Women's Equality of Earnings-the Founding Mother-Eileen C. Dugan

As the State Legislature is reconvened for the 2021 Legislative Session-the introduction of Maryann Maltese's Equality of Earnings Law which provides Corrective Earnings because as the Employer-NYS Legislature issued discriminatory Employment Contracts to Maryann Maltese during her State legislative employment between 1994-2013 and that action is reflective of women employees in NYS. During Maryann's tenure-only a handful of Female Staff Members were bestowed 2 Employment Titles-due to MERIT-but the NYS Legislature underpaid us and intentionally with framed from "issuance of Promotional Raises". In 2014-NYS passed in their State Budgets-Acknowledgement-but has not issued Corrective Earnings-to correct the Discriminatory Employment as the Measure finally this terrible employment practices for tenured employees. State Staff Members within the Legislative-Executive Branches "earn" tenure in 10 years-I have 19 years of Service to the People of New York State. By this-my Tenure-At Will Employment practices are not the Primary Factor-State Civil Service and Public Officer Laws-REQUIRE-NYS as an Employer to adhere to finalizing their guilt-in civil re-issuance my outstanding earnings.

Maryann's career began in the State Legislature in Carroll Garden's Brooklyn; working for the Late Eileen C. Dugan-the First Woman 25 years ago to be considered for Speaker of the NYS Assembly-but lost the vote-and accepted a Chairperson of Economic Development and Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee. My employment roles with Eileen grew as I grew in my employment services with NYS. However-along the way-leaderships change and as Staff for the State Legislature and Executive Branches-we are considered Patronage staff-which simply means Elected's can choose who works with them-it doesn't require Civil Service Exams. Surviving 19 years-as some may say-means I can work with both sides of the Aisle-and have even under Other Parties Governor's. Providing Patronage Employment- across the board is acceptable employment practices-and considered At-Will-but once we achieve Tenure of Service (10 years)-our Employment Service Credits or if Corrective earnings is required-my interests because I'm not a union Staff Member are protected by Public Service Officer and State Civil Service Employment Rules of Law. Leaders change and they absolutely can release one from service-but their decision-doesn't permit the Legislature from rescinding on my employment rights or benefits based on tenure. I was not released from Service-I took a Family leave-and have not been re-matriculated which violates multiple Staff protection laws.

In 2013-after 19 years of consecutive public employment service-I asked for a Family Leave which was approved and with that the Family Leave Act permits me reentrance into Legislative or Executive Branch employment as of Right-that's where my longevity and expertise lies. In 2015-I submitted a request to re-enter State Legislative Employment-which went and has gone deaf for 6 years-that's a violation of the Family Leave Act; State Public Officer Laws and State Civil Service Laws. Why-some ask did the Legislature allow this to slide-its because presently-NYS doesn't maintain a list of those Employees who ask to reenter service-we're in Employment Limbo-another present terrible employment practice of NYS.

However-the Passage of the Maryann Maltese Equality of Earnings Law-pulls in all the little obstructions of employment justice due to me and other Women; why- because my State Service tenure is in good standing and based on my request (Family leave) for re-entrance must be offered within 30 days-at most 60 day wait period and Women State Legislative-Executive Branch Employees are not being -re-accepted-as of Right under Family Leave Act. Now that NYS has not provided me with an Employment Position-NYS as the Employer must adhere to crediting me with not only my Corrective Earnings-the issuance of the adjusted employment earnings due to the discriminatory issuance of prior employment contracts-but ensure that my Health Insurance and other State employment accruals be compensated accordingly. The Process to correct an Out of Service Employee's non-severance offered Employee-is to introduce legislation as I have placed NYS within 30 days on Notice to do so.

In doing so-the Passage and Enactment of the Maryann Maltese Equality of Earnings-Corrective Earnings Law-will provide Maryann with justice for outstanding corrective earnings due-and grant women of NYS Equality of Earnings. I learned a lot from Eileen during my tenure that perseverance and hard work bring changes that are needed for women earners. Women Earners do not have civil rights in NYS-but Felons do. 25 years ago NYS was on target in ensuring that Women's rights was moving swiftly into enactment-Eileen is the author of many laws-but one she was proud of was ensuring that Women as Displaced Homemakers-those that remain home-received a "salary" so that Women ending their marriages would have Matrimonial claims to income. Often women prior to 2009 who filed divorces and did not earn incomes- several women lost on on matrimonial settlements or even worse-their inherent right to property they inherited-or owned. With Displaced Homemakers Law-NYS added need based services to provide employment training programs for Women-tuitions covered-provided for by NYS to encourage women to educate themselves in a trade or skill so they can enter the workforce. Eileen herself; was a Secretary when she won her first Election and after 20 years Eileen passed on from cancer 3 days after the Last Election-1996. Eileen in her tenure-received an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Administration from St. Frances College in Brooklyn-and achievement she was proud of and embodied her Public Service Life-that she dedicated to her Beloved Brooklyn. Eileen was Pro-Choice and understood that every year in the State Budget-Earnings Equality and Pro-Choice is one VOTE and opposition on the other side of the aisle used it to negate women of earnings. In a sense-we got the right of making decisions about our bodies-but not the right to earn enough money in to stand independently. Eileen was the Sister of the Brooklyn Independent Democrats. It's in Brooklyn where Independence Political Party fostered roots through-out NYS. Maryann offered to Run for State Election 2020 (NYS 12th AD-on the Democratic and Independent Party Lines) but was disqualified on the Democratic Line and Independence Party Petitioning was eliminated by EO 202. With that being said- I never heard from Suffolk County Independence Party Chairmen-further supporting that Men have controlled State Legislative Seats in our area for over 60 years.

During my continued Employment with the NYS Legislature 1994-2013-I received 2 Employment Roles- which most Males got paid for Both, but I did not-I was paid discriminatory earnings, not the correct earnings, no promotional increases; although my tenure and service is well established of merit achievements that require Corrective Passage. Some women in Hollywood-seem to think we need to work 2x as hard; yes and No-Yes-because women get the Job done (that's my story-how about yours?) and No-because in working twice as hard-I'm permitting the Old Mentality that's acceptable business practices to take on more employment duties-which Male Staff-or Men get Paid why-because all categories of men-are equal in NYS-women are not-that's why Women have put 2x the amount of effort into each Employment Position we have-instead of NYS ensuring that women receive "corrective earnings"!

NYS Legislative Employees and Legislation to correct employment blunders are not confined to Moratorium rules-especially when the Employer is in violation. Waiting 6 years for Corrective Employment Language as a Staff member-while Legislators employment matters always go first-is outrageous in theory-and Eileen was not a promoter that Legislators were "better than their Staff" or that Men Staff should earn more than Women. Eileen's office was fully staffed with both Male and Female Staff-so we didn't have internal discrepancies of Equality.

It's State Legislative Staff and our issues in trying to correct employment matters that's relevant-and required to be fixed to protect our employment benefits. In the Legislature introducing Maryann Maltese earnings equality law-not only will it correct the ill of my situation-but is the necessary Case to use and link that Female Legislative-Executive House's Staff need to ensure that we are receiving "correct or equal" earnings-wages for our present employment services instead of back tracking it. The Passage of my law-is taking pro-active steps in revolutionizing the employment processes used within State Legislature Employment.

Why else does this need to occur-because NYS must set the Example as an Employer who ensures equality of earnings and within Huntington Township-The Council passed a resolution 222 in August 2020-eliminating State Legislative "Employees"-not State Legislators from issuance of Health Care Employment Benefits-or the option to transfer their Time into the Huntington Fund if we are hired or Elected into the Huntington Township. Who-are these Elected's- Chad Luppinacci and Andrew Raia-they were permitted the "opportunity to do so-if they haven't transferred their time-they have the option under Resolution 222-but State Legislative-Executive Staff-simply do not-that's Biased! That too- the intent of Resolution 222 sounds on the verge of differentiations of service in a discriminatory manner-stating that State Legislators who take Huntington Town Service Jobs(Patronage or otherwise) are permitted to transfer their time, receive healthcare benefits, vacation and sick leave-but State Legislative Staffers can not-which doesn't support the spirit of equality within Civil Service Employment-or NYS's intent-to correct it's discriminatory Employment Practices. Do you agree? Share-CSEA Members or other State Employees-Huntington Employees are incredibly interested in Knowing....

Did I mention-I'm opposed to Huntington's 222 Resolution of 2020 and if the Township themselves doesn't rescind this employment measure effective immediately-that NYS Legislature can require them to do so-Legislatively speaking.

Here's another reason why I'm asking for your support in the Passage/Enactment of the Maryann Maltese Equality of Earnings Law- it will also negate sections if not the entirety of Huntington Resolution # 222-Sections which discriminate against my ability if I'm hired by Huntington (or any State Legislative Employee) from transferring my time-which in other locales within NYS is permitted and is acceptable. CSEA seems to think they're safe with this Resolution passage-really?! How so? I encourage Members of the CSEA to ask questions because the next step will be to further reduce CSEA Member access to Township Benefits. Huntington Township-didn't provide annual Raises in 2020-yes or no? Welcome to my World-of non-promotional raises-doesn't mean I didn't earn it?!- Now does it Huntingtonship?!

Just my 30 years of Campaign Management with-along side Unions in their Plight's-You know-with our People-Staff-seems to send my spider raider up-like a weather storm device on high alert feeling. It doesn't hurt to ask questions-and stay on top CSEA-is anyone else guiding you ala cart' right now. I'm not presently working in the Union-or a registered Lobbyist-just providing Advocacy for all sectors of Governmental Employees-Union and Patronage-side by side. The only difference between us-CSEA and Legislative-is those Employees are Unionized-we Are At-Will. So again-my 19 years-screams volumes of successes within the Legislature-yes? YEAH!

Back to the present 2021-please advocate that the NYS Legislature and Governor Cuomo does not permit another Legislative Session to pass by without enacting Women's Equality Law-inclusive of the Maryann Maltese Equality of Earnings Law-Corrective aspects which does ensure Equality of Earnings imprint in NYS State Code as breathing piece of legislation that gives teeth and roots to the Women's Agenda Budget 2021. Check in with your State legislators every week-Is the Legislative Bill on the AGENDA this week-if not-when?

Reach out to me-share your thoughts or insights on relevant Legislation that protects the interests of Governmental Employees-I'm happy to take a look-many of us (Governmental Employees) live in the 12th Assembly District-CSEA HQ is within the Assembly District. You can reach me at Maryann@cowharborrealty.com or maryannmaltese1000@gmail.com.