FOIL: Involvement with and Influences from GARE (New York State Department of Labor)
| Tracking # |
R000150-032323 |
| Multi Request | FOIL: Involvement with and Influences from GARE |
| Submitted | March 18, 2023 |
| Est. Completion | July 17, 2023 |
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Communications
From: Jackson Parker
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the New York Freedom of Information Law, I hereby request the following records:
I am writing to request records pursuant to the New York State Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) (Public Officers Law Article 6) regarding the involvement of the agency with the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) or The Local & Regional Government Alliance on Race and Equity and/or an organization by the name "Race Forward" and/or an organization by the name "[the] Center for Social Inclusion" collectively referred to as GARE.
I am requesting access to any and all records, documents, communications, or other materials related to the following:
1. Any contracts or agreements between the agency and GARE or any related organizations.
2. Any training materials or presentations related to racial equity, diversity, or inclusion that the agency has used or received from GARE or any related organizations.
3. Any policies or programs related to racial equity, diversity, or inclusion that have been influenced by GARE or any related organizations.
4. Any reports, data, or other information related to the agency's efforts to promote racial equity or reduce racial disparities among students, faculty, staff, or the community at large, in collaboration with GARE or any related organizations.
5. Any meeting minutes or other records of discussions or decision-making related to the agency's involvement with GARE or any related organizations.
Please include all documents and materials from January 1, 2016, to the present.
If any portion of my request is denied, please provide a written explanation for the denial, citing the specific FOIL exemption(s) that justify the denial.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 5 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Jackson Parker
From:
Dear Jackson Parker:
This message acknowledges receipt of your request. Your request was received in this office on 3/20/2023 and given the reference number R000150-032323 for tracking purposes.
Records Requested: Pursuant to the New York Freedom of Information Law, I hereby request the following records:
I am writing to request records pursuant to the New York State Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) (Public Officers Law Article 6) regarding the involvement of the agency with the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) or The Local & Regional Government Alliance on Race and Equity and/or an organization by the name "Race Forward" and/or an organization by the name "[the] Center for Social Inclusion" collectively referred to as GARE.
I am requesting access to any and all records, documents, communications, or other materials related to the following:
1. Any contracts or agreements between the agency and GARE or any related organizations.
2. Any training materials or presentations related to racial equity, diversity, or inclusion that the agency has used or received from GARE or any related organizations.
3. Any policies or programs related to racial equity, diversity, or inclusion that have been influenced by GARE or any related organizations.
4. Any reports, data, or other information related to the agency's efforts to promote racial equity or reduce racial disparities among students, faculty, staff, or the community at large, in collaboration with GARE or any related organizations.
5. Any meeting minutes or other records of discussions or decision-making related to the agency's involvement with GARE or any related organizations.
Please include all documents and materials from January 1, 2016, to the present.
We will provide you with a status update on or before 4/17/2023.
You can monitor the progress of your request at the link below and you'll receive an email when your request has been completed.
New York State Department of Labor
To monitor the progress or update this request please log into the FOIL Records Access Center (https://u8387778.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=6HtRfOYLt5fXvpttM-2FU1HR-2FpjJ3cmMH257M7jBvtZluUpPdBjkv8bGAWmeFzzDwfPdl4sxlilj4a-2Bqkw1VRMBg-3D-3DgkmT_WfC0NXM7jhpYFQk1BeUqlX-2FDtvfxAyefroPiT3bLGIIuCLKeVPiP2qYoiXK0nUZ0inycI-2BCqTwE46JQ6ZJk6G9-2FWS2E-2BjuqkZNLe-2Fg19fRBNbQv-2BvdtOEjEtLPMJgLAI46aGMmFTyD2BQrbInLUxzYCWuugPFuyXjXZ4wKlErvPYA4Pse-2BsOcQcCE-2Bq26xT6fxsKLWETqRW93811mDGUA6UHhUTJYOLTw5t3NUOJh2AEEJFplCAEiQyd6F2tXGJFh76lby-2FC3HVCy5Ks-2FHgwU9C69-2FytD1wfD1nujI1HJhzF-2BAN23ae9JU9O2J-2B9qdfuYAnlv1pjmmz6-2FU0MjU2z4rr5o07LLJz0NTREv7phSdCJDjVKS-2BRYqZDKJ0D0Olj9)
From: New York State Department of Labor
--- Please respond above this line ---
4/17/2023 Jackson Parker
DEPT MR 143022 263 Huntington Ave.
Boston MA 02115 RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of March 20, 2023, Reference # R000150-032323 Dear Jackson Parker, This letter is in response to your public information request from you on March 20, 2023. Your request mentioned: “Pursuant to the New York Freedom of Information Law, I hereby request the following records:
I am writing to request records pursuant to the New York State Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) (Public Officers Law Article 6) regarding the involvement of the agency with the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) or The Local & Regional Government Alliance on Race and Equity and/or an organization by the name "Race Forward" and/or an organization by the name "[the] Center for Social Inclusion" collectively referred to as GARE.
I am requesting access to any and all records, documents, communications, or other materials related to the following:
1. Any contracts or agreements between the agency and GARE or any related organizations.
2. Any training materials or presentations related to racial equity, diversity, or inclusion that the agency has used or received from GARE or any related organizations.
3. Any policies or programs related to racial equity, diversity, or inclusion that have been influenced by GARE or any related organizations.
4. Any reports, data, or other information related to the agency's efforts to promote racial equity or reduce racial disparities among students, faculty, staff, or the community at large, in collaboration with GARE or any related organizations.
5. Any meeting minutes or other records of discussions or decision-making related to the agency's involvement with GARE or any related organizations.
Please include all documents and materials from January 1, 2016, to the present.” Please be advised that the Department could not complete a response to your FOIL request within 20 business days due to the volume of requests currently pending with the Department and our obligation to treat each request equally. The Department estimates that you will receive a response to your request within 90 business days. Thank you, Jill Archambault Records Access Officer Marlene Valdes
Legal Assistant
To monitor the progress or update this request please log into the FOIL Records Access Center (https://u8387778.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=6HtRfOYLt5fXvpttM-2FU1HR-2FpjJ3cmMH257M7jBvtZlugSfBEJ4yiVQbRU9dsZPRNDgwfkZktmum8rr-2BuBP1Y51JfBWct07GchwxeCVHNK54-3DYjIt_WfC0NXM7jhpYFQk1BeUqlX-2FDtvfxAyefroPiT3bLGIIuCLKeVPiP2qYoiXK0nUZ0inycI-2BCqTwE46JQ6ZJk6G5dqrXAtG-2Bj5yYdGV1Revv9IYKmFHDx6Pde-2FQM1rfz00Yfv4iabZsyQEdQ3l89UpFt9CE0D9cA5JT0Cq1tVo5gI9CRgCI8aFdyzyVZzKFoeJLR0gEukZGylkqx5ELI0wFGZtem9XOUaheYaP3txMHDTyI437-2BtfYQ825nxsDI2b9Ka113mdGK8H6pc2MqBsYuwu5UPYvS2voUxhk6izb6aID-2B4Umdx25Xx38JHg88vxy-2BUsRc3ieFitPWie1RKOgwz5ZzhSuTChnufza3mmggDcOoQHTz1wQZc3z0Lph60Yz)
From: Jackson Parker
Dear Ms. Archambault and Ms. Valdes,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing in response to your letter dated April 17, 2023, regarding my Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request filed on March 20, 2023, about the involvement of the agency with the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) and related organizations.
I understand that your department is currently handling a high volume of requests, and it is essential to treat each request fairly. However, I would like to kindly ask you to reconsider the estimated 90-business-day response time for my request.
The information requested is of significant public interest, and prompt access to these records is vital to fostering transparency, accountability, and informed public discourse. While I appreciate the challenges faced by your department, I encourage you to prioritize and expedite the processing of this request to the best of your ability.
I also request that you consider releasing responsive records on a rolling basis as they are identified, reviewed, and redacted if necessary. This would help minimize delays in accessing essential information while still allowing your agency to continue its due diligence in processing all requests.
I appreciate your attention to this matter and am committed to working with you to make the process as efficient as possible. If there is any way I can assist in narrowing the scope of the request or providing additional context to expedite the process, please do not hesitate to contact me
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I'm following up on the following New York Freedom of Information Law request, copied below, and originally submitted on March 20, 2023. You had previously indicated that it would be completed on July 17, 2023. I wanted to check on the status of my request, and to see if there was a new estimated completion date. You had assigned it reference number #R000150-032323.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: New York State Department of Labor
--- Please respond above this line ---
August 8, 2023 RE: FOIL Records Request of March 20, 2023, Reference # R000150-032323 Dear Jackson Parker, The New York State Department of Labor received a FOIL request from you on March 20, 2023. Your request mentioned: “Pursuant to the New York Freedom of Information Law, I hereby request the following records:
I am writing to request records pursuant to the New York State Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) (Public Officers Law Article 6) regarding the involvement of the agency with the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) or The Local & Regional Government Alliance on Race and Equity and/or an organization by the name "Race Forward" and/or an organization by the name "[the] Center for Social Inclusion" collectively referred to as GARE.
I am requesting access to any and all records, documents, communications, or other materials related to the following:
1. Any contracts or agreements between the agency and GARE or any related organizations.
2. Any training materials or presentations related to racial equity, diversity, or inclusion that the agency has used or received from GARE or any related organizations.
3. Any policies or programs related to racial equity, diversity, or inclusion that have been influenced by GARE or any related organizations.
4. Any reports, data, or other information related to the agency's efforts to promote racial equity or reduce racial disparities among students, faculty, staff, or the community at large, in collaboration with GARE or any related organizations.
5. Any meeting minutes or other records of discussions or decision-making related to the agency's involvement with GARE or any related organizations.
Please include all documents and materials from January 1, 2016, to the present.” The New York State Department of Labor has reviewed its files and, after a diligent search, has been unable to locate any responsive documents to your request. Please be advised that the Department could not identify or locate records based on the information provided. The records sought pursuant to a FOIL request must be “reasonably described.” Whether records are “reasonably described” may be dependent upon an agency’s filing or record keeping system. Also, agency employees are not required to engage in unreasonable efforts or analyze several possible conditions to locate records. For more information on this standard, please see Public Officers Law § 89(3)(a) as well as the Committee on Open Government’s FOIL Advisory Opinions 19157 and 19203. If you wish to resubmit your request, please include information that may assist Department staff in identifying records such as the relevant unit/division of this Department, specific timeframes, or any relevant names, addresses, case numbers, etc. For a listing of records maintained by the Department, please see the Department’s “Subject Matter List” available at: https://www.labor.ny.gov/secure/foilrequest.shtm. You may submit a written appeal of this decision within 30 days by mail to: Commissioner of Labor, New York State Department of Labor, Harriman State Office Campus, Building 12, Room 500, Albany, NY 12240. You must state a basis for appeal, attach a copy of this letter, and mark the letter and envelope as “FOIL Appeal.” Thank you, Jill Archambault Records Access Officer Marlene Valdes
Legal Assistant
From: Jackson Parker
I am writing to formally appeal the denial of my FOIL request (Reference Number: R000150-032323) regarding the New York State Department of Labor's (NYS DOL) involvement with the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE). Additionally, I'd like to provide further clarification to assist in the processing of my request.
Grounds for Appeal:
Premature Denial: While the department sought clarification for my request, it appears to have been denied without allowing for the provision of additional information. A request for clarification should not automatically result in the invalidation of the original request.
Sufficient Information Provided: The initial request provided clear parameters for the desired records. However, to assist further, I am providing additional details below.
Clarifications:
Email Correspondence:
Any email communications between NYS DOL representatives and representatives from GARE, specifically individuals such as Becca Lobley and Lindsay Teeples-Mitchell, or any other GARE representative.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, issues related to GARE portal access, establishing racial justice workgroups, or any other collaborative efforts.
Training Proposals:
Any proposals or agreements related to training programs focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) challenges in the workplace.
Membership Invoices:
Invoices or financial documents related to GARE membership dues for the NYS DOL.
Collaboration with NYSDOH:
Any communications, collaborations, or joint initiatives between NYS DOL and NYSDOH staff members involved with GARE.
Keywords and Email Addresses:
Keywords: GARE, Government Alliance on Race and Equity, portal access, racial justice workgroup, diversity training, DEI challenges, membership dues.
Email Addresses: Becca.Lobley@GARE.org, Lindsay.Teeples-Mitchell@GARE.org, and any other GARE-associated email addresses.
I kindly request a thorough review of the original request and the reasons for its denial. I believe the provided clarifications should sufficiently aid in the identification and retrieval of the requested records. If any records or parts of records are deemed exempt from disclosure, I request a detailed justification for each exemption, citing specific provisions of the law.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to a prompt resolution of this appeal.
Files
There are no files associated with this request.