FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM MAY 6, 2021 • THE QUEENS COURIER 31
oped letters & comments
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Paid family leave:
Successful in New York,
soon to be nationally
BY JOSEPH
P. ADDABBO, JR.
Our local communities —
and America as a whole —
are slowly returning to a new
sense of normality as more
Americans are being vaccinated
against COVID-19 and the positivity rates
drop. However, there is still much work to do
to bring our communities and country not only
back to normal, but even better than before.
One way we as elected offi cials, both locally
and nationally, can strengthen the American
workforce and begin to rebuild our economy
is to better protect and care for our workers by
creating strong safety nets for them. Th e middle
class makes up a large portion of the American
workforce, and it is imperative that we have a
strong foundation that allows more Americans
the sense of safety knowing that if they have a
baby who is ill or need to care for a family member
that they will be fi nancially stable.
Here in New York, I worked towards ensuring
that our workers have the time off they need
with New York Paid Family Leave. Th is initiative,
which became state law in 2016, is funded
by the employees themselves through payroll
deductions and provides workers with a portion
of their salary during their leave. In 2021, eligible
employees in New York state will have access
to up to 12 weeks of job-protected, paid time off
for a host of issues, including being under quarantine
due to COVID-19.
Now our federal government intends to emulate
our success and bring a paid family leave
program to the entire country. On April 28,
President Joe Biden announced the American
Families Plan, which will invest in our children,
families and economic future. Th is once-in-ageneration
investment will bolster the foundations
of middle-class prosperity including education,
health care and childcare. Th e American
Families Plan will create a national comprehensive
paid family and medical leave program,
much like we have here in New York.
Th e national program will ensure workers
receive partial wage replacement to take time
to bond with a new child, care for a seriously
ill loved one, deal with a loved one’s military
deployment, fi nd safety from sexual assault,
stalking or domestic violence, heal from their
own serious illness, or take time to deal with the
death of a loved one. It will guarantee 12 weeks
of paid parental, family and personal illness/safe
leave by year 10 of the program, and also ensure
workers get three days of bereavement leave per
year starting in year one.
Th is plan will provide economic security to
families across the country – ensuring everyone
has the opportunity to contribute to the economy,
while caring for themselves and their families.
By allowing workers to take time off to care
for their health and the health of relatives, it
creates a stronger, healthier and more productive
workforce.
Together, we can rebound from the pandemic
and build back our society even stronger than
before.
Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. is the state senator for
the 15th Senate district in Queens.
CONCERNS ABOUT
PLANNED HOMELESS
SHELTER
Th e following is an open letter to
Hon. Erin Drinkwater, deputy commissioner
of Intergovernmental and
Legislative Aff airs for the New York City
Department of Homeless Services:
Th e Little Neck Douglaston Lions
Club is a not-for-profi t charitable organization
that has served our community
for over 25 years.
It has come to our attention that New
York City is planning to open a homeless
shelter at 243-02 Northern Blvd. in
Douglaston. We acknowledge the need
to provide shelter to our homeless population
and that such facilities should
be equitably distributed across the city.
Nevertheless, we are concerned both
about the lack of community involvement
in the planning of this shelter and
what we have come to understand are
the city’s plans for it.
The legitimacy of the process
depends on our community having a
real voice in it. Th us, community input
must be immediately solicited, and the
planning process must be thoroughly
transparent.
Th e city’s decision to limit the shelter
population to adult women over
50 years of age is appreciated, especially
in light of the city’s commitment to
give priority to homeless women from
our neighborhood. We are extremely
concerned, however, about the city’s
plan to house 75 people in the shelter,
because there is clearly insuffi cient
space for that number of residents
to live in that building. Th e planned
capacity for the shelter must be signifi -
cantly reduced.
Further, the city has not articulated
an adequate transportation plan for the
shelter residents, nor has it addressed
the complete lack of parking for this
facility. We have not been apprised of
what services, if any, will be provided
to the shelter residents. Moreover,
the community has not been advised
of any plan for security at the shelter.
Finally, we have no idea what the city
has in mind for staffi ng the shelter.
The aforesaid issues must be
addressed immediately in a dialogue
with our community.
If the city truly engages with our
community, we believe that a homeless
facility which provides needed shelter
and services to its population will be
welcomed. In keeping with our mission,
the Little Neck Douglaston Club
stands ready to serve our homeless
neighbors.
John F. Duane, president of the
Little Neck Douglaston Lions Club
SALUTING ALL MOTHERS
Sunday, May 9, is the day we honor
all mothers near, far and deceased.
As I was reading, I learned that
a woman named Anna Jarvis campaigned
to have a day to celebrate
mothers — both living and deceased
— in 1905. She succeeded and on May
8, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson
signed it into law, making the second
Sunday in May Mother’s Day.
I remember my mother, with whom
I only had a short time. Her name was
Teresa Bedell and she passed away in
1963 when I was 14 years old and living
in Queens Village.
My mother was dedicated to me
and our entire family and was active
in Grace Lutheran Church and in the
community, raising funds for the sick
and those in need.
I was a sickly child, and had asthma
and had other health issues as well as
educational issues. I also had a speech
impediment and as such had gotten
help in those areas. I received help for
all of this because my mother loved me
and wanted me to succeed. For that, I
will be eternally grateful.
So to all the mothers out there, let me
say this: America thanks all of you for
all that you have done. Have a Happy
Mother’s Day for a job well done!
Frederick R. Bedell Jr., Bellerose
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