Just Sayin': Women need equal, fair pay for work
Soccer player Megan Rapinoe speaks at a White House event marking Equal Pay Daylast year in Washington. Credit: AP/Evan Vucci
Women need equal, fair pay for work
March 15 was Equal Pay Day, the annual symbolic date when full-time working women's wages equal the annual wages of full-time men the prior year, 2021. Based on 2020 data, that is 83 cents to a dollar. If the loss of income due to the exodus of full-time working women and a shift to part-time work due to the pandemic were included, Equal Pay Day would be much later in the year.
Institutions are dependent upon women to provide the vital services of caregiving to our parents and children that is severely undervalued. If caregivers in New York State were paid a living wage, they could afford to provide the care that countless families need. Many women stuck in "pink ghetto" gendered fields in our state cannot afford to pay rent and provide for families, instead having to rely on social services. Equal and fair pay would mean women could afford to save for retirement, improve the quality of their lives and reduce costs for society.
Our state is facing a massive shortage of female-dominated frontline workers. The governor and state Legislature can make changes to lift these workers out of poverty and enhance the workforce.
Sharada Jayagopal, East Williston
Employers have edge over '1099' workers
Sadly, more often than not, employers and potential employers are hiring only people on a "1099" status — self-employed, independent contractors. As a 1099 employee, you have zero rights that ordinarily you would have had as a traditional employee guaranteed to you by labor standards. The 1099 employees do not have the following: health insurance, guaranteed hourly wages, sick time, vacation time, unemployment insurance, overtime and workers' compensation.
It is a win-win for employers and mostly a losing proposition for employees. There is zero accountability by the employer .
Straight-commission employees are more commonplace today. If corporations are not being held accountable to follow the usual employee laws, they have free rein with these employees.
Senators and governors must take a stand and hold corporations accountable to 1099 employees. Further erosion of their rights can occur.
Jacquelyn L. Sfaelos, Huntington
It takes a long time to see a doctor
What’s wrong with Long Island’s medical system? It is reputed to be one of the country’s best, but try to communicate with a doctor or get test results.
Recently, I had a test, and the results were not good. I had to see a urologist and got an appointment for one month later. Why does it take so long? After phoning the doctor for a week, I left a voicemail, and still no human contact. I left several messages for the urologist, but no reply.
I called my primary doctor and was transferred to someone in another state. He called the urologist and immediately received an answer.
If I call the doctor, I get a choice of leaving a message or being told to "go to the emergency room." The medical system here is badly flawed. I know several people who run into the same situations. If you do get to see a doctor, you will be granted a full five minutes of his time. And this is ongoing.
Edward Hughes, Floral Park
