NEWSLINE Summer 2025
By Saul Fishman, President, Civil Service Bar Association
New York City and surrounding suburbs can be either very pleasant or quite brutal depending on the day, the hour, where you are and how you’re dressed. Many of these things are largely out of our control when we are in the office. So it is essential that our employer provide us with an environment which is adequate and safe, which during the summer includes air conditioning.
Important: When the air conditioning goes out or is at either ridiculous extreme, please contact us immediately at csbainfo@local237.org. Kindly let us know who has been contacted, when and by whom, and provide us with whatever details you have (i.e.- agency, address, floor(s), units and room numbers affected, when the condition started, and a suggestion (with contact information when possible) of whom we should reach out to. We can keep your identity confidential if you wish, but please provide us with your cell phone number and/or personal email address should we need further information or updates. If the indoor temperature is unbearable, we will push to allow you to work remotely until the situation has been remedied!
With all the stress most of us experience, from our jobs as underpaid (despite the recent salary and RIP raises) and overworked NYC Agency Attorneys, to living in a divided country with leadership bordering on the insane, it’s crucial that we take steps to care for ourselves.
Summer is nature’s reminder to take a vacation and/or to slow the pace down when possible. Here are a few suggestions; hopefully you can utilize at least a couple of them or alternatively find your own methods to safely enjoy yourself during the hot weather:
- Spend some time outdoors, preferably either before or after the heat of the day. Nothing beats a relaxing stroll in your happy place!
- Stay well-hydrated and protect your skin from the sun.
- Exercise with the activities of your choice (tennis, pickleball or softball, anyone?) but be mindful of the weather and your limits. Take rest and hydration breaks in the shade.
- Make your own summer music playlist.
- Reconnect with a friend.
- Did I mention take a vacation? Even a long weekend is better than no vacation, and can help us recharge, reenergize and de-stress. Alternatively, if you cannot leave town, even a stay-cation in the world’s greatest city, with Broadway shows, great museums, restaurants, shopping, beaches and more, can probably de-stress you for less.
Here’s to a fun and relaxing Summer of 2025, either here in the Baked Apple or in the place(s) of your choice!