By AFSCME Staff Editor’s Note: The following is a story from the front lines of the battle against the coronavirus. During National EMS Week, AFSCME featured the story of AFSCME Local 768 District Council 37 member Carmen De Leon from New York. De Leon was one of two AFSCME members who, in a press call last week, described not only their struggle with the coronavirus, but the urgent need for Congress to help financially strapped states, cities and towns. “My name is Carmen De Leon, and I am a respiratory therapist at both Harlem Hospital and Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. “I have been a respiratory therapist for 19 years and was on the job when we went through SARS, H1N1 and Ebola. This pandemic is unlike anything we’ve seen before. It hit us fast and hard, and there is still so much to learn about how to keep people safe from this virus in the long run. “Early on, it was clear that I was at risk since I am both asthmatic and diabetic. Still I showed up to work through February and March to help treat patients sick with COVID-19. I showed up even though we lacked the necessary personal protective equipment [...]— May 26
During COVID-19, people are experiencing many losses, including the death of loved ones, the loss of health, freedoms, and routines. Many are experiencing cumulative grief due to so many losses occurring consecutively. Any of these losses can trigger a range of emotions that individuals may experience. These emotions are also referred to as The Stages of Grief. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance are commonly seen within The Stages of Grief. Everyone has their own emotional timeline and experiences grief differently due to personal experiences. COVID-19 deaths are particularly challenging, as these deaths are more sudden and unexpected. During this time, those grieving do not have traditional grief rituals and goodbye ceremonies. Reaching out to others, writing a goodbye letter and speaking to a professional counselor are helpful coping mechanisms. During COVID-19 the number of sudden deaths may cause people to worry about their own life, health or safety. Be patient with yourself and understand that there is no right or wrong way to grieve or feel. PSU is here to support you. To speak with a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for confidential teletherapy, please call 212-815-1250 or 212-815-1260. For help 24/7 you can call NYC Well- 1-888-692-9355 or Text [...]— May 20
As you may have heard, Governor Cuomo has made a series of changes that will impact this year’s primary elections. In an executive order, he has cancelled the special elections for Queens Borough President, and the 31st Assembly District. The Governor has mandated, through executive order, that the state Board of Elections mail all registered voters a postage-paid absentee ballot application. While poll sites will remain open, an absentee ballot offers everyone the safest way to vote during the coronavirus pandemic. The Board of Elections plan is to mail these applications out by the middle of this month, but you can proactively request your ballot online by clicking here. Applicants must select “temporary illness” as the reason for the request. If you are quarantining away from your home, this gives you the opportunity to provide an address where you want your ballot sent. So, let’s get out the vote this Primary Day June 23! Apply for your ballot online or fill out the application you receive by USPS mail. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact the DC 37 Political Action Dept. at 212-815-1550. — May 20
By DAVID GREENE, Norwood News As mega performers like Elton John, Billy Joel and Beyonce remain sidelined during the coronavirus pandemic due to the closure of most concert halls around the world, the sound of song and yes, even some laughter, have continued to fill the halls, rooms and even the elevators at North Central Bronx Hospital (NCB). Over the past few weeks, members of the creative arts therapy department have been spreading much-needed joy and light relief throughout the hospital, located on Kossuth Avenue in Norwood, with their song and dance performances, to the benefit of both patients and staff. In a poetic moment caught on video on May 5, New York City Health Care Employees Local 768 Music Therapist Tony Scarpa, 68, a resident of Long Island, gave an impromptu performance in one of the hospital elevators to a crowd of five, as he and his partner, Alexa Palmer, were on their way to another floor. Scarpa played, ‘Here Comes the Sun’ by The Beatles to the delight of those present. In the video, one hospital staff member is seen smiling and moving her head to the song’s rhythm during the brief elevator ride. During a telephone interview [...]— May 19
The DC 37 Muncipal Employees Legal Services (MELS) answers your questions about the debts of deceased loved ones, especially during this coronavirus pandemic. Am I responsible for paying off the debts of a deceased relative? Generally, the answer is, no. Responsibility for a deceased relative’s outstanding obligation is not automatically transferred to a surviving relative. Are debts extinguished when the debtor dies? No. Outstanding debts remain active. Payment of the debts becomes the responsibility of the decedent’s estate. If there are no assets in the estate, meaning the decedent left behind nothing of value with which to pay outstanding obligations, the obligations often go unpaid. Can I, as a surviving relative, ever be held responsible for the deceased’s outstanding debts? Yes. There are circumstances under which a surviving relative can be held responsible for payment, such as: – If a surviving family member co-signed for one (or more) of the deceased relative’s debts, the surviving family member may be responsible for payment of the debt(s), -If a surviving family member is the executor of the deceased’s estate, and is therefore responsible for settling the debts of the estate, with the assets of the estate, and fails to do so. -If [...]— May 18
