Sanoy Fleming, an ASPCA worker in Queens who happens to be black, found a noose hanging from a company garage. "I was very upset and it made me uncomfortable that no one thought it was inappropriate," Fleming tells the Daily News, so she reported the incident to her supervisor. A few days later, she received a call from "George" in HR. After scolding her for her subpar work performance, "George" allegedly told her: " 'I heard you were upset about a rope found in the garage,' and he said that it was used for 'operational purposes' to lift things." Sort of like how KKK hoods are for keeping warm. more ›

Former mayor Rudy Giuliani is in Florida today, skipping the Iowa caucus that his team never counted on anyway. Still, his staffers are trying to remain relevant in Iowa by "contacting reporters, reminding them that even though the former New York mayor is lagging badly [in Iowa]...he will remain a player in the big states that hold their primaries in upcoming weeks." more ›

There are some things needed while reporting for jury duty. Reading material, maybe some snacks, a lot of patience... but a sword and a dagger aren't on the list. But that's what a city employee, headed to Brooklyn Supreme Court, did bring. The Post reports that 40-year-old Vladislav Lisetsky, who works in the Human Resources Administration, brought in a cane that concealed not only a two and a half foot sword at one end, but... more ›

Today is Columbus Day, which means that your employer is probably not giving you the day off (according to the Society for Human Resources Management) but many government offices and schools are closed. The stock market is open, some banks are closed while others are open, and alternate side of the street parking is suspended. Here's a list of closures, but this sort-of-holiday is confusing. And, of course, there is steady opposition to Columbus Day overall. more ›

In the weeks after 9/11, when Operation Infinite Justice (later re-branded Enduring Freedom) readied vengeance for peasants in Afghanistan, there were several writers who immediately stood out by simply noting the truth amidst an avalanche of jingoism. One that springs readily to mind is Arundhati Roy, who wrote in an article on September 29, 2001: “Witness the infinite justice of the new century. Civilians starving to death while they're waiting to be killed.” more ›

What are interns? I've been an intern, but never an unpaid one, although I could imagine circumstances that would make taking such a position seem reasonable. The justification for an internship being unpaid is that the position is an educational experience for the intern; the transfer of goods is from the organization to the intern. While both a paid internship and a traditional job also serve as learning experiences for the employee, an unpaid internship ought to differ from these other situations in that the help provided by the intern to the organization is negligible. Which is what makes this ad so odd. How could an unpaid intern be "needed ASAP"? Here's a clue: "Duties include filing, setting up new filing system, creating and editing org charts, updating 401Ks and other files, assist Human Resources Director in all duties, etc." In other words, a job, a rather dull-sounding one at that, but with the special quality of not paying anything at all. 

This is just wrong. more ›

Huh. After the NY Times reported the Mayor's plans to pursue a federal waiver to help childless adults get food stamps (on the front page, no less!), Mayor Bloomberg changed his mind. Well, maybe not change his mind so much as "overrule" two of his aides who were the ones really working on the program. The NY Times called Bloomberg's decision "rare," as he usually gives people under him autonomy (the man loves delegation) but apparently Deputy Mayor Linda Gibbs and Human Resources Administration Commissioner and Verna Eggleston might have leapt before Bloomberg was convinced of the new change in policy. Newsday says that "Bloomberg met with his senior staff and decided against it," according to an anonymous City Hall source. Gibbs issued a statement saying:

"After further consideration, we have decided that this potential policy change is not consistent with the mayor's goal of helping New Yorkers become self-sufficient, and we have asked the [state] not to seek a federal waiver on the city's behalf. Because we believe that every New Yorker who can work should work, we will not pursue a federal waiver for single, able-bodied adults at this time."

tax-free..."): Accompanying a citywide tax hike from 8.25% to 8.625%, clothing under $110 will be taxed 4% and then the tax may go up to the 8.625%. In this instance, the blame for a tax hike doesn't fall on Mayor Bloomberg: The City Council passed the measure 47-3. NY1 reported the deal also includes: more ›