Calling Mom's-NYS needs changes to Family Leave Act-Can you help?

Mom's has anyone ever needed Paid or Unpaid Family Leave? Raise your Hand or Post a Comment.

In 2013, I too, for the first time needed and was approved for Family Leave with NYS Legislature. For 19 Years-I ran Downstate Regional Communications and Chief of Staff mainly in NYS Assembly-but also employed with NYS Senate-and during that time frame-UPK became a reality. My own Daughter; was a student within NYS's pilot program-where Free half day Pre-K offered. Since that time-UPK has grown into Full Time offerings and much more.

With NYS Family Leave Act-and Tenured Rights within State Civil Service-when an employee is approved for unpaid Family Leave (now Family Leave can be paid for 12 weeks-that's new) ; reinstatement back to employment is protected. However-somewhere along the way-not due to any fault of my own-as an employee of the Legislature-my reinstatement that I requested-did not occur! This is a violation of NYS's Family Leave Act generally speaking-Public Employers; they are the employers who are the role models for inclusive aspects to be granted and for other Private Employers to look towards as role models in ways in which to offer Family Leave-or even better-set up their own Family Friendly policies-not everything is regulated by State Government.

As my request for reinstatement did not occur for 6 years; changes in Law occurred-permitting women to file discriminatory employment claims because Public/Private Employers issued intentionally discriminating wages within the employment contracts that did not meet state standards of market rate salaries for the Employment Titles and Roles/functions women as employees provided. I'm one of these Women from the Public Sector Employment (Legislature) entitled to retroactive corrective earnings for employment years 1994-2013 because it is demonstrated that I; as a Female Staff member-on several Male Dominated Management Teams-that I did not earn the "same" wages these Male Staff Members earned-and because of NYS's Budgetary Acknowledgements of Fault (Grounds) the Legislature as a Public Employee-must produce a procedural process in distribution of outstanding earnings. Because I'm not reinstated-there is an administrative issue with existing Policies of NYS's Family Act and NYS's Wage Gap Laws-which the intent is for any Employer to Issue Outstanding Pay-Back Earnings for the Women who already provided Employment Services to NYS-and has a Claim.

As State Policy Makers-NYS Legislature-has a DUTY to introduce Amendments or practical aspects where it's demonstrated that an Employee of the Legislature's fact pattern meets the intent of the Law-but something procedural wise is missing to process the Employment Claim. Brushing this off-in suggesting that a Tenured State Legislative Staff Member who's employment profile is outstanding in service record-needs to hire an Attorney to perform Policy Changing Functions required-is not the right answer. My employment situation; can be anyone's employment situation if you're on approved Leave-the Employer didn't keep the employee informed of deadline's to reenter service-and now is resistant to introducing policy required-because no Procedural Process within the Legislature-in them as the Employer-keeping employees informed of "required reinstatement" was sent to the Employee "Maryann Maltese". As I'm tenured-State Employment Public Officer Laws and State Civil Service Laws of tenure-support my Right for the Legislature to introduce the necessary procedural process rules of reinstatement as well as issuance of retroactive earnings that was not included within my salary for employment years 1994-2013.

Neighbors-no Male Employee in the NYS Legislature-that perhaps needed Unpaid Leave-with the same fact pattern as Maryann Maltese (Management on Team)-was denied reinstatement or denied retroactive corrective earnings. Did they think I would shut my mouth out of service? Nah.

Changes in New York State's Family Leave must occur and the Maltese Legislation provides that required changes because on-leave means the employee is still considered 'active employee of the Legislature" retirement or severance from service has not occurred. Additionally The Maltese Legislation will ensure that Women's Equality is State Law-it presently is not-and because NYS's intent in prior Sessions to include NYS -11th Amendment aspects within State Constitution; it has not Passed the Legislature for over 100 years. Women's Equality as a Sex-must occur to cement the Rights Women are offered at large in NYS-and Earnings Equality is Needed in NYS. Do you agree?

So Ladies and Gentleman; those of you that needed to take Family Leave; no matter paid or unpaid; and reinstatement wasn't provided-that's a violation of Employment Practices if no severance, no actual accrual of required earnings, or no-bargaining that You as the Employee agreed to end your employment occurred.

Join me today-in pressing the NYS Legislature to Introduce the Language of the Maryann Maltese Equality of Earnings Law-which amends and changes Family Leave Act for everyone and support the Passage of the 11th Amendment Changes of State Constitution which mandates Women's Equality. It's 2 different Pieces of Legislation that if both is Enacted; provides Comprehensive U-haul in requiring NYS Legislature provide retroactive earnings to Maltese and to ensure NYS as a Procedural Process for Women/Men negatively impacted in violations of Family Leave Act.

The power to change Legislation comes from other's who are brave enough to share details of their personal Family Leave matters so Legislative Changes and requirements for those of us as protective employees (tenured is protective class in Service) is adhered too. NYS Legislature is not exempt from Tenured Employment. While we're out there-Pressing the Private Sector Employers to meet Employment Standards-do we Believe that NYS should not be accountable as well as an Employer?

You can reach me; maryann@cowharborreality.com-all information kept confidential.

Maryann Maltese, has 30 Years of State and Federal Practical Experiences within the Legislatures. Laws and Massive Capital Projects oversight of for NYS. Maryann was employed as a Downstate Regional Manager/Chief of Staff with NYS Legislature. Maryann lives in Huntington-with her family and two canines; Bubba and Bernard.