where she lived. Lt. Russo was in uniform when her attacker fatally stabbed her multiple times in the neck and chest, according to news reports. Local 3621 President Variale said, “Lt. Russo was waiting for roadside [...] — Oct 4
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Local 420 Wins $43,000 In Two Woodhull Grievances By DIANE S. WILLIAMS DC 37 and Local 420 recently won more than $43,000 in back pay in separate grievances filed on behalf of two Service Aides at Woodhull Hospital in Brooklyn. “It took a lot of patience and persistence to finally see these two grievances resolved in the members’ favor,” said Carmen Charles, President of NYC Hospitals Employees Local 420. “We’re pleased with these outcomes. We continue to fight to protect members’ jobs and to make sure they are fairly compensated for their work.” The victories came after Grievance Rep Courtney Fenton filed separate grievances on behalf of Service Aides Omar Anderson and Lorenzo Stevens. Anderson contacted the union because Central Office confiscated his entire paycheck after he returned from a medical leave. H+H hired Anderson part time in the Cook Chill plant, where management assigned him full-time hours. Around 2019, he transferred to Woodhull and came under their payroll system. “We believe management tried to take advantage of Omar and we made every effort to protect his rights,” Fenton said. “We went to OLR to bring him back to work.” Management reported that they overpaid Anderson and recouped his wages. H+H took more than the contractual 3% allowed. [...] — Oct 3
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Union-Backed Candidates Win in State Primaries By MIKE LEE The second round of primary elections in New York on Aug. 23 was an exercise in the union’s strength, as DC 37-endorsed candidates swept to victory in primaries for the U.S. House of Representatives and New York State Senate. The additional primary was necessary because of a court challenge to the state legislature’s redistricting plan. The New York Court of Appeals ruled on April 27, and a federal court later upheld, that new election maps must be redrawn. The ruling did not impact statewide races for governor, attorney general, comptroller, or State Assembly, which held their primary on June 28. Like in the first round of voting, the union message was heard loud and clear. All of the union’s 10 congressional endorsements won decisively, while 25 out of 27 state Senate candidates backed by DC 37 won their races. Notably, the size and strength of the victories cast light on a potential pathway toward success in the upcoming Nov. 8 General Election. A case in point was the win by Max Rose in the Democratic Party primary for the 11th Congressional District covering Staten Island, Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and other south Brooklyn neighborhoods. Rose easily defeated [...] — Oct 3