Get our email updates
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.
What's New
Upcoming Events
CNYBJ Job Board
Business Mentors
Ask Rusty: If We Both Collect SS, Will our Benefits be Affected?
Dear Rusty: I reached full retirement age (FRA) back in June, but I have not yet filed to collect Social Security (SS). My husband currently collects SS funds, and he waited until he had reached his FRA a few years ago. I am considering signing up now to receive my funds, but I am a […]
VIEWPOINT: New York State’s Effort to Replace the NLRB Is Enjoined
On Nov. 26, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York issued a preliminary injunction barring New York State from enforcing the recent legislative amendment that gave the New York Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) jurisdiction over private-sector labor-relations matters in New York. The court found that federal law preempted the
VIEWPOINT: Gender-Based Violence & the Workplace Policy Mandate Goes into Effect
It’s for bidders on NYS contracts As part of this year’s budget, New York State added Section 139-m to the State Finance Law, which requires bidders on competitive state procurements to certify that they have a written policy addressing gender-based violence and the workplace and that such policy meets certain requirements. The law went into effect
Ask Rusty: Consider the “Wearing Out” Factor in Deciding When to Claim SS
Dear Rusty: I enjoyed your recent articles on claiming Social Security (SS) benefits. I feel, however, any decision making should also include what I call the “wearing out” factor. Yes, financial need, health, and longevity are definite criteria for a decision. The inevitable problem (I just turned 83) is the speed at which many of
VIEWPOINT: Theory and Practice of Monetary Policy Implementation
The theme of [this article] is the theory and practice of monetary-policy implementation. Central banks differ in their objectives, strategies, and approaches to monetary-policy implementation — all of which influence how they supply reserves, manage balance sheets, and control short-term interest rates. But like Neapolitan and New York-style pizzas, central banks also share similarities. These
Ask Rusty: Do I Need to Sign Up for an Online Social Security Account?
Dear Rusty: I recently I heard the tail end of a radio program that was discussing “signing up for my Social Security account.” I am now 76 years old and have been receiving my Social Security (SS) monthly amount directly into a credit union account for years. Since the time when I applied to begin
Ask Rusty: How Do I Navigate the Social Security Maze?
Dear Rusty: I am a woman, turning 65 [soon]. It seems that deciding when to claim Social Security is complicated. I would like more information to navigate through this maze. Thank you. Signed: Ready to Claim Dear Ready to Claim: Deciding when to claim Social Security can be challenging, but we hope to make it
VIEWPOINT: Timing is Everything: Mapping Charitable-Giving Plans Under New Tax Law
It’s never been easy to navigate the ever-shifting tax rules around charitable giving, and now it’s even trickier. Major changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, are creating complexity, opportunity, and, for some, urgency. The OBBBA reshapes both how much you can deduct for charitable contributions
VIEWPOINT: Strategy Without a Soul: When Marketing Leads Without Brand Strategy
You’re launching campaigns, hitting deadlines, and filling the pipeline. On paper, things look great. But something’s off. Internal-messaging debates keep resurfacing. Campaigns feel shallow and reactive instead of resonant and on-point. Ask people what the brand stands for, and you get different answers from each. These are classic signs your marketing is outpacing your brand
Ask Rusty: Should I Take Social Security Now, or at age 70?
Dear Rusty: I was born in April 1958, and my plan has been to take my Social Security (SS) at age 70. However, my sister-in-law says that it is smarter to take it now while I am still working. I will be 70 in 2.5 years. Her husband collects his SS and has kept working.
Get our email updates
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.