Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Weekly Advocacy Alert, September 30: Register to Vote by October 9th!

By Dance/NYC

Weekly Advocacy Alert, September 30:
Register to Vote by October 9th!

Register to Vote by October 9th:
a. The NYC Board of Elections (BOE) recently launched two new online portals for absentee voting ahead of the November 3 General Election on its Vote NYC website: one that allows residents to apply online for a mail-in ballot and another that allows applicants to track their ballot online.
b. If you aren't registered to vote, or need to change your voter registration address, visit https://elections.ny.gov for more info.

FEDERAL

1. Updates on Federal:
a. U.S. Department of Labor today announced a proposed rule clarifying the definition of employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as it relates to independent contractors.
i. The National Employment Law Project response statement
b. Stopgap spending bill
i. The House approved a stopgap spending bill to avert a government shutdown next week that includes tens of billions of dollars in relief for farmers and for nutritional assistance, the Times reports.
c. Dance/USA Updates
i. Use Dance/USA’s advocacy action alert to contact your Congressional delegation to urge immediate action to provide pandemic relief for the arts sector, including the dance community.

CONTACT YOUR CONGRESSPEOPLE

ii. Download Dance/USA #Dance2Vote tool kit! Share information to ensure dance artists, dance professionals, supporters of the arts, and the general public have accurate information about voting during the November 3, 2020 elections and know the relevant issues impacting the dance industry and the arts sector.

NEW YORK STATE

1. Travel Advisories:
a. Individuals traveling to New York from Colorado, Minnesota, Nevada, Rhode Island and Wyoming must quarantine for 14 days upon arriving in New York. Arizona and Virginia have been removed. See more info here.
b. International travelers from Level 2 and Level 3 countries must complete a 14 day quarantine. Learn more here.

2. Governor Cuomo extended the residential eviction moratorium to January 1, 2021

3. Contact State Legislators
a. Fund Excluded Workers - contact legislators, sign petition, organization sign to tax billionaires to create emergency income, including retroactive payments, for all excluded New Yorkers.

NEW YORK CITY

1. Census extended to October 5th!:
a. Take the census and get your friends and family to complete the census!
b. Each New Yorker represents $3,000 in federal funding each year. Our city’s share of $675 billion in federal dollars each year is at stake.
c. If we are undercounted, we will lose seats in Congress, which means a weaker voice in Washington on decisions that affect our future on local and state levels.

take the census

Or call 844-330-2020

2. COVID-19 cases growing at alarming rate in neighborhoods around City:
a. More than 1,000 New Yorkers test positive for COVID-19, which has not happened since June.
b. These 9 zip codes are COVID-19 hotspots and reopening will be scaled back and possible shutdowns in these zip codes. These zip codes account for 26% of new cases but only represent 7% of the City's population.
i. 11223, 11230, 11415, 11691, 11219, 11204, 11229, 11210, 11367
c. These zip codes show increased growth above city average and are being monitored as potential hotspots
i. 11374, 11218, 11235, 11211, 11249
d. If you are experiencing COVID symptoms or believe you were exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID, get tested. Find a testing site near you.

3. Dance/NYC hosts weekly dance field-wide calls to address our questions, needs, and plans for the future as a field. Calls occur every Thursday, 4:00 pm. – 5:00 p.m. Register!