Latest Updates on the Coronavirus Situation
Union Health Centers Distribute Over 12,000 Vaccines! Sign Up Now to Get Yours!
April 27, 2021 5:15 PM
The Union’s health centers have already administered over 12,000 shots to HTC members, their families, and union staff. The vaccines will not only protect thousands of our members and their families against this terrible virus, but these vaccines are key to bringing an end to this crisis, reviving tourism in New York City, and getting our members back to work! Read more...
Sign Up to Get Your Vaccine in NY or NJ!
April 27, 2021 3:00 PM
The COVID-19 vaccine is now widely available in New York and New Jersey. This lifesaving vaccine will not only protect you and your family, but it is our way out of this pandemic and back to our jobs and our normal lives. Sign up now to get your shot at a local site! Read more...
Q&A: Free COBRA coverage
Our Union has put together this article to answer the most common questions about free COBRA. Read more...
Sign up for Free COBRA Coverage!
April 13, 2021 6:39 PM
Thousands of our members are now eligible for six months of free health insurance through our Union’s Benefit Funds from April 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021 under the American Rescue Plan. Read more...
Hudson County CLC Hosting COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic on April 10
April 3, 2021 12:56 PM
The Hudson County Central Labor Council has partnered with Governor Phil Murphy to sponsor a COVID vaccine clinic at Bayonne High School next Saturday, April 10. HTC members in Hudson County are encouraged to sign up to get your shot! Read more...
BREAKING NEWS: New York State DOL to Fix Unemployment Issues Related to Severance
April 2, 2021 3:38 PM
As reported, our Union has been in contact with the New York State Department of Labor regarding the problems many union workers have recently had collecting unemployment due to severance pay. Our Union has been able to intervene and we are pleased to report that the DOL is going to fix these issues system-wide. Read more...
New York Unemployment Update
April 1, 2021 3:13 PM
We have been hearing from many members about the difficulties you are having receiving unemployment benefits due to the New York State Department of Labor being overwhelmed with the number of people whose claims have hit the one year mark. This has created several types of issues for the Department of Labor. Read more...
Can I Enroll in Subsidized COBRA for April?
March 30, 2021 9:30 PM
While the American Rescue Plan provides free COBRA for eligible laid off employees in April 2021, we do not know yet how you can sign up. With April 1st just days away, our Union is still waiting for the federal government to release the rules for how subsidized COBRA will work under the American Rescue Plan and how to enroll. We anticipate the government will release the final rules around this new benefit in mid-April. Read more...
Details of Federal COBRA Subsidy Still Being Worked Out
March 17, 2021 5:29 PM
Under the American Rescue Plan, the federal government plans to pay 100% of the cost of COBRA for many laid off workers for the next six months, from April 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021. This means that many of you (and your families) can return to our Union’s health centers soon, for free. It also means that we will be able to reopen the Brooklyn and Harlem health centers, which had to temporarily close in January. Read more...
How Senator Chuck Schumer Saved Our Health Centers
March 16, 2021 3:30 PM
The American Rescue Plan was the first major test for New York Senator Chuck Schumer in his new role as Senate Majority Leader and not only did he manage to deliver the most comprehensive recovery package in the history of our nation – he did it against all odds. The result is a bill that will fund a national vaccination effort, salvage our battered economy, and most importantly, will provide enormous benefits to millions of Americans who lost their jobs and health insurance because of the economic devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more....
THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN!
March 16, 2021 2:38 PM
The American Rescue Plan is more than a relief bill. It is a comprehensive plan to rebuild our economy and it is the largest investment by the federal government in working people in our nation’s history. In short, it is the lifeline we desperately needed. To read about the highlights of this historic $1.9 trillion plan, click here.
New York Unemployment: What should I do when I approach my BYE (Benefit Year Ending) date?
March 16, 2021 10:42 AM
Many members are approaching one year since first filing for unemployment and are encountering problems in collecting additional unemployment benefits. Our Union brought these issues to the attention of New York State Department of Labor and we are actively working with the DOL to fix them. Read More...
How Hotel Workers Got Eligibility and Access to the COVID-19 Vaccine
In early March, our Union secured two major developments related to the COVID-19 vaccine. First, hotel workers became eligible to receive the vaccine in New York and in New Jersey. Second, our Union was able to begin efficiently distributing the vaccine to our New York City members through our own health centers. Read more...
Medgar Evers Opens Vaccine Appointments For Brooklyn Residents
March 6, 2021 10:22 AM
New York City hotel workers are eligible to sign up for appointments at any New York State or NYC vaccination site. If you are a Brooklyn resident and want to try and get an appointment immediately, earlier today, the state run vaccination center at Medgar Evers College opened 5,000 vaccine appointments exclusively for Brooklyn residents. Read more...
Union Victory: NJ Governor agrees to expand vaccine eligibility to include hospitality workers
March 2, 2021 9:15 AM
On Monday, March 1st, Governor Phil Murphy announced that hospitality workers in New Jersey will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine beginning on March 29th. HTC President Rich Maroko and our political team have been advocating for vaccine eligibility for hotel workers in New Jersey and are thrilled by this announcement. Read more...
"Hotel Workers Eligible for COVID Vaccine" - NY1
February 27, 2021 6:58 PM
For several months, HTC President Rich Maroko has been meeting with city and state officials to make the case that hotel workers should be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. On February 26th, Governor Cuomo agreed and opened the door to allow New York City to distribute vaccines to hotel workers in phase 1b. Read more...
BREAKING NEWS: After HTC’s Advocacy, Gov. Cuomo Expands Vaccine Eligibility for Hotel Workers in New York
February 26, 2021 9:57 PM
After months of advocacy by HTC President Rich Maroko and our political team, New York Governor Cuomo announced this afternoon that New York State will expand the current vaccine eligibility to include hotel workers. The order enables local health departments to include hotel workers in their vaccination programs, and the next step is for New York City’s health department to do so.
HTC is now communicating with New York City officials to advocate for vaccines to be made available to hotel workers as soon as possible.
“New York hotel workers seek COVID-19 vaccine in appeal to Cuomo” – The New York Post
February 24, 2021 9:26 AM
Throughout this pandemic, our Union has worked diligently to keep the workers we represent safe on the job. The New York Post has covered our latest effort: advocating to secure access to the COVID-19 vaccine for New York’s hotel workers and ensure a safe reopening of the City’s hotel industry. Read More...
CDC issues nationwide eviction moratorium through March 31, 2021
Updated: January 25, 2021 11:36 AM
Early on during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a broad nationwide eviction moratorium in order to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19. On his first day in office, President Biden extended the CDC’s eviction moratorium through March 31, 2021.
Under the moratorium, eligible tenants cannot be evicted for nonpayment of rent until March 31, 2021. Please note: the order does not forgive rent. You are still obligated to pay rent, and can still be evicted after the order expires or for reasons other than nonpayment. Read more...
A New Year’s Message from HTC President Rich Maroko
January 1, 2021 9:50 AM
By HTC President Rich Maroko
Happy New Year. I hope that this message finds you and your loved ones healthy and doing well. As we end this incredibly difficult year and enter 2021, I wanted to give you all a sense of what I expect for our Union in the year ahead. Read more...
