BENSONHURST'S PREMIER NEWS BLOG

Source: nyccouncil.tumblr.com

Last month we reported on the City Council’s passage of a bill aimed to end hiring discrimination of the unemployed. The bill, sponsored by Councilman Vincent Gentile, was vetoed by Mayor Bloomberg. Gentile expects the City Council to override the veto, according to a report by CBS NY.

In the recent economic downturn, many unemployed people are finding difficulty getting hired or even getting an interview. The bill would ensure that unemployed job seekers get a fair shake in getting interviewed and landing jobs.

“Employers are basically saying or employment agencies are saying those who are unemployed need not apply,” Gentile told CBS. “And that, again, is a Catch-22 that you need to have a job to get a job.”

Opponents of the bill, led by Bloomberg, argue that attempting to legislate hiring decisions made by businesses are too complicated and it opens businesses to a bevy of potentially frivolous lawsuits.

“Hiring decisions frequently involve the exercise of independent, subjective judgment about a prospective employee’s likely future performance, and the creation of this ambiguous legal standard will make it harder for employers to make decisions that will benefit their businesses,” Bloomberg said in a letter explaining his veto decision.

Opponents also argue that companies will begin to exclusively hire from within their ranks rather than risk the exposure of complaints from outside applicants.

Still, advocates of the bill like mayoral hopeful Christine Quinn believe that something has to be done to keep unemployed people from being shut out of the work world.

Applicants “are out there, doing what we tell them to do, pounding the pavement, putting out their resume, only to hear that the fact that they’re unemployed makes them ineligible for a job,” Quinn said Friday. “It’s the exact wrong message to people.”

Source: angiepontani.com

It’s cold, it’s February and you don’t have work. Perhaps a spanking new job by the beach, courtesy of the Alliance for Coney Island, can snap you out of your winter funk. According to a report by the New York Post, there are hundreds of summer jobs available for those who register now.

This Saturday, the Alliance for Coney Island will begin its fourth annual recruitment drive. They are looking to fill 250 summer jobs with the promise of hundreds more being offered at a later date. The organization will be holding a screening event on February 23 and 24 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Lincoln High School (2800 Ocean Parkway.)

Positions are available at Luna Park, Nathan’s Famous and Deno’s Wonder Wheel but to attend the screening, you must register by visiting www.coneyislandjobs2013.com.

The jobs screening event is a joint collaboration between the Alliance for Coney Island, the HireNYC Program, the Economic Development Corp., Workforce 1, Small Business Services  and Councilman Domenic Recchia.

Source: Facebook

The New York Times has an excellent article on the famous little shack located at the edge of the Ceasar’s Bay Bazaar (8973 Bay Parkway) parking lot, updating the progress made since our last report on the center. According to the Times, the center has raised the necessary funds needed to bring a in a new spacious trailer to replace the small wooden shack.

In the article, the Times also tracks the origins and progress of the center, which has been an invaluable resource to immigrant laborers since its formation in 2001.

Since its founding, the center has found jobs for approximately 5,000 day laborers.

When Superstorm Sandy swept into the region late last October, the 8-by-12 wooden shack was blown off its foundation 120 feet and there was an immediate effort to restore its place at the corner of 18th Avenue and 69th Street due to the immense symbolism the shack has come to represent to people in the community:

The center has served not only as a physical space where immigrants find work, but also as a rare symbol of empowerment in a city where day laborers, usually illegal immigrants, often find themselves tethered to the lowest rung of the social totem pole.

“This center has provided for me,” said Victoriano de la Cruz, 35, who first came to the job center 10 years ago. “We didn’t want it to disappear.”

Through grants gathered from three foundations, the center was able to raise the $20,000 needed to bring in a 40-foot trailer that now serves as the center’s new headquarters. The trailer was painted bright red.

With the new trailer in place, the beloved original shack’s days are numbered, according to community organizer Yadira Sanchez.

“The house means that there are many things that we can do together,” Sanchez told the Times. “Only when the other one is ready, then this old one is going to be completely destroyed.”

Source: William Alatriste

From the office of Councilman Vincent Gentile:

The New York City Council passed legislation yesterday providing a private cause of action for those unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of being unemployed – the first law of its kind in the nation.

Intro 814-A will prohibit employers from using a person’s employment status in a hiring decision and from posting job advertisements that require applicants to be currently employed. The bill has the strong support of City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer as well as the National Employment Law Project, which is a national advocacy organization for employment rights of lower-wage workers.

“Employers who weed out candidates simply because they are unemployed has become the new face of employment discrimination,” Councilman Vincent J. Gentile said. “If you are otherwise qualified, being unemployed should not prevent you from securing a job. This important piece of legislation will effectively end this perverse Catch-22 that has served only to deepen our unemployment crisis in New York City.”

Under the groundbreaking legislation, it will be illegal for an employer to base a hiring decision on an applicant’s unemployment without a substantially job-related reason for doing so. It will also be illegal for employers to post in job advertisements that current employment is a job requirement, or that unemployed applicants will not be considered for the position.

“If you are otherwise qualified, how does being unemployed make you ineligible for a job?,” Councilman Gentile asked. “Is a dentist somehow more qualified for a job as a bank teller than an out-of-work bank teller simply because the dentist is currently employed!? This bill will stop the phenomenon of discrimination against the unemployed before it becomes the next crisis.”

City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn stated, “Imagine spending every day and night for months upon months upon months looking for a job – only to be told ‘don’t even bother… unemployed need not apply.’ We cannot – and will not – allow New Yorkers who are qualified and ready to work have the door of opportunity slammed in their faces. The long-term unemployed face some of the greatest challenges in their job searches. Tomorrow, we will vote to remove one obstacle they simply should not have to face.”

“Discrimination against the unemployed is unacceptable, especially at a time when the jobless rate in our City hovers around 9%,” said Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. “A review of job postings by my office uncovered dozens of examples of New York City job listings that required candidates to be currently employed–and it is clear that New York’s hopes for economic recovery are undermined when a person can’t find work for reasons outside their control. I am proud to stand with my colleagues today in support of legislation that protects unemployed people against such damaging discrimination.”

At 9.4%, New York City’s unemployment rate far exceeds both the national average and the New York State average. More than half of unemployed New Yorkers were actively seeking work for more than six months and nearly a third were still actively looking for work after searching for more than a year.

Intro 814-A will be voted on at tomorrow’s Stated Council meeting and is expected to pass overwhelmingly.

Toys’R'Us set up a tent storefront to continue sales throughout the holiday season.

Some neighborhood retailers are still struggling to catch up post-Hurricane Sandy. After getting hit hard by the storm more than a month ago, merchants from Caesar’s Bay are focusing on a resilient recovery effort. Bensonhurst’s leaders are looking to help them get back on their feet.

Community Board 11 Chairperson Bill Guarinello and District Manager Marnee Elias-Pavia said the Caesar’s Bay stores have a strong hold in the economic standing of Bensonhurst.

While inland stores like Best Buy were not badly damaged by the hurricane, merchants located closer to the shore, like Babies’R'Us and Kohl’s, have struggled to fully reopen. Helping these retailers regain stability is vital to the success of this neighborhood, board leaders explained. Otherwise, Guarinello said, “Our local economy is likely to suffer.”

But simultaneously, Guarinello said that a more direct line of communication is needed with retailers. He added that merchants need to speak with the Community Board and explain what kind of aid they need most.

“If they want help, they’ve got to let us know,” he said.

Once they establish the best way to assist the area, Gaurinello said that Board leaders’ first step would be to contact the government and request more immediate relief assistance. “We can ask them to give these guys some priority,” he said.

Comparing this neighborhood to Coney Island and Sea Gate, Guarinello explained that, “Bensonhurst did not take a major hit. We had some flooding. Very little power outages.”

But, Guarinello said that Caesar’s Bay suffered badly, adding that the effects of Sandy on this shopping area will likely outlive this holiday season and carry over into 2013. “[Caesar’s Bay stores] took a hard hit. Our shoreline has been collapsing. We’re going to try to be helpful.”

Source: The U.S. Army

On the heels of Veteran’s Day, Assemblyman William Colton is stepping up for vets in our city.

From the office of Assemblyman William Colton:

Assemblyman Colton is announcing the creation of the Veterans’ Employment Portal on the NYS Division of Veterans’ Affairs website. The portal is meant to serve as a resource to veterans in obtaining and maintaining employment in both the public and private sector. The website provides links to both state and national veteran job banks with searchable databases listing thousand of jobs and employers looking to hire veterans. This program was created in response to legislation Assemblyman Colton co-sponsored and passed this year.

“Veterans have sacrificed so much in the defense of our nation and our values. We deploy them to some of the most dangerous parts of the world and it is our duty to help employ them and their skills once they come home. They deserve the dignity and respect that comes from employment,” said Assemblyman Colton.

If you are a veteran or know a veteran seeking employment, please visit: http://www.veterans.ny.gov/employment.html.

Toys”R”Us has set up a temporary tent to vend some of their merchandise during the holidays.

On Saturday, November 17, the Toys”R”Us location at Caesar’s Bay opened its doors for the first time since Hurricane Sandy struck. After more than three weeks of cleanup following the storm, the retailer is back and ready for business.

The only thing that’s changed is the store’s location.

Instead of its usual waterfront building, Toys”R”Us has been separated into two parts. The electronics, bicycles, movies, sports equipment and video games are now located a little further away in the shopping center, at the former location of Spirit Halloween store, at 8975 Bay Parkway. Other items will temporarily be located in a tent directly outside the Toys”R”Us store.

And while they couldn’t say much else, managers reassured Bensonhurst locals that Toys”R”Us will be open to meet demand this holiday season.

Find out what other store managers of Caesar’s Bay businesses are saying, and why leaders say you should support them through the holidays.

Miguel Vega and his big rig

Bensonhurst locals are a colorful bunch. It’s time someone took notice. This is us, taking notice.

Miguel Vega is a young dad living in Bensonhurst. For a while, he was struggling professionally, like a lot of other people his age. In fact, 45 percent of 16- to 25-year-olds are unemployed. Vega was part of that statistic.

After being laid off and working a dead end job, he realized that something had to change so that he could provide adequate care for his son and be a good example to his community. While his friends continued to struggle because of the recession, Vega changes careers for something more stable.

He wanted to share his story so that other people who feel lost because of unemployment become inspired to find joy and success in a position that they may not have previously considered.

Check out the Q&A.

Source: See-ming Lee 李思明 SML via Flickr

Have you ever considered running away to join the circus? If so, you may be able to fulfill at least some of your carnie aspirations with a seasonal job at Coney Island.

Central Amusement International, Nathan’s Famous, and the Coney Island Development Corporation are now hiring for summer positions.

They’re seeking courteous, reliable, and enthusiastic individuals with flexible schedules.

There are currently openings at Luna Park, Scream Zone and Nathan’s Famous restaurants for various positions including:

• Ride and Game Operators
• Food and Beverage Service
• Park Service
• Customer Service/Retail Sales
• Ticket Sales Associates/Cashiers

If you’re interested, please bring your references and/or resumes to 1904 Surf Avenue (West 17th Street entrance to MCU Park) on Tuesday, February 28, beginning at 12 noon.

For more info, please visit NYCEDC.com.

source: Azi Paybarah via Flickr

Yesterday, New York State political website Capital asked State Senator Diane Savino if Governor Andrew Cuomo’s plans for next year’s budget would be revenue neutral – meaning the state’s income from taxes would neither increase nor decrease under his new progressive tax proposals. Continue Reading »