FROM MIRKIN & GORDON:
The Governor issued an Executive Order addressing “remote witnessing”  (for the duration of “the Disaster Emergency”).

The Executive Order states as follows:
“For the purposes of (citing several New York State statutes), the act of witnessing that is required under the aforementioned New York State laws is authorized to be performed utilizing audio-video technology provided that the following conditions are met:

1. The person requesting that their signature be witnessed, if not personally known to the witness(es), must present valid photo ID to the witness(es) during the video conference, not merely transmit it prior to or after;
2. The video conference must allow for direct interaction between the person and the witness(es), and the supervising attorney, if applicable (e.g. no pre-recorded videos of the person signing);
3. The witnesses must receive a legible copy of the signature page(s), which may be transmitted via fax or electronic means, on the same date that the pages are signed by the person;
4. The witness(es) may sign the transmitted copy of the signature page(s) and transmit the same back to the person;
5. The witness(es) may repeat the witnessing of the original signature page(s) as of the date of execution provided the witness(es) receive such original signature pages together with the electronically witnessed copies within thirty days after the date of execution.” 

CONTACT MIRKIN & GORDON TO FIND OUT HOW THEY CAN DO THIS WITH YOU> THIS IS A FREE BENEFIT:  914 997-1576  

FROM MIRKIN & GORDON
We thought you and your members might be interested to learn that student loan relief is contained in the CARES Act.   It includes an automatic 6½ month suspension of loan payments and interest.
This may be particularly helpful to family members who have lost their jobs or been temporarily furloughed and now have less income to pay their bills.
​Attached is a summary of the student loan relief for borrowers for you to distribute to your members.

Raymond Opticians has been deemed an essential business by Empire State Development & will continue to provide the best possible vision care for your members and their families.
The following is the information that they have provided to the MTABF:

We have suspended all Routine Eye Exams throughout our offices as per CDC recommendations.  We are, however, open for business to handle your members essential Vision Care needs. At this time we are still capable of providing prescription eyewear, eyewear repairs, and contact lens replacements.

We have limited staff and have limited the hours of operation at all offices. We have also temporarily closed some stores that we feel we're not essential due to their close proximity to other Raymond Opticians locations. If any of your members are having trouble getting ahold of their "home" store please ask them to check our website for a nearby store.  Our hours are constantly changing in this very fluid situation but as of now we are reachable Monday through Friday from 10a-4p at most offices on an alternating basis.  https://raymondopticians.com/

We have been getting phone calls from patients who do require eye emergency visits. We have an extensive team of referring Ophthalmologists who are able to handle any emergency eye issues that your members and families may have.  We are in constant contact with these local Eye Care Professionals and are willing and able to help with the referral process.  Most of these offices would handle claims through your members Medical Insurance (this will be separate from the usual Raymond Opticians Vision Insurance.)

We are hoping to resume Routine Eye Exams at Raymond Opticians by sometime in May

CHECK THEIR WEB SITE FOR Latest INFO: https://raymondopticians.com/

Financial planners are available to meet via web or phone conference. They can accommodate evening  and day time appointments. Please contact Stacey Braun Associates, Inc. At 888-949-1925 for more information.

The address is on the bottom of the form as part of the TO DO checklist