Page 9 - Work Force July-August 2025

July-August 2025 9 9
The Work Force
PEEKSKILL — Our union has
been fiercely advocating for
legislative changes that would
help caseworkers stay safer when
they’re working in our communities,
especially in light of last year’s
murder of CSEA Westchester County
Unit member Maria Coto.
Coto, a senior social caseworker
in the county Department of Social
Services Child Protective Services
Unit, was brutally attacked in May
2024 when she knocked on the
wrong door during a field visit. She
died from her injuries a month later.
Working with CSEA as
legislative partners, state Sen. Pete
Harckham and Assemblywoman
Dana Levenberg have introduced
legislation to improve safety for
caseworkers. The most pressing
piece of legislation called for
caseworkers to be provided an
emergency panic button, which is
available via a few different pieces
of technology when working in the
community.
While the legislation didn’t make
it across the finish line during the
most recent legislative session, our
union will continue advocating for its
passage when lawmakers return to
Albany.
In May, Harckham and Levenberg
hosted a news conference covered
by CBS 2 and News 12, among
other media outlets, where CSEA
leaders and Coto’s co-workers
spoke. Westchester County Local
President Hattie Adams noted that
New York state has the opportunity
to be a leader by passing this safety
legislation.
CSEA member Christine Leoce,
CSEA fights for
legislation to protect
caseworkers
Coto’s supervisor and friend,
recounted the heart wrenching
experience of receiving notification
from authorities of the attack on
Coto and the subsequent weeks until
she passed away. Coto’s aunt, Maria
Gutierrez, urged lawmakers to make
passing this legislation a top priority.
— Jessica Ladlee
Westchester County Local President Hattie Adams, second from left,
speaks with local media. To Adams’ left is Gerardo Guiterrez, Maria Coto’s
uncle. Right of Adams is Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg; Maria Coto’s
aunt Maria Gutierrez and State Sen. Pete Harckham. Behind them are
Coto’s Department of Social Services colleagues.
ALBANY — The 2025 New York
State Legislative Session officially
adjourned on June 18, 2025.
This session delivered important
victories for our union. We led
the charge to regulate how
artificial intelligence (AI) is used
by local governments, school
districts and SUNY, ensuring
workers aren’t replaced by these
new technologies. We were also
successful in getting bills done to
improve recruitment and retention
in the public sector, improve
conditions for home-based child
care providers and much more.
Here is a short summary of key
legislation passed by both the state
Assembly and state Senate. These
bills still need to be signed by Gov.
Kathy Hochul to take effect. For
more information on these bills and
others, visit cseany.org/issues.
Regulating Artificial Intelligence
(AI) in the Public Sector
S.7599 (Gonzalez) / A.8295 (Otis)
This bill builds upon last year’s
legislative success, the LOADing
Act, which protected employees
of state agencies and public
authorities from displacement
due to AI. This bill expands these
protections to local governments,
school districts, and SUNY and
provides transparency by requiring
employers to report their use of AI
systems.
Operational Safety Plans for
State Parks Employees
S.7680 (Serrano) / A.6634 (Kim)
This legislation requires the NYS
Office of Parks, Recreation, and
Historic Preservation to develop
operational safety plans prior to
sending employees into hazardous
conditions. CSEA took action after
the tragic death of Palisades Park
Commission Local member Daniel
Vasquez, who died responding to
a wildfire in Sterling Forest State
Park in November 2024. Now, before
parks employees are deployed into
severe weather, wildfires, or other
dangerous situations, the state
must fully assess the hazards and
ensure that all staff assigned are
properly trained, equipped, and
supported for all the roles that they
are expected to perform.
Aligning Staffing Requirements
for Home-Based Child Care
Providers
S.4929 (Brouk) / A.4003 (Clark)
This bill aligns infant supervision
standards for home-based child
care providers, many of whom
are represented by CSEA, with the
standards for child care centers.
This will reduce the burden of
excessive staffing requirements
on home-based providers and
will improve access to infant care
across the state.
Providing Appointment Letters
to Public Employees
S.5760 (Jackson) / A.6624
(Pheffer Amato)
This legislation requires that
when a public employer offers
someone a job or promotion, they
must provide specific information
about the position, including terms
of employment, salary, and benefits.
This is a common-sense measure
that ensures that current and
prospective employees have access
to all of the information they need
to make an informed decision about
their employment.
Big wins for CSEA in the 2025 state Legislative Session