FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com JANUARY 23, 2014 • The Courier SUN 43 Legislation to expand paid sick leave BY CRI STABELLE TUMOLA ctumola@queenscourier.com More New Yorkers could be protected from losing their jobs for taking a day off when they or their family members are ill. Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito announced legislation on January 17 that will extend the right to paid sick leave to businesses with five or more employees, which expands on a law enacted by the City Council. Leonardo Hernando, a Queens car wash worker, was at the announcement. The father of four has lived and worked in the U.S. for nine years and has never had a job that provided paid sick days. With the new legislation, that will no longer be true. “Families will be more stable and secure because they have paid sick leave coverage,” de Blasio said. Under the expanded legislation, about 500,000 more New Yorkers, 200,000 of whom do not currently have paid sick days, will now have the right to paid sick leave, according to de Blasio. The City Council enacted the New York City Earned Sick Time Act on June 27 in a 47-4 vote, overriding then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s veto of the legislation. According to that bill, beginning in April, businesses with 20 or more employees will be required to give at least five paid sick days per worker each year. Starting in October 2015, businesses with 15 or more workers will have to do the same. “While that legislation was a good start, it was not nearly enough,” Mark-Viverito said. The new legislation would take effect for all business with five or more employees, starting this April. De Blasio said he believes the legislative process will move Affordable housing accepting applications BY MAGGIE HAYES mhayes@queenscourier.com A Jamaica affordable housing development is nearing completion and has begun accepting applications for residence, the borough president’s office announced. The Rufus King Court Apartments on 90th Avenue is taking applications from lowincome families hoping to stake a claim in the 46-unit building. Borough President Melinda Katz said this complex will “offer quality affordable housing at a location near the Jamaica commercial core, just a few blocks from one of the nation’s busiest transportation hubs.” “I recommend that eligible families take advantage of this opportunity and begin the process of applying to live there as soon as possible,” she said. Completion for the apartment building is slated for later this year and will feature four studios, 14 one-bedroom apartments, 23 two-bedroom apartments and five three-bedroom apartments. It will also include an outdoor recreation area, community room, laundry room, storage space, air conditioning for each unit, parking and a security system. The developer, Arker Companies of Floral Park, will also arrange for social services needed by senior or disabled residents. Income eligibility requirements will range from yearly salaries of $24,515 to $59,820. Monthly rent will range from $659 to $1,199. Applications from interested households are being accepted from now until March 6. A lottery will be used to select the winning applicants. To apply, visit www.nyc. gov/housingconnect and select “Apply for Housing” or send a self-addressed envelope to Rufus King Court Apartments, P.O. Box 390, Floral Park, NY 11002, requesting an application. quickly so it can be enacted by that time. The law also removes exemptions for the manufacturing sector and adds grandparents, grandchildren and siblings to the definition of family members. In addition, it cuts out legislative red tape that could have delayed paid sick leave. Finback brews surfacing BY LIAM LA GUERE lguerre@queenscourier.com Glendale’s new Finback Brewery won’t open for a few more months, but the beer is finally going to surface. The brewery, which was originally supposed to open in November last year, faced setbacks due to construction issues, but founders Basil Lee and Kevin Stafford are introducing three Finback beers at three bars around the city. The brewery will have launch events at The Owl Farm bar in Brooklyn on January 22, Jimmy’s No. 43 in Manhattan on January 23, and Forest Hills Station House in Queens, on January 28. The three beers are Pilot X IPA, a citrusy drink filled with summit, chinook and columbus hops and hints of pink grapefruit; Puffin Smoked Porter, American porter filled with roasted hazelnut aroma, cherry wood smoked malt and hints of chocolate; and Double Sess Wit, brewed with Szechuan peppercorns, ginger and chamomile. The pair hopes to introduce the beers at other bars in the city, including The Queens Kickshaw in Astoria, and are aiming to open the Brewery’s tasting room in late February or March, according to owners. “We’re working hard to finish the tasting room and open the brewery for beer and tours,” the owners said in an email. “We wish we could welcome you all to the brewery right now, but alas, NYC contractors have their own way of working, or not working ... Rest assured we’re busy making beer and getting it out to our favorite local watering holes. Hopefully we’ll get the tasting room open in the next couple months.” Photo by Rob Bennett for the Office of Mayor Bill de Blasio Mayor Bill de Blasio announced legislation on December 17 that will expand the right to paid sick leave to businesses with five or more employees. THE COURIER/Photo by Liam La Guerre Finback Brewery owners Kevin Stafford and Basil Lee are ready to introduce their beer to local bars.
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