the rabbi, the believer and the union are woefully educated and fail to see the world in all its glory and ny const art 1 sec 3. plenty of union members bet at nyc otb and were plowed under or eciled by its demise. those that pray and or work at the holy church of nassau otb tell king pin kevin mccaffrey sufgolk county legislator and president of teamsters local 707 that he can go to hell but that local 707 members including one member of the irthodox church must be free to work and or bet when they wish. even pope francis has opined that the orthofox church must be treated with respect. ny pml sec 209 does not apply to nassau otb and or is unconstitutionsl despite andrew cuomo scting as if he is the pope.

OPEN ON 1ST PALM SUNDAY, OTB RAKES IN $2M

By JERRY BOSSERT

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS |

APR 14, 2003

New York City Off-Track Betting made history yesterday, taking bets on Palm Sunday. Since 1973, when Sunday racing was made legal in New York State, race tracks have been allowed to operate every Sunday except for Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. While Aqueduct kept its doors shut, NYCOTB had its betting parlors open despite a letter from the New York State Racing and Wagering Board stating that it couldn't do so. "We're not a race track," NYCOTB president Ray Casey said. "OTB's business is a simulcasting business.

" Bettors responded by wagering an estimated $2 million yesterday on tracks from around the country, including Keeneland in Kentucky and Gulfstream Park in Florida. While in the past NYCOTB has respected the law and shut down on Palm Sunday, it took a chance this time because its business is down. "With the weather being the way it's been our handle has been off significantly," Casey said. "Our lawyers felt from their point of view that we could open (yesterday).

" The law says race tracks can't open. It doesn't mention OTBs. "I respect the Racing and Wagering Board and I have the utmost respect for chairman Michael Hoblock but I felt we're right on this one," Casey said. The NYSRWB didn't return phone calls yesterday but said on Saturday it would meet this week to discuss fines and penalties it can impose on NYCOTB. "This isn't personal," Casey said. "I just didn't agree with the board's interpretation.

" Casey also said NYCOTB may open on Easter Sunday.

MTA officials ask Orthodox Jewish transit worker to prove he’s observing Rosh Hashanah: union

By MICHAEL ELSEN-ROONEY

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS |

SEP 27, 2019

New York City Transit conductor Benjamin Schaeffer says the agency has asked him to prove he's an observant Jew in order to give him Rosh Hashanah off. (TWU Local 100)

MTA officials demanded an Orthodox Jewish transit worker prove he observes Rosh Hashanah for “a religious reason” in order to get the holiday off, union officials said Friday.

Benjamin Schaeffer, a 22-year MTA transit worker, was initially denied permission to take off for the Jewish new year, according to Transport Workers Union Local 100.

A supervisor then granted Schaeffer the holiday, but told TWU Local 100 veep Eric Loegel that Schaffer would need to submit documentation within 5 days to prove he’d actually observed the holiday or he’d be marked as “AWOL.”

“This smacks of anti-Semitism, and is definitely anti-worker,” TWU Local 100 said in a statement. “What kind of railroad is MTA Chairman Pat Foye running?”

Schaeffer followed MTA regulations by asking for the day off three weeks in advance, and the MTA had granted Schaeffer the holiday every year prior without issue, union reps said.

[More Education] Changing the way teachers learn can make all the difference in the classroom »

But this year, a supervisor told the union there are “many employees who request to have days off for religious observance and are not granted due to the slots being full, and the high need for personnel. So in order to try to accommodate the employee’s and be fair, I am requesting documentation.”

inRead invented by Teads

The supervisor didn’t specify the kind of documentation Schaeffer would need to submit, union officials said.

RELATED GALLERY

A decade in pictures: Iconic stories, photos and covers of the 2010s

“It’s degrading,” said Schaeffer. “I’m supposed to document my faith every year?”

“We value and respect our employees’ religious beliefs and make every effort to accommodate requests for time off," said MTA spokesman Christopher McKniff. "This request was received after all leave slots for this day and job title had been distributed, but the supervisor involved made an exception for Mr. Schaeffer and granted him the day off. This issue has been reviewed by NYCT supervision and it was confirmed that no documentation is necessary.”