OMCE News

2/2/12 – Meetings with Legislators: We began this week meeting with legislators individually as a follow-up to our testimony last Wednesday at the joint Legislative Budget Committee hearing on workforce issues held in conjunction with Governor Cuomo’s proposed 2012-13 Executive Budget. We believe it is important that the leaders and members of the Legislature, whose responsibility it will be to vote on the budget, know of our concerns and questions regarding its full ramifications. As we indicated in our testimony last week (Read below: 1/27/12 – OMCE Testifies at Legislative Budget Hearing) and repeated in our meetings this week with individual legislators and their staff, resolving the issue of M/C pay inequity remains at the forefront of our efforts. We met this week with two assembly members. We asked for their support of legislation this session establishing our proposed M/C Salary Commission and we were encouraged by their positive response. We have seven (7) additional meetings scheduled so far and more pending. We encourage our members to add their voices, too. Call your representatives in the Legislature and ask to meet with them. You may be able to set up meetings in the district office during the week of February 20-24, as there is no session in Albany. Tell them how you and your family have been affected by the failure so far of both the Governor and the Legislature to stand up for M/C employees. Call us for a fact sheet and other relevant materials.

1/31/12 - OMCE Home Loan Program: Continental Home Loans, New York State’s #1 independently held mortgage bank, offers a full service home loan program for OMCE members, both active and retired, and their families. Whether you are purchasing a new home or remodeling, Continental’s OMCE Home Loan Program offers you the best mortgage tools available - easy, convenient, online shopping for the best loans and rates and an experienced loan officer to assist you in choosing the exact loan to meet your specific needs. No application fee or loan commitment fee - no processing or document preparation fees - no underwriting fees - no junk fees - lower attorney fee. Contact Aric Lemon (NMLS# 242144) or Anthony Prest (NMLS# 172546) at 855.746.8497 or chlalb@cccmtg.com.

Direct lender, licensed in 18 states. All Continental Home Loans Mortgage Consultants are both State and Federally Licensed to Ensure Exceptional Customer service, and Financial Protection.

Licensed Mortgage Bankers, CA, CT, DE, FL, IL, MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, NJ, NY (NYS Dept of Financial Services No. B500799), PA, RI, SC, TX, VA, VT Banking Departments.

1/27/12 - OMCE Testifies at Legislative Budget Hearing: OMCE President Barbara Zaron and OMCE Executive Director Joe Sano presented testimony (Click on links below to read) on Wednesday, January 25th at a joint Legislative Budget Committee hearing on workforce issues held in conjunction with Governor Cuomo’s proposed 2012-13 Executive Budget. Detailing the plight of the State’s M/C employees and restating OMCE’s continuing commitment to resolving the issue of M/C pay inequity, they announced that OMCE will propose legislation this session establishing an M/C Salary Commission, modeled after the successful Judicial Salary Commission and charged with responsibility for ensuring a fair and just M/C compensation and benefits system. And noting that many of the Governor’s proposals could have serious negative consequences on both the workforce and the provision of services to the public, they urged the Legislature to reject any provisions that don’t include legislative oversight of major governmental changes. OMCE plans to meet with legislators individually to discuss these issues.

1/17/12 - Executive Budget: Governor Cuomo presented his recommended 2012-13 Executive Budget today which, among other things, has many implications for the State workforce. We will be reviewing the details of the budget in the coming days. Meanwhile, for the convenience of members, we have set up links to the Executive Budget. Click on the links below to view selected budget documents, as presented on the Division of the Budget website:

For workforce implications, see Reimagining Government (pp. 11-16) and State Workforce (pp. 67-71). State agency presentations are grouped by subject (Education and Arts, Environment and Energy, Health Care, etc) under Program Overview (pp. 23-78).

1/10/12 - Coughlin/Kelly Scholarships: Applications are being accepted until March 2, 2012 for the OPEIU Howard Coughlin Memorial and John Kelly Labor Studies scholarships. Instructions and application forms are available for viewing and printing from the Members Only page. Login Here and scroll down to "Scholarships" at the bottom of the Members Only page or call OMCE at 800-828-6623 (456-5241, if calling from within area code 518).

• Coughlin Scholarship – Open to OMCE members in good standing and children of members in good standing for full-time (FT) or part-time (PT) attendance at a College, University or recognized Technical or Vocational post-secondary school. Each FT scholarship is $3,250 for the first year, and $3,250 for the second year – total maximum value of $6,500; each PT scholarship is $1,325 for the first year and $1,325 for the second year – total maximum value of $2,650. Official OPEIU application and High School transcript required to be submitted to OMCE for endorsement and processing – must be received by March 2, 2012.

• Kelly Labor Scholarship – Open to OMCE members in good standing and must be an undergraduate or graduate in one of the following areas of study: Labor Studies; Industrial Relations; Union Leadership and Administration; non-degree programs sponsored by the National Labor College at the George Meany Center or a similar institution. Each scholarship has a total maximum value of $3,250. Official OPEIU application and college transcript (if currently enrolled) are required, along with an essay on the applicant’s union activism and occupational goals, to be submitted to OMCE for endorsement and processing - must be received by March 2, 2012.

1/9/12 - NYS Vision Plan changes hands: As of January 5, 2012, EyeMed ceased administration of the NYS Vision Plan and optical retailers such as LensCrafters, Target Optical, Sears Optical, JCPenny Optical and Pearl Vision will no longer be participating providers. The NYS Vision Plan is now being administered by Davis Vision, whose network offers you access to over 2,300 other providers in New York State, and thousands more nationwide.

All current enrollees in the NYS Vision Plan (with EyeMed) have been auto-enrolled in the Davis Vision plan, effective 1/5/12. Davis Vision is mailing Welcome Kits to enrollees' homes which include:

● information on how to access the Davis Vision web site from the Employee Benefits section of the Civil Service Department's web site (www.cs.ny.gov/ebd). The site allows you to view benefit information, locate a provider, order replacement ID cards and more.

● a sample listing of network providers, based on your zip code. You can find providers by calling the Davis Vision Customer Service Center at 1-888-588-4823.

As a reminder, all NY state employees who are eligible to enroll for coverage in the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) and for whom coverage under the New York State Vision Plan has been negotiated or administratively extended (e.g. M/C employees) are eligible. Also, you may enroll in the New York State Vision Plan even if you are not enrolled in NYSHIP. Covered dependents include a spouse or domestic partner, unmarried children under age 19, unmarried dependent children ages 19 through 24 who are full-time students, and unmarried disabled children.

Important: It should be noted that your benefits will not reset on January 5, 2012. If you have used your benefit prior to the effective date of the Davis Vision plan, you will be eligible for future services according to the frequency of your benefit plan: once every two years for adults and once a year for dependent children under age 19. Davis Vision will receive benefit history for each enrollee.

1/5/12 - State of the State Address: In his 2^nd annual State of the State address delivered yesterday, Governor Cuomo laid out his agenda for 2012 which includes, in part, a call for a “reimagined government” and what he characterized as a “New York vision of a progressive future.” Under the latter heading, he announced a Student Intern Program to provide hands on experience for interns to interact with government leaders and policymakers and an Empire State Fellows Program, a “fulltime leadership training program to prepare the next generation of talented professionals who are members of underrepresented groups for careers as New York State policymakers.” In reimagining government, the Governor said we “have to fundamentally ‘reimagine’ how government operates” in order to get a government that he says “performs better and costs less.” In doing so, he called for closing the state’s remaining $2 billion budget deficit with no new taxes or fees and enacting mandate relief, including a new Tier VI in the pension system. He said he will ask the new joint Legislative and Executive Mandate Relief Council to hold public hearings when it begins its work later this month, and said the council will issue its recommendations for consideration by the Legislature before the end of the 2012 legislative session. Details on these and other proposals will be in the Executive Budget to be delivered to the Legislature on January 17, 2012.

1/3/12 - New Laws for New Yorkers in 2012: Here's a list of some of the new laws in New York State that took effect on January 1, 2012:

• Revised state tax code, which includes a modest tax decrease for middle-income earners and a higher rate for families making more than $2 million.

• Cap on property taxes, limiting the annual levy increase to the lower of 2 percent or the rate of inflation.

• Requirement that health insurers cover orally administered chemotherapy, at a cost similar to injections.

• Expansion of the state's "move over" law to include tow trucks and maintenance vehicles.

• Law authorizing the removal of fire commissioners for unexcused absences from required meetings.

12/29/11 - Federal Lawsuit Filed Seeking Rollback of Health Insurance Hikes for State’s Retirees: Late yesterday, the Public Employees Federation, the Civil Service Employees Association, United University Professions and other unions representing law enforcement and correction officers filed similar suits in federal court in Albany, claiming health care for retirees is guaranteed by the contract under which the employees retired and that the state cannot constitutionally, unilaterally change that contract. M/C retirees, while not subject to a collective bargaining agreement and thus not covered by such a “contract impairment” argument, may be included if a final court decision negates the sections of the law authorizing such increases as unconstitutional. OMCE is awaiting a complete legal review of these suits and our legal memorandum from our attorneys outlining whatever action may be necessary to protect our M/C retirees’ rights.

12/27/11 - 2012 Union Plus® Scholarships: Eligible OMCE members, their spouses and dependent children may apply for these scholarships. Numerous cash awards are given for post-high school, undergraduate study in the Fall and vary from $500 to $4,000. Beginning this year, applications will be accepted online only. The application deadline is no later than January 31, 2012.

12/9/11 – OMCE Members Take Note: If you and your spouse or domestic partner are dual enrollees in NYSHIP, and one of you is an Executive Branch employee represented by CSEA, the following may apply to you:

A dispute has arisen between CSEA and the State of New York regarding the health insurance opt-out provision in regard to NYS Executive Branch Employees represented by CSEA that have a spouse or domestic partner who is also enrolled in a State health insurance plan. The State believes these employees are not entitled to opt-out at all; CSEA believes that there were no such exceptions to the opt-out provision. This has no effect on the opt-out provisions for other enrollees - just those who are dual state enrollees.

In order to allow some form of opt-out for these particular enrollees, the State and CSEA have agreed, for 2012 only, to allow such employees, represented by CSEA, to elect to opt-out and receive $1,000 for calendar year 2012, whether the coverage opted out was individual or family. Both employees had to be enrolled in a State plan by April 1, 2011 to elect the 2012 opt-out.

The State and CSEA will continue to discuss an overall resolution for the length of the State/CSEA contract and CSEA still reserves the right to file a contract grievance, if the parties are unable to resolve the dispute by May 31, 2012. The Civil Service Department has included information about this one-time opt out provision in the 2012 Option Transfer Period enrollment publications for CSEA-represented employees, which are currently available online (www.cs.ny.gov) and in agency personnel offices. For further information, please contact your agency employee benefits administrator.

11/22/11 - Deficit Reduction Plan/Additional Information: We have provided the following information in response to individual members’ questions and are posting it here for the benefit of members generally. Members with further questions concerning implementation of the Deficit Reduction Plan are invited to call or email us at 800.828.6623 or nysomce@gmail.com.

All nine days of Deficit Reduction Leave (DRL) must be used before the end of fiscal year 2012-13; that is, on or before March 31, 2013. DRL may not be carried over beyond March 31, 2013. For calendar year 2013, the normal 40 days limitation on the carry over of vacation credits into the next fiscal year has been increased to 45 days.

Civil Service Attendance and Leave Manual Policy Bulletin 2011-08 states: “For the 2013 calendar year only, the vacation credit balance of an employee may not exceed 45 days on January 1, 2013.”

M/C employees will be repaid for the deficit salary reductions over 39 payroll periods, beginning with the pay period that includes April 1, 2015. Employees who retire or otherwise separate from service before receiving full repayment of the salary reduction will be paid the balance of the money owed them at the time of their separation. Also, for retiring employees, there will be no impact on the calculation of final average salary (FAS) involving the salary reduction, because the salary reductions are temporary and will be repaid, either beginning with the pay period that includes April 1, 2015 or upon separation from service.

The Comptroller’s Office has stated: For each M/C employee, “. . . the total compensation, less overtime earnings, will be reduced . . . during the remainder of fiscal year 2011-12 and . . . during fiscal year 2012-13 and each such employee will be allowed to take nine days off without charge to existing accruals before March 31, 2013. The cash impact of the reductions will be completed by the end of each of the fiscal years. These employees will be repaid for these reductions, however, over 39 payroll periods beginning with the pay period that includes April 1, 2015. Employees who separate from service prior to the full payment of the reduction will be paid the balance of the money owed at the time of their separation.”

“The salary reductions for 2011-12 and 2012-13 are temporary because they will be repaid to the employee beginning with the pay period that includes April 1, 2015 or upon separation in service. In this context, the days off are paid leave because, in effect, there ultimately will have been no reduction in base pay. There will be no reduction in days reported to the Retirement System. The earnings reported to the system during 2011-12 and 2012-13 will be reduced, but if reduction or repayment periods fall within the final average salary (FAS) calculation period for a retiree, the system will attribute the repaid salary to the appropriate reduction period as if there had been no reduction. As a result, there will be no impact on the calculation of FAS involving the temporary salary reduction.”

11/15/11 - M/C Performance Advances, Longevity Payments, Deficit Reduction Plan: The Division of the Budget has issued authorization and guidelines (Budget Bulletin B-1197, dated November 14, 2011) for the payment of performance advances and longevity payments to Managerial and Confidential (M/C) employees, retroactive to April 1, 2011. Payment of performance advances to graded and NS-equated to grade employees, and payment of longevity payments to eligible Grade 17 and below employees, is scheduled to occur on December 15, 2011 (for employees on the Institution payroll) and December 21, 2011 (for employees on the Administration payroll). Longevities will be paid in the amounts of $1,250 for 5 or more years of service at or above the job rate and $2,500 for 10 or more years. Cash merit awards are also authorized, payable at agency discretion and subject to agency spending allotments.

M/C employees will also be subject to the Deficit Reduction Plan (DRP) in fiscal years 2011-12 and 2012-13. Affected M/C employees will be provided with the equivalent of nine (9) days of DRP (prorated for less than fulltime employees), to be used before March 31, 2013. In the current fiscal year (2011-12), affected employees will have reduced compensation for nine consecutive pay periods, beginning in the pay check dated December 1, 2011 (for employees on the Institution payroll) and the pay check dated December 7, 2011 (for employees on the Administration payroll). In fiscal 2012-13, affected employees will have reduced compensation, beginning in the pay check dated April 5, 2012 (Institution payroll employees) and the pay check dated April 11, 2012 (Administration payroll employees). The cash value of each affected employee’s DRP reductions will be repaid to the employee in equal bi-weekly installments over 39 consecutive payroll periods, beginning in the paycheck that includes April 1, 2015.

We are pleased to see that the Administration has implemented the payment process for 2011-12 M/C performance advances, merit awards and longevity payments. As further information becomes available, we will provide it here. Meanwhile, we are continuing our efforts to achieve M/C pay equity with bargaining unit employees.

11/8/11 - PEF Deficit Reduction Plan (Furloughs): The Division of the Budget and Office of the State Comptroller issued bulletins today (Budget Bulletin D-1196 and Payroll Bulletin 1101) announcing implementation of the Deficit Reduction Plan (DRP) for PS&T employees. Affected full-time employees will be provided with 9 nine days of Deficit Reduction Leave (DRL) to be used before the end of fiscal year 2012-13. Part-time employees will receive a pro-rated amount. The PEF DRP provides for reduced employee compensation for 36 consecutive pay periods, beginning in payroll period 15 for employees on the Institution payroll (check dated November 17, 2011) and payroll period 16 for Administration payroll employees (check dated November 23, 2011). The full cash value of each employee’s reduced compensation will be repaid in equal bi-weekly installments over 39 consecutive payroll periods beginning with the paycheck that includes April 1, 2015. There is still no word on a DRP for M/C employees.

11/4/11 - State encourages VRWS participation: The Division of the Budget has issued a budget bulletin reestablishing a minimum target for agencies concerning employee participation in the Voluntary Reduction in Work Schedule Program (VRWS). Bulletin D-1124 states, in part, that agencies should aggressively promote the program, approve requests expeditiously and approve all employee requests, if employee participation in the program is currently less than 7% of the agency’s workforce. Agencies are to ensure that such plans demonstrate real payroll savings through the 2011-12 and 2012-13 fiscal years.

VRWS permits employees to reduce their work schedules to reflect personal needs and interests and provides agencies with a flexible mechanism for allocating staff resources. With supervisory approval, participants may reduce their salary by up to 30%, in exchange for credits that can be used for time off, either according to a fixed schedule (e.g. every Friday, every Wednesday afternoon, shorter workdays, an entire month off, etc) or for intermittent time off.

Below are links to the Budget Bulletin and the VRWS Program Description, which includes an application form:

11/1/11 - Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP): The Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) allows eligible CSEA-represented employees and Managerial/Confidential employees in the Executive branch to exchange previously accrued annual leave (vacation) and/or personal leave in return for a credit to be applied toward the employee share of their NYSHIP premiums on a biweekly basis. The program description and an enrollment form for the calendar year 2012 program are now available. Starting and ending dates for the PEP program in 2012 are detailed in the program description. The enrollment period for 2012 is Monday, October 31 through Monday, December 5, 2011. The full text of the Civil Service Policy Bulletin announcing the program, as well as an enrollment form, are available at http://www.cs.ny.gov/attendance_leave/PolBull11-07.cfm.

10/28/11 - M/C Pay Restoration/Next Steps: After independent reviews by three labor law firms of the federal court decision dismissing our lawsuit, we have concluded that there is little hope of success at the federal circuit court of appeals. The court has decided apparently that the State of New York can continue its disparate treatment of M/C employees. We disagree vehemently. Despite this setback, we are undaunted. We have been advocating for 35 years on behalf of the State’s M/C employees; we are not about to give up now. Our membership is stronger than ever. We are currently working on a new initiative that will make use of existing legal and administrative remedies and require the active involvement of our members. We hope to make an announcement soon.

10/28/11 - Retiree Health Insurance Premiums: The State has given notice, through its filing of an emergency rule, that the retiree share of the health insurance premium for employees who retire on or after January 1, 2012 will be determined by the grade level of the position from which they retire, as follows:

For employees retiring on or after January 1, 2012 from a position allocated or equated to Grade 9 or below, the retiree share of the health insurance premium will be 12% of the total cost of the premium for individual coverage and 27% of the total cost of the premium for dependent coverage. For employees retiring on or after January 1, 2012 from a position allocated or equated to Grade 10 or above, the retiree share of the health insurance premium will be 16% of the total cost of the premium for individual coverage and 31% of the total cost of the premium for dependent coverage.

In comparison, the retiree share of the health insurance premium for employees who retire before January 1, 2012 is the same as the Grade 9 or below rate: 12% of the total cost of the premium for individual coverage and 27% of the total cost of the premium for dependent coverage. Grade 10 and above employees who are currently weighing retirement may wish to take this into account in their retirement planning.

OMCE members with questions are invited to call us at 800-828-6623 (456-5241 in the 518 area).

10/25/11 - Judicial Candidate Voter Guide: With Election Day, November 8, just around the corner, the Office of Court Administration has published its 2011 New York State Judicial Candidate Voter Guide. The guide, which is published annually, lists candidates for all state court races. For candidates who provided such information, there are links to their biographical, educational and professional histories. Candidates were also permitted to provide brief personal statements about themselves. The voter guide is available at the Unified Court System’s website (http://www.nycourts.gov/vote). Need a voter registration form? Want to change your party enrollment? Want to find out if you are registered and where to vote? The answers to these and other questions, as well as links to the New York City and County Boards of Elections and other governmental entities, are available at the New York State Board of Elections website (http://www.elections.state.ny.us). Election Day 2011 is a floating holiday. Exercise your right to vote on November 8.

10/24/11 - Expanded Empire Plan Preventive Care Coverage: Changes required by the Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act mandate provision of certain immunization and other preventive health care services and elimination of co-pays when administered by a participating provider. As a result, The New York State Employee Health Insurance Plan (NYSHIP) Empire Plan now includes expanded coverage of many preventive services (screenings, tests and counseling) for both children and adults. The preventive services that are now covered with no copayment* when received from an Empire Plan participating provider are summarized in a two-page flyer published by the Civil Service Department's Employee Benefits Division and reproduced here for your convenience ►►(Click Here to View/Print). As noted in the flyer, the listed preventive health care services are not recommended for everyone. Vaccine recommendations change. Doses, recommended ages and recommended populations vary. You and your health care provider should decide what care is most appropriate. For specific benefit coverage details and limitations, refer to your plan documents or call the Empire Plan toll free at 877.769.7447.

*If a preventive service is not billed separately from an office visit and the primary purpose of the office visit is the preventive service, then a co-pay may not be charged for the office visit. If the primary purpose of the office visit is non-preventive health care (e.g. you see a doctor for recurring abdominal pain and during the visit the doctor also screens for high blood pressure), then a co-pay may be charged for the office visit.

10/20/11 - Election Day Floating Holiday: The Civil Service Department advises that a floating holiday has been designated in lieu of a fixed holiday for the upcoming Election Day, November 8. State offices will be open on Election Day and M/C and other eligible employees will receive credit on that date for a holiday to be used on a date of their choice. Guidelines and eligibility criteria for this floating holiday are the same as those that governed the 2010 Election Day floating holiday and are contained in Civil Service Attendance and Leave Advisory Memorandum No. 2011-03, issued October 20, 2011 and available for viewing HERE.

10/3/11 - Decision in OMCE Pay Raise Lawsuit: The court has issued a decision and order in our M/C pay withholding lawsuit, dismissing the claims without prejudice and directing that the case be closed. OMCE has continually sought to protect the rights of M/C employees. Over the last ten years or so, the State’s long-time practice of treating its M/C employees and union represented employees differently has grown worse. OMCE has challenged this increasingly disparate treatment of M/C employees in the New York courts and, most recently, in federal court where our claims were reviewed and responded to in great detail. A federal court judge has determined that New York State can treat its M/C employees differently than unionized employees after all. We are currently reviewing the judge’s decision with our lawyers and discussing our options. We will provide further information here as soon as we have completed our review. Meanwhile, we will continue to pursue restoration of the withheld M/C raises with the Cuomo Administration.

OMCE Members: To read the court decision, LOGIN here to the Members Only page (Contact OMCE 800.828.6623 / nysomce@gmail.com, if you need login guidance).

9/28/11 - Revolving Door Exemption OK’d: The Governor has signed legislation continuing an exemption for state employees who are laid off and who otherwise would be subject to the so-called two year “revolving door” prohibition in the Public Officers Law, which bars employees from appearing or practicing before their former agency or receiving compensation for rendering services on a matter before their former agency for two years following separation from state service. First enacted in 1995 and extended several times since, the exemption has allowed laid off employees to avoid the two year post employment ban. Under the bill drafted by OMCE, such employees whose employment terminates on or after April 1, 2011 and before April 1, 2012 are now eligible for the exemption. The exemption isn’t automatic, but requires application to the Commission on Public Integrity.* To view and print the bill (S.5109 McDonald/A.8111 Abbate), click the Search NY Bills and Laws link in the left-hand column and enter one of the bill numbers in the space provided.
_____
*The Joint Commission on Public Ethics will replace the Commission on Public Integrity and is expected to be fully operational on or before December 12th, which, as provided for in the 2011 Public Integrity Reform Act, is the 120th day following the Governor's signing of the Act.

9/16/11 - OMCE Advocacy Campaign: Take action (use our ACTION LINE service) and urge the Governor to restore M/C employees to pay parity with union-represented employees. Every day, M/Cs continue to earn less than PEF and CSEA-represented state employees. Onondaga County addressed the wage disparity between its M/C employees and other county workers in February 2011 by reinstating their withheld raises and earlier, in 2009, Mayor Bloomberg restored the pay raises that had been withheld from New York City’s M/C employees. Contact your legislators too, using our ACTION LINE service, and urge them to reverse this outrageous assault on M/C employees.

9/16/11 - Household Appliance Grant Program for Storm Recovery: The State has launched an $8 million appliance grant program to help New Yorkers who sustained property damage as a result of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. Grants will be available for critical energy efficient equipment and appliances, such as refrigerators, boilers, washing machines and furnaces, damaged by the recent flooding. The program will be administered by the NYS Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis for completed applications, which will be available beginning Monday, September 19 at www.nysappliancerebates.com or by calling 1-877-NY-SMART (1-877-697-6278).

9/16/11 - Attorney General offers On-Site Storm-related Assistance: The Attorney General’s Office will begin holding on-site office hours in areas ravaged by the recent storms and flooding to address concerns related to price gouging, insurance policies and delayed debt payments, among others. Having received a number of storm-related complaints and questions, including those involving price gouging, the Attorney General’s Office last week published a guide with tips on how to avoid scams and price gouging, available here: http://www.ag.ny.gov/media_center/2011/sep/sep9b_11.html. Now, to make it easier for storm victims living in areas where the Attorney General’s Office does not maintain offices, staff will be holding on-site “walk-in” meetings in various affected communities. Information on the time and location of these meetings is available here: http://www.ag.ny.gov/media_center/2011/sep/sep15a_11.html.

9/12/11 - Hurricane Irene Recovery Update: Additional relief and resources for New Yorkers affected by Hurricane Irene and subsequent flooding have been announced: The State Tax Department has extended the September 12^th tax filing deadline to October 31^st for taxpayers in counties declared disaster areas; the Attorney General has issued a guide for victims with tips on how to avoid scams; and the State Bar Association has begun providing free legal advice to callers harmed by the hurricane and subsequent rainstorms.

● Extension of Tax Filing Deadline: Certain New York State tax filing and payment deadlines for affected taxpayers, tax preparers and relief workers in counties* declared disaster areas by the President have been extended to October 31, 2011. Additional time for payments and filing beyond the extension date will be considered on a case by case basis for affected taxpayers whose individual circumstances warrant additional consideration. Information is available here:

● Tips to Avoiding Price Gouging: The Attorney General has issued a warning to vendors against price gouging of essential goods, and a guide with prevention tips to help residents from becoming the target of scammers, as they attempt to recover from storms that ravaged their communities and businesses. Tips include checking with your insurance company, asking for references, getting estimates in writing, never paying the full cost upfront, etc. Information is available here:

● Free Legal Advice: The State Bar Association, through its Lawyer Referral and Information Service (800-342-3661), is giving free legal advice to callers affected by Hurricane Irene and subsequent flooding. State Bar Association President Vincent E. Doyle III said that callers to the service will be given the name and number of a volunteer attorney. The volunteers will offer a 30-minute consultation, either in-person or by phone, and refer callers to other groups if they need more assistance. The free advice is being offered in counties* declared disaster areas by the President. Information is available here:

*Albany, Clinton, Delaware, Dutchess, Essex, Greene, Montgomery, Nassau, Orange, Otsego, Rensselaer, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster, Warren and Washington.

9/9/11 - Hurricane Irene Recovery Fund: We know that members and many state employees are among those hard hit by Hurricane Irene and subsequent flooding. Last week, we told you about 211, the number to call for non-emergency assistance related to Hurricane Irene and subsequent flooding. This week, we want to advise you of the establishment of the Hurricane Irene Recovery Fund, which is being administered by UWNYS (United Way of New York State) at the Governor’s request. UWNYS is working with local United Ways and other voluntary sector partner agencies to provide for coordination of efforts and to ensure that funds are directed to the agencies where help is most needed. If you want to donate, the Hurricane Irene Recovery Fund can be accessed online at www.uwnys.org.

9/8/11 - Retirement Planning: Old and New Actuarial Tables: In an earlier posting below (8/25/11- New Actuarial Tables Effective October 1, 2011), we announced that the Department of Civil Service has issued a new Life Expectancy Table for CSEA and unrepresented employees (M/Cs) retiring on or after October 1, 2011. We noted that the new table, along with accompanying information, is available in the What's New section of NYSHIP Online at www.cs.state.ny.us and that the online sick leave credit calculator would be updated to reflect the new table. For the convenience of retirement-eligible members wishing to make cost comparisons for retirement planning purposes, we have posted copies on the OMCE website - Members Only page of both the old and the new actuarial tables, together with a formula for calculating the dollar value of your lifetime retiree health insurance premium credit, both if you retire now (that is, before October 1 and using the old actuarial table) or if you retire on or after October 1. LOGIN here to the Members Only page (Contact OMCE 800.828.6623 / nysomce@gmail.com, if you need login guidance).

9/2/11 - Minimum Time to Apply for Retirement reduced to 15 days: A new law (Chapter 375 of the Laws of 2011) has reduced the minimum number of days a service retirement application must be on file with the Retirement System from 30 days to 15 days. The maximum number of days an application can be on file remains 90 days. The 15-day minimum filing period became effective in August 2011.

9/2/11 - Other NYSHIP Changes Effective January 1, 2012: In addition to the October 1, 2011 changes announced yesterday (See Below: 9/1/11 Health Insurance Program Rate and Benefit Changes) other changes, with an effective date of January 1, 2012, will include addition of independent nurse practitioners and convenient care clinics as participating providers, a health insurance opt-out option for active employees, and changes to out-of-network deductible and coinsurance amounts. Information about these changes will be provided later in the Fall in the NYSHIP Annual Option Transfer Period materials and in NYSHIP’s At a Glance publication.

9/1/11 - Health Insurance Program Rate and Benefit Changes: The terms of the 2011-2016 State/CSEA collective bargaining agreement related to the NYS Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) have been administratively extended to Management/Confidential (M/C) employees and New York State retirees. This will result in NYSHIP benefit and rate changes effective October 1, 2011. As a result of these changes, there will be a special Option Transfer Period during the month of September. Information concerning the changes, which we have summarized below, is detailed in a current mailing to all NYSHIP enrollees, both active and retired, of an August 2011 Empire Plan Special Report.

The following changes are effective October 1, 2011. For details, consult the August 2011 Empire Plan Special Report mailing; also available online at the Civil Service Department’s website (www.cs.state.ny.us).

1. The employee share of biweekly premium contribution rates for individual coverage (currently 10%) will increase to 12% of the total cost of the premium for Grade 9 and below employees and 16% of the total cost of the premium for Grade 10 and above employees. The employee share of biweekly premium contribution rates for dependent coverage (currently 25%) will increase to 27% of the total cost of the premium for Grade 9 and below employees and 31% of the total cost of the premium for Grade 10 and above employees.

2. The Actuarial Table of Life Expectancy used to calculate the lifetime monthly sick leave credit that retiring employees may apply toward their premium payments in retirement will be updated to reflect the fact that people are living longer. Since the months of life expectancy at retirement have increased, the amount of the lifetime monthly sick leave credit will be lower.

3. Changes required by the Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act mandate provision of certain immunization and other preventive care services and elimination of co-pays when administered by a participating provider.

4. Prescription drug co-pays will increase. Also, a generic drug may be either excluded from prescription drug coverage or placed on Level 3 and subject to the applicable copayment.

1. The retiree share of biweekly premium contribution rates for individual coverage (currently 10%) will increase to 12% of the total cost of the premium for retirees whose retirement date is on or after January 1, 1983 and before January 1, 2012. The retiree share of biweekly premium contribution rates for dependent coverage (currently 25%) will increase to 27% of the total cost of the premium for retirees whose retirement date is on or after January 1, 1983 and before January 1, 2012. Premium contribution rates for retirees whose retirement date is prior to January 1, 1983 will remain 0% for individual coverage and 25% for dependent coverage.

2. Changes required by the Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act mandate provision of certain immunization and other preventive care services and elimination of co-pays when administered by a participating provider.

3. Prescription drug co-pays will increase. Also, a generic drug may be either excluded from prescription drug coverage or placed on Level 3 and subject to the applicable copayment.

As a result of these changes, there will be a special option transfer period during the month of September. NYSHIP enrollees and dependents will have the opportunity to change their health coverage option for October 2011. Cost information is currently available on the Civil Service Department’s website and a rate flyer will be mailed to enrollees’ homes. A change during this special option transfer period will not be counted as an option change for the purpose of the once in a 12-month period limit for retirees. For active employees, the annual option transfer will be held, as usual, at the end of the calendar year, with changes effective for the plan year beginning January 1, 2011.

OMCE members with questions are invited to call us at 800-828-6623 (456-5241 in the 518 area).

8/30/2011 - 211 Emergency Relief Assistance: We have been asked by the United Way of New York State to remind our members, in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, about 2-1-1, an easily remembered number where you can obtain information and referrals to government and voluntary agency services. 2-1-1 is already helping residents in hard hit areas with emergency relief assistance and will be available for the long-term recovery issues that are expected to continue for some time. One of 2-1-1’s strengths is access to language translation services, so that help is available for everyone that needs it.

Click here to view a list of counties where 2-1-1 service is available (as well as not available - just less than 80% of the state’s population is covered). 2-1-1 web site resources are also listed for people to utilize. As an example of the kind of comprehensive assistance that is available to deal with the effects of the storm, 2-1-1 in the Hudson Valley has handled over 5000 calls and experienced 25,000 web hits since Friday. We hope this information is helpful.

8/25/11 - New Actuarial Tables Effective October 1, 2011: The Department of Civil Service has issued the Life Expectancy Table for CSEA and certain unrepresented employees, effective October 1, 2011. This actuarial table will apply to CSEA-represented and unrepresented (that's M/Cs) employees who retire on or after October 1, 2011. The information and the new table, which will give the life expectancy in number of months, are available in the What's New section of NYSHIP Online at www.cs.state.ny.us. The online sick leave credit calculator will be updated to reflect the new table as soon as possible.

8/16/11 - CSEA members OK Contract: CSEA and the Governor’s Office announced late last night that the CSEA membership has ratified the five-year State/CSEA contract agreement. Meanwhile, PEF’s Executive Board has voted to send its tentative contract agreement with the State to its members for a ratification vote. Ballots will be mailed on September 2. Votes will be due for return by September 26 for counting on September 27. We are pursuing another OMCE meeting with Administration representatives. After our last meeting on July 19, it was agreed that our discussions with the Administration would continue as the unions move toward ratification of their contract agreements. We will provide additional information here as it becomes available.

8/9/11 - Traveling with Empire Plan Coverage: The Department of Civil Service has announced that a new version of its publication On the Road with the Empire Plan is now available. It includes valuable information about traveling with Empire Plan coverage. If you expect to be traveling soon, and are enrolled in the Empire Plan, ask your agency’s Health Benefits Administrator for a copy of this publication. The publication will not be mailed to enrollee homes, but an online copy is available at the Civil Service Department’s website. For the convenience of our members, a copy of the publication is also available by clicking HERE.

8/3/11 - Retiree Health Benefits Meetings: The Department of Civil Service has scheduled its NYSHIP Retiree Health Benefits Meetings for the remainder of calendar year 2011. The schedule is posted on the Department's website and is included in the retiree Empire Plan Reports that will be mailed soon to current retirees. Current retirees will receive a postcard invitation about two to three weeks before the closest meeting in their area. To view the retiree meetings schedule, simply click here or follow these instructions: Go to www.cs.ny.gov, click on Retirees and, then, Health Benefits. To find the schedule, scroll down and select the Calendar tab. Then, under Type of Event, scroll to Retiree Meetings.

Please note that these meetings are for New York State retirees, vestees and dependent survivors enrolled in the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP). The meetings are not for current employees. Each meeting will include general information about NYSHIP benefits and a discussion of Medicare. Meeting times will vary by location and an agenda of timely meeting topics will be available on the Civil Service Department's website. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis and is not guaranteed. Sites are handicapped accessible and photo ID may be required. No advance reservation is required.

8/2/11 - Pay Your Membership Dues Online: In addition to payroll deduction, another dues payment option is now available. OMCE has teamed up with PayPal, an online payment service, to provide you with a convenient and secure method to pay your OMCE membership dues by credit or debit card online.* Over 20 million people and businesses worldwide use PayPal. Click on the credit or debit card link on the Membership page and you will be taken to a secure PayPal website, where you will be prompted to supply your payment information and complete the transaction. Once you have done so, you will receive an email confirmation from PayPal. Your credit card or debit card account will be billed automatically on a recurring basis (e.g. yearly or monthly), depending upon the payment option you select.

7/19/11 - Update: Meeting with Administration: We had a productive meeting today with Administration representatives, but no decisions have been reached concerning M/Cs. The primary issues discussed were salaries, furloughs, layoffs and health insurance. We will continue our discussions with the Administration as the unions move toward ratification of their contract agreements.

7/18/11 - State/PEF Reach Agreement: The State and PEF announced over the weekend that they have reached tentative agreement on a five-year contract. The settlement, which appears to track the tentative State/CSEA agreement, is subject to ratification by the PEF membership. A press release from the Governor’s Office, announcing the deal and describing the terms of the tentative settlement, can be viewed by clicking on this link:

Meanwhile, we will be meeting with representatives of the Governor tomorrow, Tuesday, July 19^th for resumption of our discussions to reach a settlement for M/Cs. We will post additional updates here as soon as information becomes available.

7/12/11 - Layoffs: We received calls from a few OMCE members last week who received a notice of layoff to be effective close-of-business July 27, 2011. Most will be able to bump lower level bargaining unit employees or retreat to a previously held position, but some face the grim prospect of being without a job. This is totally unnecessary and we are hopeful that these layoffs can be avoided altogether. We expect to meet with Administration representatives shortly; a date is currently being scheduled. Also, there is increasing likelihood that the State and PEF will be able to come to agreement soon, thereby averting the large-scale layoffs the Governor has said will otherwise be necessary in order to balance the budget. As soon as additional information is available, we will post it here. Meanwhile, if you are an OMCE member who has received a layoff notice, but you have not called us yet, please do so (800.828.6623). We plan to discuss layoffs at our meeting with the Administration.

6/24/11 Update: For the information and convenience of our members, here are links to the CSEA and M/C pay bill (Governor’s Program Bill #22) and, for reference, the tentative State/CSEA contract agreement:

The State/CSEA contract is subject to ratification by the CSEA membership. The ratification schedule calls for ballots to be mailed on July 22, returned by August 12 and counted by August 15, 2011.

On layoffs, the first notices of which were scheduled to go out today, the Albany Times Union reported yesterday: “While layoff notices for potentially thousands of state employees were scheduled to go out Friday, the state Division of Budget is now saying that, due to the tentative contract agreement with CSEA, those notices are being held back for members of state employee unions, as well.” A Division of Budget spokesman is quoted as saying: ““The announcement (Wednesday) changed the dynamic a little bit, and it makes us want to encourage other unions to come to a similar agreement. We’re holding on to those notices for the time being.” The paper goes on to say: “The Governor’s Office is stressing that, while the notices are on hold, they aren’t being called off and that the hold is actually a delay due to the fact that they now have to reconfigure the complicated bumping, retreat and other procedures that would come into play during layoffs. They will be taking CSEA members off the layoff list, but the domino effect of that will mean that the three-week notices for the first wave of possible layoffs won’t be in people’s hands on Friday (today).”

Cuomo Administration representatives and OMCE are scheduling a resumption of our discussions to reach a settlement for M/Cs. We will keep you posted as new information becomes available.

6/23/11 - CSEA and M/C Pay Bills Rushed through the Legislature: For months we have had discussions with this Administration where we have focused on restoration of the M/C salaries withheld. We have always acknowledged the financial condition of the state and nation and have never sought this restoration without additional proposed sacrifice. In the closing moments of this legislative session, the CSEA pay bill, with an accompanying M/C pay bill, was submitted to the Legislature for immediate passage. This unprecedented move, prior to any union ratification vote, has resulted in a pay bill for M/Cs that does not address our outstanding issues. While this Administration was not responsible for the withholdings, it has not to date addressed the continuing disparity and inequity faced by M/Cs that we have been trying so hard to resolve. Additional issues that require clarification include the no layoff pledge, payment of M/C step increases and longevities, applicability of furlough provisions to M/Cs and implementation of the heath insurance changes for M/Cs. Our members’ federal lawsuit on the withheld pay issue continues. We will continue to engage the Administration on these and all of our issues. We will keep you posted as new information is available.

6/22/11 - State/CSEA Reach Agreement: The State and CSEA announced today that they have reached tentative agreement on a five-year contract. The details of the settlement, which is subject to ratification by the CSEA membership, as well as the full text of today’s announcement by CSEA, are posted on the Albany Times Union’s Capitol Confidential page and can be viewed by clicking on the link below:

http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/72023/csea-announces-tentative-agreement-on-5-year-contract/

The press release from the Governor’s Office, announcing the deal and describing the terms of the tentative settlement, can be viewed by clicking on this link:

http://www.governor.ny.gov/press/062211cseaagreement

We are reviewing the details of the agreement and will provide updated information as it becomes available. Meanwhile, we immediately contacted the Governor’s Office and requested a resumption of our discussions to reach a settlement for M/Cs.

6/17/11 - OMCE News Network: Members can now view the current OMCE News Network, our very popular newsletter, online. Archived copies are available too. Just Login to the Members Only page and click to read. The newsletter is available in .pdf format which requires you to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. If you do not have it, you can download it here Get Acrobat Reader

6/9/11 - Workforce Reduction: Despite OMCE and the unions putting forth savings proposals that address the $450 million personal service shortfall the Governor and the Legislature included in the 2010-11 budget, the Administration has officially begun the Reduction in Force (RIF) process. In mid-May, agencies were advised to begin planning for workforce reductions, including layoffs, to meet the aforementioned $450 million personal service savings. Yesterday, in a June 8 Budget memorandum (View Here), agencies were instructed to provide the Division of the Budget with a list of the titles that will be affected by a RIF and to get ready to notify employees eligible for transfer under the Agency Reduction Transfer List (ARTL) program. Intended to help permanent employees stay employed and avoid layoff, the ARTL program offers employees who might be affected by a RIF the opportunity to transfer to positions in other agencies before layoff. We will be posting further information here, as soon as it becomes available. Meanwhile, we have requested and will shortly have copies of the seniority rosters being used by the agencies. OMCE members with questions concerning the RIF process are invited to call us to discuss at 800.828.6623.

6/3/11 - Nominations: Last Call: Nominations for the OMCE Board of Directors are due by Monday, June 20. There are five seats to be filled this year, each for a three year term. The nominations process is simple, since a member can nominate him/herself. Just submit your resume, a letter stating your interest in running for a Board seat and a statement, that can be used on the ballot, describing your background and the issues and priorities you would want to focus on as a Board member.

Board members are expected to attend four Board Meetings per year (March, June, September/October and December) and to serve on at least one committee. Board members are not paid to serve on the Board, but travel expenses are reimbursed at State rates. OMCE is an organization of, by and for M/C employees who voluntarily choose to join, since designation as an M/C does not mean automatic enrollment as an OMCE member. OMCE officers and committee members are all volunteers for these positions.

We need active working State M/C employees who are interested in being leaders in the fight to improve the working conditions of M/C employees and to ensure that their rights and benefits are protected. For additional information, contact OMCE at nysomce@gmail.com, 518-456-5241 or, from outside area code 518, at 1-800-828-6623.

5/24/11 - Simply Certificates will no longer be available for purchase through OMCE. We had purchased the certificates for resale from Simply Certificates-Albany Region as a convenience to members. The firm is shutting down its Albany, Rochester and Connecticut operations and will no longer honor its certificates, effective immediately. Refunds will be provided to certificate holders. For instructions on how to obtain a refund, certificate holders can contact Simply Certificates-Albany Region by telephone or email, as follows:

The NYS Attorney General’s Office advises that, before you put your certificates in the mail, photocopy them first, making sure you have the serial number that's displayed. Then, when you mail them, send them with a return receipt requested. Simply Certificates asks that you enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope. The mailing address is: Simply Certificates, 705 Sachem Circle, Slingerlands, NY 12159. If you don't receive a prompt refund, you can file a complaint with the Attorney General's Office (Helpline 800.771.7755).

5/17/11 - Update: M/C Pay and Benefits: Yesterday, we met with representatives of the Cuomo Administration and Division of the Budget and presented our proposals for resolving the issue of M/C pay disparity. We also discussed our ideas concerning a pay and benefits package for M/Cs in 2011-12 and beyond. We were reminded that the Administration’s focus currently is on negotiations with the unions and that no decisions will be forthcoming with respect to M/C pay and benefits until after agreements are concluded with PEF and CSEA on pay and benefits for bargaining unit employees. We responded that OMCE’s focus, and indeed the focus of the entire M/C workforce, is on fixing the classification and compensation system to eliminate M/C pay disparity. We will continue to engage the Administration and the Legislature on this issue. Look for further updates here as soon as information is available.

4/21/11 - Nominations for OMCE Board of Directors: Each year at this time, we begin looking for members interested in serving on the OMCE Board of Directors. There are five seats to be filled this year, each for a three year term. The nominations process is simple, since a member can nominate him/herself. Just submit your resume, a letter stating your interest to run for a Board seat and a statement that can be used with the ballot, describing your background, the issues and priorities you would want to focus on as a Board Member and why you would be a good Board Member. The material is reviewed by the Nominations Committee members who will present a slate of nominees to the OMCE Board and, if needed, arrange for the mail ballot election. Nominations, via email or regular mail, must be received in the OMCE office no later than June 20, 2011.

OMCE is an organization of, by and for M/C employees who voluntarily choose to join, since designation as an M/C does not mean automatic enrollment as an OMCE member. OMCE officers and committee members are all volunteers for these positions.

4/19/11 - Update: M/C Pay and Benefits: We were encouraged to see the retroactive pay settlement the Administration reached last week with Council 82 on behalf of its SUNY, DEC and Parks law enforcement members. We are hopeful this will be the pattern for a similar retroactive pay settlement—such as we have been calling for in our discussions with the Administration—that would grant M/C employees retroactive restoration of their salaries to where they would have been, had it not been for the 2009 and 2010 M/C pay withholding actions imposed by the Paterson Administration. This leveling of the playing field will place M/C employees on the same salary footing as their bargaining unit counterparts going into 2011-12.

Looking ahead, we have not yet entered formal discussions with the Administration on a pay and benefits package for M/Cs in 2011-12 and beyond. Historically, when the State is in contract negotiations, as it is now with PEF and CSEA, no decisions are made with respect to M/C pay and benefits until after agreements have been concluded with the unions on pay and benefits for bargaining unit employees. Although the Administration’s focus currently is on its negotiations with PEF and CSEA, we nevertheless remain focused on the M/C pay disparity issue and will continue to engage this Administration on that issue. We will post updates here as soon as additional information is available.

4/18/11 - Leap Year Salary Calculation: In any fiscal year in which February 29 falls, your biweekly salary payment will be adjusted to reflect a calculation based upon 366 days in the year, instead of 365. Since the current fiscal year includes an extra day in February 2012, your biweekly salary payment will change to reflect the new calculation. The change, which will result in a slightly lower biweekly payment, is effective March 31, 2011 for employees on the Administration payroll and April 7, 2011 for Institution payroll employees and will show up in paychecks beginning April 13, 2011 (Administration) and April 21, 2011 (Institution).

3/31/11 - M/C Performance Advances and Longevity Payments: We have calls in to Budget, the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations and the Executive Chamber concerning payment of the 2011-12 M/C Performance Advances and Longevity Payments. We will post an update here on the status of the payments, as soon as information becomes available to us.

3/29/11 - New OMCE Member Benefit: As part of our affiliation with OPEIU Local 153, AFL-CIO, OMCE members have been enrolled at no charge in the WellCard Health Discount Program. WellCard allows you and your family to access health care providers, prescriptions and vision, dental, lab and imaging services at a discount. By now you should have received your WellCard Discount Card in the mail, enclosed with a flyer describing how the program works. This is not an insurance program, discounts are provided by participating healthcare providers. A list of participating providers is available online at www.wellcardhealth.com or by calling 800-562-9625. If you have questions about the program, call OMCE at 800-828-6623 (456-5241, if calling from within area code 518).

3/28/11 - Budget Agreement: Yesterday, the Governor and legislative leaders announced agreement on a budget for fiscal year 2011-12. The agreement is tentative - there are some unresolved issues that need to be addressed and passage of the budget itself is subject to a vote in the Senate and Assembly, which is expected to come later this week. Areas with implications for the workforce include:

Authorizing the SAGE Commission: The budget authorizes Governor Cuomo's Spending and Government Efficiency (SAGE) Commission to reduce the number of agencies, authorities, and commissions by 20%. The budget agreement also includes consolidating the Division of Parole and the Department of Correctional Services; merging NYSTAR into the Department of Economic Development; and merging the Consumer Protection Board into the Department of State.

Creating the Department of Financial Services: The budget merges the state's Banking and Insurance Departments into a new Department of Financial Services.

Prison closures: The administration will eliminate 3,700 prison beds throughout the state, in consultation with the Legislature.

Juvenile Justice Reform: The budget includes significant reforms of the state's juvenile justice system by encouraging greater use of community-based alternatives, downsizing state juvenile facilities system, and investing resources into enhanced services for juveniles that remain in OCFS.

As part of the budget, the Executive Reorganization Act of 2011 was passed, which authorizes the Governor to submit an agency reorganization plan once each year to the Legislature. The Legislature is required to vote “yes” or “no” on the plan, as submitted by the Governor and without amendment, within 30 days of its submission. The Act gives the Governor broad authority, but also specifies what is to be included in a reorganization plan and what may not be included.

The budget also includes $1.4 billion in across-the-board agency cuts (10%) and negotiated labor savings, and $70 million in additional cuts on the court system.

We will post additional information on the budget here as soon as it becomes available.

We have made inquiries concerning the status of the 2011-12 performance advances and longevity payments that M/C employees are due to receive beginning April 1 and will post an update here as soon as information is available. Although they are usually issued by this time, a budget bulletin authorizing M/C advance and longevity payments and payroll bulletins for M/C, PEF and CSEA advances and longevities have not yet been issued. Meanwhile, we have been continuing our meetings with administration and legislative officials on our OMCE proposals for budget savings, restoration of the M/C pay raises and rationalization of the M/C salary schedule.

3/10/11 - OMCE Pay Raise Litigation Update: We have been receiving inquiries on the status of our lawsuit. All of the filings necessary for the court to conduct its review of the arguments presented in our case were completed on January 10. The next step is up to the court. We are reluctant to speculate on when that will be, since it can be sooner as well as later. We will post updates here as developments occur, of course. Meanwhile, we are continuing our meetings with key players in the Administration and members of the Legislature, in hopes of securing agreement on steps toward restoration of M/C salaries.

3/7/11 - Parking Fees Increase: The Office of General Services, Bureau of Parking Management, has announced increases in monthly employee parking lot fees, to be effective April 1, 2011. For employees on payroll deduction, the changes will begin in the April 27 paycheck (for employees paid on the Administration Payroll) or April 20 paycheck (for Institution Payroll employees). Monthly rates and biweekly payroll deduction rates are detailed in a March 7 Bureau of Parking Management memorandum to all parking permit holders. A copy of the memorandum can be viewed online by clicking here.

3/3/11 - OMCE testifies at Budget Hearings on the State Workforce: OMCE Executive Director Joseph B. Sano delivered testimony on issues affecting the State’s M/C workforce yesterday in an appearance before the Legislative Joint Budget Hearings on the State Workforce. In his testimony, Mr. Sano discussed OMCE’s concerns with Governor Cuomo’s Executive Budget proposals as they relate to the State workforce generally and to the M/C workforce specifically. Pointing out that M/C employees have already given up two years of pay raises, he called upon the Legislature to exempt them from the Governor’s proposed 2010-11 pay freeze and restore their compensation to the levels legislated in the 2008 M/C paybill. He outlined a number of OMCE proposals for generating savings and increasing revenue, as well as legislation OMCE is pursuing this session to right the wrongs that M/C employees have suffered. The full text of Mr. Sano’s testimony is available here.

2/17/11 - Update: Meetings with the Cuomo Administration: Last week we met with Paul Francis, Governor Cuomo’s appointee to the newly created position of Director Agency Redesign and Efficiency, to discuss our ideas for achieving workforce savings and developing a fair and equitable compensation package for M/C employees. We had met with Mr. Francis during his time as Budget Director and Director of State Operations in the Spitzer Administration and both he and we were pleased at the opportunity to renew the good working relationship that had developed between OMCE and the Spitzer Administration. We shared our thinking on agency restructuring and consolidations, civil service and workforce issues, and succession planning. Mr. Francis said he looked forward to working with OMCE on matters affecting the M/C workforce and suggested we meet regularly – which we will do. Earlier this month we met with Alfonso David, Deputy Secretary to the Governor for Civil Rights and Labor Relations, and discussed with him our concerns about the need for fair and equitable treatment, including just compensation, for M/Cs. Next week, we are scheduled to meet with Jim Malatras, Deputy Secretary to the Governor for Policy Management, and a meeting with the Division of the Budget is pending.

2/17/11 - Calculation of Retiree Sick Leave Premium Credit: We have confirmed with the Civil Service Department that the actuarial tables used in calculating a new retiree’s monthly sick leave health insurance premium credit will be replaced by more recent tables provided by the State Comptroller’s Office. The tables used currently were last updated decades ago. Since life expectancy has increased significantly since then, use of the more recent actuarial tables will result in a reduction of the dollar value of the monthly sick leave credit used to offset a new retiree’s health insurance contributions - we understand as much as 20 percent in some cases. A decision on an implementation date is pending. As soon as additional information is available, we will post it here.

2/7/11 - OMCE Scholarships - Members Only - Apply Now: Applications are being accepted for the Howard Coughlin Memorial and John Kelly Labor Studies scholarships until March 3, 2011 and for the "Summer Camp" scholarships until May 20, 2011. Instructions and application forms are available for viewing and printing from the Members Only page (Login Here) or by calling OMCE at 800-828-6623 (456-5241, if calling from within area code 518).

Coughlin Scholarship – Open to member, associate member in good standing and child of member in good standing for attendance at College, University or recognized Technical or Vocational post-secondary school, Full-time (FT) or Part-time (PT). Each FT scholarship is $3,250 for the first year, and $3,250 for the second year – total maximum value of $6,500; each PT scholarship is $1,325 for the first year and $1,325 for the second year – total maximum value of $2,650. Official OPEIU application and High School transcript required to be submitted to OMCE for endorsement and processing – must be received by March 3, 2010. Announcements of winners will be made in June.

Kelly Labor Studies Scholarship – Open to member or associate member in good standing, and undergraduate or graduate in one of the following areas of study: Labor Studies, Industrial Relations, Union Leadership and Administration, non-degree programs sponsored by the National Labor College at the George Meany Center or a similar institution. Official OPEIU application and college transcript (if currently enrolled) are required, along with an essay on applicant’s union activism and occupational goals, to be submitted to OMCE for endorsement and processing - must be received by March 3, 2010. Each scholarship has a total maximum value of $3,250. Announcements of winners will be made in June.

Romeo Corbeil/Gillies Beauregard Scholarship Fund Summer Camp - Open to children (between ages 13 and 16) of member or associate member in good standing. Eligible children include the son, daughter, stepchild, legally adopted child, grandchild or any other child that the member is responsible for caring for, including children of domestic partners, and must be between ages 13 and 16 only. The 2011 Summer Camp dates are July 23 to July 30 and will be held at University Forest, 153 University Forest Drive, Wappapello, MO 63966. Each scholarship has a total maximum value of $2,000. Applications must be received by May 20, 2010. Announcements of winners will be made in June.

2/3/11 - Next Steps on the 2011-12 Executive Budget: On Tuesday evening, we participated in an executive briefing for employee organizations by the Division of the Budget on Governor Cuomo’s 2011-12 Executive Budget proposals. We are continuing our review and analysis of the budget, particularly with respect to agency consolidation and workforce rightsizing. The budget explicitly states that savings will be obtained from management, as well as unionized employees. We are fully committed to working with the Governor and being part of the dialogue. In developing our proposals, we will be looking for ways to achieve the savings the Governor seeks, while at the same time ensuring that M/C employees are fairly and equitably compensated. We invite OMCE members to do your own analysis of the budget and share your comments and suggestions with us. You can access the various budget documents by scrolling down to the links listed below in our earlier 2/1/11 posting. Email your comments and suggestions to us at either of the following addresses: nysomce@gmail.com or savings4NY@gmail.com. We will be pleased to consider your recommendations for inclusion in the proposals that we advance in our upcoming contacts with the Cuomo administration.

2/1/11 - OMCE Statement in Response to Governor Cuomo’s Presentation of his 2011-12 Executive Budget:

OMCE looks forward to working in partnership with Governor Cuomo and his administration to address the challenges we all face.

The budget states that the Governor will seek a partnership with State employee unions to reduce workforce costs and, along with the reductions that will occur with consolidations and mergers, work with the unions to develop a fair and affordable compensation package for the State workforce.

The budget also states that savings will be obtained from management, as well as unionized employees. This means it is critical that OMCE be part of the discussions on achieving workforce savings and developing a fair and equitable compensation package for the State workforce.

Given the difficulty in keeping competent and dedicated M/C employees and attracting new workers to state government, the time is right to fix the pay inequity between M/C and unionized employees. We spent two years in discussion of these issues with the Paterson administration, to no avail. We look forward to the opportunity to present our proposals for making State government more efficient and responsive while, at the same time, ensuring that M/C employees are fairly and equitably compensated.

2/1/11 - Executive Budget: For the convenience of members, we have set up links to the 2011-12 Executive Budget released on February 1, 2011. Click on the ►►►► buttons next to each of the headings below to view the budget, as presented on the Division of the Budget website:

2011-2012 Executive Budget – Link to February 1, 2011 Press Release ►►►►

2011-2012 Executive Budget – Link to Briefing Book Table of Contents ►►►►

State Agency Presentations – Link to Alphabetically by Agency Name ►►►►

State Agency Presentations – Link to by Subject (e.g. Economic Development, Education and Arts, Environment and Energy, State Workforce, etc) ►►►►

1/20/11 - OMCE Legislative Day: Join us for our annual Legislative advocacy day in Albany on Tuesday, March 8, 2011 (Room 120, Legislative Office Building). Our major legislative priority this year will be to advocate for a rational M/C salary structure, including restoration of the withheld M/C pay raises, and to offer sensible alternatives to layoffs and other painful measures that may be up for consideration in adopting a budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year. Our non-monetary priorities include increased protection for whistleblowers and employees subject to Inspector General interrogations, as well as formal “meet and confer” requirements. Register today - Click Here to view and print the registration form. Please respond no later than February 14, 2011. If you can’t come to Albany, contact your legislator directly and make an appointment to see him/her in the local district office during that week.

1/14/11 – OMCE Members - Invitation to Participate in Government: Governor Cuomo has said repeatedly that he wants the people to participate in government. This is your opportunity, as both citizens, employees and retirees of New York State, to do just that—to tell the Governor what is important to you, how you think government should be reinvented, where savings can be obtained and how agencies and their programs can be more efficiently administered. For information on how to participate in this initiative, go to: www.NYcitizenscampaign.com. If you prefer, you can channel your recommendations through OMCE, by sending your ideas and suggestions to us at our dedicated email address: savings4NY@gmail.com.

1/14/11 – OMCE Pay Raise Litigation Update: The State has met the January 10 deadline set by the US District Court, Northern District of New York, for submission of its response to our December 20 memorandum of law submission, again asking the court to dismiss our pay raise lawsuit. This completes all of the filings necessary for the court to conduct its review of the arguments presented in the case. We will post additional updates here as developments occur.

1/7/11 – Public Employees: A Different View: Robert Reich, Secretary of Labor in the Clinton Administration and Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley, offers a different view of public employees in his recent article The Shameful Attack on Public Employees. Reich says public servants are convenient scapegoats. He also says some reforms need to be made, and when times are tough, public employees should have to make the same sacrifices as everyone else. But, public servants are unfairly being made scapegoats these days for the fiscal ills that plague the federal government and states and municipalities across the nation. “It’s far more convenient,” he says, “to go after people who are doing the public's work - sanitation workers, police officers, fire fighters, teachers, social workers, federal employees - to call them "faceless bureaucrats" and portray them as hooligans who are making off with your money and crippling federal and state budgets.” We suggest Reich’s article for your reading consideration.

1/6/11 - State of the State Address: Governor Andrew Cuomo yesterday laid out his prescription for solving the state's woes, describing the challenges facing the state, and extending hope that by working together it will be possible to fundamentally remake New York State and its government. Here are the highlights of his State of the State message:

He announced a Spending and Government Efficiency (SAGE) Commission to “modernize and rightsize state government.” Its goal will be to reduce the number of state agencies, authorities and commissions by 20%. The Governor intends to propose the “State Government Reorganization Act.” Under this proposal, the SAGE Commission will submit to the Legislature a plan to eliminate, transfer and consolidate state agencies. Executive Order #4, which creates the SAGE Commission, directs the Commission to submit its “rightsizing” plan to the Governor by May 1, 2011. The Legislature will then have 30 days to reject the plan, or it will go into effect. Newly appointed Director of Agency Redesign and Efficiency Paul Francis (with whom OMCE has worked in the past) will serve as SAGE Commission Co-Chair, with the Governor appointing one or more additional Co-Chairs.

Citing his experience as Attorney General with the insurance and banking industry, the Governor announced that he has already decided to introduce legislation that will create a new Department of Financial Regulation, which will merge the state's Insurance Department, Banking Department and Consumer Protection Board together as one agency to regulate the financial service organizations doing business in the state. And, in the context of a call for juvenile justice reform, he said he will seek repeal of a law that requires 12 months advance notice for closing underutilized facilities.

The Governor called for a redesign of the budget process, including reinventing and redesigning state programs so that the state can afford them, and he also outlined an Emergency Financial Plan to close the state’s $10 billion deficit in the 2011-12 budget without raising taxes or borrowing. It calls for holding the line on taxes, imposing a state spending cap to limit spending growth to the rate of inflation and imposing a one-year salary freeze on state employees whose contracts are up for renegotiation as of April 1, 2011. We have already written a letter to the Governor stating that we are prepared to work with the new Administration to address the many challenges the state faces, but we noted that M/C employees have already had a two year wage freeze and foregone 7% in wage increases—pay cuts which continue today and into fiscal 2011-12.

Finally, the Governor laid out his “Clean Up Albany” agenda, which includes enacting campaign finance reform (including a system of public financing for elections), restricting lobbyist campaign contributions, creating an independent redistricting commission, creating an independent state ethics board to monitor and enforce state ethics laws; and requiring full disclosure of outside income and clients. He also proposes to outlaw “pay to play,” thereby limiting the impact of special interests, and to strip pensions from public officials convicted of a felony for abusing the public trust.

The Assembly and Senate will begin their regular legislative session on Monday, January 10 and the Governor will introduce his 2011-2012 Executive Budget recommendations in a speech before both houses of the Legislature on Tuesday, February 1.

● Governor Cuomo announced today that he, Lieutenant Governor Duffy and newly hired senior members of the Administration will be taking a 5% cut in salary. The Governor’s Secretary, Counsel, Director of State Operations, Counselor and Chief of Staff all will be taking 5% pay cuts from their predecessors’ salaries. The Governor has also directed that the budget for the Executive Chamber be reduced by five percent.

● The Governor has issued an Executive Order (No. 3) requiring officers and employees of the Executive Chamber and agency commissioners, counsels and ethics officers to participate in ethics training, both initially within 60 days of employment and every two years thereafter. Among existing executive orders the Governor has continued is Executive Order 42, dating from the Rockefeller Administration, which relates to procedures for the submission and settlement of grievances of Management/Confidential employees.

● On Wednesday, Governor Cuomo will deliver his State of the State address, in which he is expected to announce that he will seek a one-year salary freeze for state employees. While we are prepared to work with the Administration to address the challenges we face, we note that M/C employees have already had a 2-year wage freeze and foregone 7% in wage increases—pay cuts which continue today and into fiscal 2011-12.

12/21/10 - Update: OMCE Pay Raise Litigation: On December 20th, we filed our response in US District Court, Northern District of New York, to the latest motion by the NYS Attorney General's Office asking the court to dismiss our pay raise lawsuit. The Attorney General’s Office has asked for an extension to January 10 to file a response to our December 20 memorandum of law submission. That will complete all of the filings necessary for the court to conduct its review of the arguments in the case. We will post additional updates here as developments occur.

12/17/10 - Reminder: Exempt Class Employees: An exempt class employee who was honorably discharged or released from military service and meets the definition of a veteran, as defined in Civil Service Law § 85, or who is an exempt volunteer fireman as defined in the General Municipal Law, cannot be removed from his/her position except for incompetency or misconduct shown after a hearing upon stated charges, “except when the employee holds the position of private secretary, cashier or deputy of any official or department.” (Civil Service Law § 75.1.b) Exempt Class employees who face separation from service are encouraged to contact their personnel office for information concerning the effects of separation on their compensation and benefits. A good starting point is the Civil Service Department’s October 2010 online publication Separation from State Service: Information for Exempt Class Employees. OMCE members with questions are invited to call us at 800-828-6623 (or 456-5241, if calling from within area code 518).

12/17/10 - Reminder: Deadline for Covering Your Young Adult Children: As a result of the new federal health care reform legislation, your young adult child under age 26 who is not eligible for health insurance through his/her own employer may be eligible to be enrolled as a dependent under your NYSHIP family coverage, effective January 1, 2011, regardless of his/her student status or marital status. In November, NYSHIP enrollees were mailed a NYSHIP Special Report which provided details on eligibility requirements, enrollment instructions and the special enrollment period for young adult children. The deadline for adding your young adult child as a dependent is the same as this year's NYSHIP annual option transfer period deadline: December 31, 2010. For the convenience of members who wish to add a young adult child dependent but have not done so yet, here are links to the November 2010 NYSHIP Special Report and the Enrollment Form, from which you can download and print the form.

11/30/10 - Update: OMCE Pay Raise Litigation: On November 24th we received a revised motion to dismiss our pay raise lawsuit from the New York State Attorney General's Office. Our attorneys are currently reviewing the motion and are drafting a response to be submitted to the United States District Court, Northern District of New York, on December 20, 2010.

11/5/10 - Status of Hospital Negotiations: Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Westchester Medical Center have failed to reach agreement in negotiations on a new contract. Consequently, effective November 1, 2010, Westchester Medical Center no longer is a participating facility with Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield. This means that, if you choose to have services at Westchester Medical Center, you will be covered on an out-of-network basis, except in the following special circumstances: emergency; continuation of care for pregnancy (if you are in your second or third trimester of pregnancy as of the date the hospital ceased to be a participating facility, you will continue to be covered through the delivery of your child and for post-partum care directly related to the delivery); any services that were previously preauthorized; in-patient services for an admission which occurred before the date the hospital ceased to be a participating provider; if no network hospital is available within 30 miles of your residence that can provide the services required; or if a network hospital is not available within a 30 mile radius from your home. Also, there will be no immediate interruption of care that is already underway. We will post updates here on the status of negotiations, as information becomes available to us. Meanwhile, for more information and answers to common questions, CLICK HERE to link to the Department of Civil Service's website.

10/29/10 - Layoffs? M/Cs have already been forced to sacrifice! The Paterson Administration's recent announcement of 898 layoffs is wrong, misguided, and unnecessary. OMCE, along with other public employee labor organizations, identified and submitted to the State, millions of dollars in savings the State could achieve without resorting to layoffs. Time and again these past two years, we met with the Administration and suggested alternatives to their actions--actions they nevertheless chose to take, despite the negative implications and consequences we pointed out to them. Layoffs would not even be in play, were agencies allowed to expand the numbers of those who were granted the recent retirement incentive. OMCE remains ready to engage in productive dialogues about ways to ensure the provision of services the public requires in a cost-efficient manner, without scapegoating the employees responsible for providing the services.

10/25/10 - Update: OMCE Pay Raise Litigation: The State has responded to our complaint (Reference 10/13/10 update below). We are reviewing the response with our lawyers and discussing our response strategy.

10/14/10 - Disciplinary Interrogations/Interviews: OMCE members who are informed that they will be the target of a Section 75 disciplinary interrogation, or a State Inspector General (SIG) interview or interrogation, should immediately inform their agency or SIG contact that they will be represented by OMCE and immediately call OMCE. Members who are targets of a Section 75 disciplinary interrogation, SIG formal interrogation or SIG informal "off-the-record" interview, should not attend any of these without an OMCE representative. Your OMCE representative will provide you with guidance and represent your interests before and during the interrogation/interview process.

10/13/10 - Update: OMCE Pay Raise Litigation: In our last update (9/6/10), we had advised that the Attorney General's Office, which is representing the State, was scheduled to submit an answer to our complaint, or file a motion to dismiss it in its entirety, in mid-October. The Attorney General's Office has asked for additional time to respond, moving the expected response date to the end of October. Meanwhile, our legal team continues to prepare for our next steps once the State's response or motion to dismiss is received.

10/8/10 - Withdrawing Your 2010 Incentive Retirement Application: The Retirement System has posted a notice on its website advising that if you filed for retirement and were not eligible for Part A of the Incentive, but are otherwise eligible for retirement, your application will still be processed without the Incentive benefit. If you wish to withdraw your application, you must send the Retirement System a Withdrawal of Application for Service Retirement (PS6354) form, which must be received by the Retirement System before your effective retirement date. For a copy of the withdrawal form or to learn more about meeting filing deadlines, click on the links below:

10/1/10 - Online Defensive Driving Course: We are pleased to offer OMCE members and their families residing in New York State access at a reduced price to the National Safety Council's Online Defensive Driving Course. Members and family members who reside in the state can take the online course at the reduced price of $29.95 per person. That’s a savings of $15 off the regular course fee! You may also qualify for a personal auto insurance discount and a reduction of up to four points on your driving record. Contact your auto insurance carrier to see if you qualify for a discount. If you are eligible, the DMV (New York State Department of Motor Vehicles) will automatically apply the point reduction to your driving record.

Reminder: Do not register or take this online course on your office computer. You should not be doing this at work.

Save money by paying for certain expenses with pre-tax dollars. Under this program, you can choose two benefits: Health Care Spending Account, under which you set aside up to $4,000 ($100 minimum) in pre-tax salary to pay for non-reimbursed health-related expenses; and Dependent Care Advantage Account, which allows you to set aside up to $5,000 in pre-tax salary for eligible child care, elder care or disabled dependent expenses. To enroll, go to www.flexspend.state.ny.us or call 1-800-358-7202. If you are currently enrolled, you must re-enroll to continue your participation in 2011.

● 2010 Productivity Improvement Program (PEP) October 25 - November 26, 2010

Eligible full and part-time employees may exchange previously accrued vacation credits and/or personal leave in return for a credit to be applied toward the employee share of the NYSHIP (NYS Health Insurance Program) premium. Up to three days may be forfeited in exchange for a premium credit of up to $500. If you are currently enrolled, you must re-enroll to continue your benefit in 2011. Ask your agency/facility personnel office for details and an application.

Your share of the health insurance premium may be deducted from your wages before taxes are withheld, which may lower your taxes. You were automatically enrolled in PTCP when you became eligible for health insurance, unless you declined. (Your paycheck shows whether you are enrolled in PTCP.) No action is required to keep your current pre-tax status. If you wish to change your pre-tax selection for 2011, see your agency/facility Health Benefits Administrator for assistance in determining if you have had a qualifying event, as defined by the IRS, and to complete a health insurance transaction form by the November 30 deadline.

As a result of the new federal health care reform legislation, your young adult child under age 26 who is not eligible for health insurance through his/her own employer may be eligible to be enrolled as a dependent under your NYSHIP family coverage, effective January 1, 2011, regardless of his/her student status or marital status. Watch your mailbox this fall for a NYSHIP Special Report which will provide details on eligibility requirements, enrollment instructions and the special enrollment period for young adult children.

9/16/10 - Update: OMCE Pay Raise Litigation: We filed our complaint on August 20, 2010. The case has been referred to the NYS Attorney General's Office, which will be defending the matter for all named defendants. Currently, a response date is scheduled for mid-October when the Attorney General's Office is required to submit an answer to our complaint or a motion to dismiss the matter in its entirety. While this target response date is subject to change with judicial approval, our legal team continues to prepare for our next steps once either an answer or motion to dismiss is received. A copy of the complaint itself, without the plaintiffs' affidavits, can be viewed here ►►

9/16/10 - Retiree Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA): The Office of State Comptroller has announced that the 2010 Retiree COLA, payment of which begins with the September 30^th pension check, will be 1.2 percent, or $18 monthly before taxes. The COLA equals 50 percent of the cost-of-living index and can be as much as 3 percent, but no less than 1 percent, calculated on the first $18,000 of the retirement benefit or the actual amount of the benefit, if less. The COLA payment permanently increases the retirement benefit and is designed to address future inflation as it occurs. Once COLA payments begin, they continue automatically and increase each September. Information on eligibility requirements is available on the Comptroller’s website (Click Here).

9/16/10 - 2011 OPEIU/Union Plus® Scholarships: Eligible members, their spouses and dependent children are eligible for these scholarships. Numerous awards are given for under-graduate, post-high school study and vary from $500 to $4,000. Applications must be completed and returned to OMCE and postmarked no later than December 31, 2010.

8/25/10 - OMCE M/C Pay Lawsuit: Barbara Zaron, president of OMCE (Organization of NYS Management/ Confidential Employees), an affiliate of OPEIU, Local 153, AFL-CIO, today announced the filing of a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Northern District against the Paterson administration for the withholding of salary increases and other compensation authorized in statute from OMCE members, effective April 1,2009 and April 1, 2010. “An attack on one of us is an attack on all OMCE members,” Zaron said, noting that no other State employees . . . read more ►►

8/16/10- Retirement Incentive Program: We have heard from some OMCE members who advised their agencies of their interest in participating in the Retirement Incentive Program, but were denied opportunity to participate. We have made some general inquiries as a result. As with last year’s Voluntary Severance Program, we want to be certain our members have not been unfairly denied opportunity to participate in the Incentive Program. Time is short—the retirement window closes in two weeks. If you would like us to include you on a list we are assembling of OMCE members who remain interested in participating, but have been denied, please telephone or email us no later than this Friday, August 20th, to let us know. We plan to share this list with the Administration.

8/12/10 - Empire Plan Update: Empire BlueCross BlueShield has reached agreement with Stellaris Health Network effective August 1, 2010 and once again Stellaris is an Empire Plan participating network facility. As we reported in an earlier News posting here, Stellaris had withdrawn as a participating facility in April when negotiations between the parties couldn't reach agreement on reimbursement rates. Stellaris Health Network consists of Lawrence Hospital, Northern Westchester Hospital, Phelps Memorial Hospital Center and White Plains Hospital.

8/2/10 - NYSHIP Premium Rate Changes: Provisions of 2010-2011 Emergency Budget legislation now require that, effective April 1, 2010, the cost of Medicare Part B premium reimbursement will be shared by the State and New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) enrollees. This will result in a NYSHIP rate change effective October 1. An information flyer with instructions and an option change form is being mailed to enrollee homes and is also available online at the Department of Civil Service website: http://www.cs.state.ny.us/ebd/welcome/login.cfm

The rate changes will reflect the cost of reimbursing Medicare Part B premiums to State enrollees and dependents from the effective date of the legislation, April 1, through the end of 2010. Since the legislation was not passed until June 7 and the rate change required significant changes, the rate change will be applied effective October 1. This means that the nine months of Medicare Part B premium cost will be spread across the last three months of the year. Also, because the State’s contribution to the cost of HMOs is based on the cost of Empire Plan coverage, the increase in Empire Plan premium results in an increase in the State’s contribution to HMO coverage in most cases; therefore, in most cases the enrollee contribution for HMOs will decrease.

As a result of these rate changes, there will be a Special Option Transfer Period during the month of August. The Special Option Transfer Period will begin on August 2 and run through August 31, 2010. The annual rate change and Option Transfer Period for 2011 will occur later this year, as usual. Also, for retirees, a change during this Special Option Transfer Period will not be counted as an option change for the purposes of the retiree once in a 12 month period option change limit. Consult the flyer you receive in the mail or contact your agency Employee Benefits Administrator (active employees) for information on changing options during this Special Option Transfer Period. No action is required for enrollees who wish to keep their current health insurance option.

Notice to employees who are enrolled in the Pre-Tax Contribution Program (PTCP): You may only make an option change that is consistent with PTCP rules. That is, if your premium cost is increasing, you may change to a lower cost option. Also, regardless of the change in the cost of your current option, you may change into an option for which the premium has decreased. Information on the option changes that are not permitted to PTCP enrollees is available from your agency Employee Benefits Administrator.

7/22/10 – OMCE Moving Day: We will be moving our offices to a new location on Wednesday, July 28. Although we expect to have a phone operating at both the old and new locations that day, nevertheless you may encounter some difficulty reaching us on Wednesday and we wanted to alert you to that possibility ahead of time. We expect to be fully operational by the next day, Thursday. Our telephone, fax and email contact information will stay the same, but our address will change. Effective July 28, 2010, our new address will be:

7/13/10 – Update: Status of Hospital Negotiations: Click on the link below for information of interest to Empire Plan enrollees in Westchester County and Eastern Long Island on the status of Empire BlueCross BlueShield negotiations with the East End Health Alliance (EEHA) and Stellaris Hospital Network. Empire BlueCross BlueShield and EEHA have signed a deal and EEHA is once again a participating network facility. EEHA is comprised of Eastern Long Island Hospital, Peconic Bay Medical Center and Southampton Hospital. EEHA became a non-participating facility in August 2009 when negotiations with Empire BlueCross BlueShield broke down. As for Stellaris, negotiations so far have been unsuccessful. Empire says Stellaris is asking for double digit increases that Empire finds unsustainable. Stellaris says it wants a large increase in reimbursement rates because Empire has underpaid the Westchester hospitals for years. Consequently, Stellaris Health Network hospitals are no longer participating facilities with Empire BlueCross BlueShield. Stellaris Health Network consists of Lawrence Hospital, Northern Westchester Hospital, Phelps Memorial Hospital Center and White Plains Hospital.

6/28/10 – Retirement Incentive: In our June 4 Retirement Incentive Program posting on this page, we suggested that if you want the targeted retirement incentive, you should take the initiative and notify your agency of your interest. We shared the same advice in telephone and email inquiries we received from members.

Some members told us that, when they informed their agency or facility of their interest in retiring, they were told the agency or facility will not be participating in the targeted incentive. We shared this information with the Division of the Budget and learned that agency decisions to not offer the targeted incentive were preceded by discussions with their individual budget examiners concerning the extent to which meaningful savings could be realized when weighed against the criteria for participation outlined in the budget bulletin announcing the program. That is, that “the targeted retirement incentive is intended to achieve budgetary savings in cases where savings cannot otherwise be achieved through normal attrition;” “a position may be targeted for the incentive only in situations where the agency will achieve permanent recurring savings;” or “the loss of such position would . . . result in significant financial plan savings net of the additional pension costs associated with the incentive.” In many instances, we were told, the projected savings from replacing retiring job rate employees with hiring rate or mid-grade range employees were not significant when weighed against the aforementioned criteria for agency participation in the targeted incentive.

Based upon what we have learned from the Budget Division, if you want the targeted retirement incentive and your agency has told you it will not be participating, you may wish to make a demonstration, if you can, concerning how your participation in the incentive could produce significant savings, consistent with both the aforementioned criteria and the stated goal of the targeted incentive program “to maximize savings through permanent workforce reductions.”

As a first step, you should review Budget Bulletin B-1190 (View Here) to acquaint yourself with the criteria, as outlined in the bulletin. A problem you will encounter is that no one’s circumstances are exactly the same and no one has defined the numbers that would represent significant savings. And there’s also the seniority factor to consider. You may very well end up expending a lot of effort for nothing or making the case for someone else who has more seniority than you. Unfortunately, that’s the reality of the situation currently and, as with last year’s separation incentive, it remains to be seen if this targeted incentive results in any significant workforce reductions.

As always, we are available to advise and assist members, as best we can under these circumstances. Where groups of members go through the process and are turned down, we will be glad to review the arguments and documentation used to make the case and, to the extent possible, pursue it further with the Division of the Budget. Call or email us at 800-828-6623 (nysomce@gmail.com).

Revised 6/8/10 - Medicare Part B Reimbursement Attacked - Budget Extender Bill Passes: In his latest Fiscal Year 2010-11 Budget Extender bill, which the Legislature passed yesterday, Governor Paterson decided to force State employees and retirees to share in the cost of reimbursing Medicare eligibles for their Part B premium. The legislation calls for this to be accomplished by adding the cost of Medicare Part B reimbursement to the cost of health insurance coverage provided through the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP). The total costs will be shared by the State and its employees and retirees enrolled in NYSHIP. State employees retiring on or after January 1, 1983 contribute 10% of the cost of individual health coverage and 25% of dependent coverage. Both active and retired State employees will face increased insurance premium costs, because of this unilateral change initiated by the Governor.

For over forty-four years, the law, rules and regulations have been rigorously implemented. The statutory language and the legislative intent on this very issue is and has been quite clear. When in 2005 Governor Pataki tried to gut Civil Service Law Section 167-a, Reimbursement for medicare premium charges, the courts (in 2006) reaffirmed existing law, the legislative intent behind it and the implementing rules and regulations.

Take action now (use our ACTION LINE service) and urge the Governor to re-think this latest attack on your benefits as a State employee. Contact your legislators too, again using our ACTION LINE service, and urge them to reverse this assault on both active and retired State employees. We will post further updates on this issue here as developments warrant.

6/3/10 - OMCE Letter to Governor Paterson: Time to restore M/C salary increases is now!

6/4/10 – 2010-11 Retirement Incentive Program: The Division of the Budget has issued a bulletin (View Here ►►Budget Bulletin B-1190, dated June 3, 2010) with guidelines on implementation of the 2-part Retirement Incentive Program authorized by Chapter 105 of the Laws of 2010. The 2-part program includes both a traditional targeted retirement incentive and a 55/25 retirement incentive. According to the bulletin, agency participation in the targeted retirement incentive is expected. Since the goal of the targeted incentive is to maximize savings through permanent workforce reductions, positions of employees retiring with the incentive will be abolished, as a general rule. Under the 55/25 retirement incentive, each employee that meets the qualifying age, creditable service and tier criteria will be eligible to retire without penalty, unless the employee is identified as holding a position that is critical to the maintenance of public health and safety. The State’s default policy, stated in the bulletin, will be to assume that eligible employees can receive the 55/25 incentive, absent a “critical to public health and safety” determination. The bulletin establishes specific time lines for agencies to identify positions and survey employees in the positions concerning their interest in retiring. If you want the targeted retirement incentive, we strongly suggest you take the initiative and inform your agency of your interest now. The Retirement System will begin processing retirement applications on a rolling basis as soon as eligible participant lists are finalized and submitted to the Division of the Budget. The window for employees to retire under either incentive is expected to begin July 1, 2010 and end on September 28, 2010.

6/3/10 - Nominations: Last Call: Nominations for the OMCE Board of Directors are due by Friday, June 11. There are seven seats to be filled this year. The nominations process is simple, since a member can nominate him/herself. Just submit your resume, a letter stating your interest in running for a Board seat and a statement, that can be used on the ballot, describing your background and the issues and priorities you would want to focus on as a Board member. Board members are expected to attend four Board Meetings per year (March, June, September/October and December) and to serve on at least one committee. Board members are not paid to serve on the Board, but travel expenses are reimbursed at State rates.

We need active working M/C employees who are interested in being leaders in our ongoing efforts to improve the working lives and working conditions of M/C employees, to help develop policies and programs to better serve M/C employees and to ensure that their rights and benefits are protected. For additional information, contact OMCE at nysomce@gmail.com, 518-456-5241 or, from outside area code 518, at 1-800-828-6623.

5/20/10 - Update: Retirement Incentive Bill: The Governor's Retirement Incentive bill has been introduced in the Assembly by Assemblyman Peter Abbate. The bill number is A.11144, which can be accessed HERE.

5/20/10 - Update: M/C Performance Advances: Performance Advances have been paid to M/C employees on the Institution Payroll. The next scheduled Performance Advance payments, to M/C employees on the Administration Payroll, will take place on May 26, 2010.

5/17/10 - Update: $350 Million United Health Care Class Action Settlement: If you are an Empire Plan member who received out-of-network medical services between March 15, 1994 and November 18, 2009, you may receive a notice in the mail concerning the class action settlement between the American Medical Association (AMA) et al and UnitedHealthcare (UHC). The $350 million settlement agreement, which was announced in January 2009, resolves class action litigation filed on behalf of the AMA, health plan members, health care providers and employee representatives (OMCE, CSEA, NYSUT and NYSPIA) regarding issues that were raised concerning UHC’s reimbursement of out-of-network services. The settlement notice includes claims forms and instructions on how to file claims. As indicated in the notice, all questions related to the settlement or submission of claim forms should be directed to the claims administrator, Berdon Claims Administration LLC (toll-free 800-443-1073, fax 516-222-0271, email unitedhealthcare@berdonclaimsllc.com).

To view a copy of the notice and for more information about the settlement, click below:

5/11/10 – Furloughs Update: A one-day furlough of some 100,000 State employees is slated to begin next Monday, as a result of the Legislature’s passage yesterday of the Governor’s latest weekly budget extender bill, which includes the furlough provision. M/C employees are not subject to furloughs, because of the Governor’s withholding of their 2009-10 salary increase and performance advances, longevities and merit payments, and the 2010-11 M/C salary increase, which we continue to address with the Administration. The Governor says he plans to pursue furloughs on a weekly basis until the 2010-11 budget is passed. PEF and CSEA, the unions representing the bulk of affected employees, are in federal district court seeking a restraining order. They argue the move amounts to an illegal violation of their labor contracts. Some concerns have been expressed about the implications of managing the workload amid the en masse absence of so many employees, particularly if furloughs continue for several weeks. We urge MCs to keep us advised of any such issues that arise in agencies and facilities during these next several weeks as a consequence of furloughs.

5/4/10 – Retirement Incentive: Governor Paterson offered a bill (Program Bill #249) today that, if approved by the Legislature, would establish a two-part temporary retirement incentive program for State and other public employees (e.g. teachers and local government employees). Similar to the two-part retirement incentive offered in 2002, employees would have the option under Part A to either receive one month of additional credit for each year of service, up to a total of three years or 36 months. Under Part B (55/25), early retirement penalties would be waived for employees who have reached 55 years of age and achieved at least 25 years of service. Employees would not be able to combine the benefits of Part A and Part B. Local governments would have the option to participate (or not) in the program. Employers electing to participate would be required to provide a 30 to 90 day open period to enable eligible employees time to consider the incentive. We will provide additional information as it becomes available. Meanwhile, you can view a copy of the bill HERE.

4/28/10 - Update re Furloughs: The media are reporting that, in addition to health and safety workers, M/C employees will not be subject to furloughs. We are working to confirm the accuracy of these reports and, as soon as we have more definitive information, we will post it here.

4/27/10 - State Workforce Furloughs Planned: Announcing at a press conference in Albany today that he plans to ask the legislature to pass another of his weekly budget extenders, Governor Paterson said he will include a one-day State workforce furlough with each weekly extension, at least until the full 2010-11 budget passes. Budget Director Robert Megna spoke to the press after the governor’s press conference, and said the state would save an estimated $30 million per day of furlough. The measure, which needs to be approved by the Legislature, would affect about 70 percent of the state workforce and not include uniformed public-safety employees. Megna said the details are still being worked out, but noted that the plan is being designed to give latitude to agencies in order to allow for what he called “rolling” furloughs of employees in order to minimize service reductions. He said that while the furlough was going to be introduced first as a separate bill, the administration would not rule out adding it to a future one-week extender, which would force the Legislature to either accept it or risk shutting down State government. We have reached out to our contacts for more on the proposed furlough measure and will provide additional information here as soon as we have it.

4/26/10 - OMCE Members/Great Deal on memberships! Special promotional offer today and tomorrow – all New York and Brooklyn locations. $49 to join (regular $79), $74.99 monthly, month-to-month, no commitment. Complimentary one-hour personal training kickoff (value $100). Hurry, offer ends Tuesday, April 27^th at 9:00 PM. Click here to view and print Crunch locations.

4/22/10 – Nominations for OMCE Board: Each year at this time, we begin looking for members interested in serving on the OMCE Board of Directors. There are seven seats to be filled. The nominations process is simple, since a member can nominate him/herself. Just submit your resume, a letter stating your interest to run for a Board seat and a statement that can be used on the ballot, describing your background, the issues and priorities you would want to focus on as a Board Member and why you would be a good Board Member. Nominations, via email or regular mail, are due to be received in the OMCE office by June 11, 2010.

We need active working State M/C employees who are interested in being leaders in our ongoing efforts to improve the working lives and working conditions of M/C employees, to help develop policies and programs to better serve M/C employees and to ensure that their rights and benefits are protected. For additional information, contact OMCE at nysomce@gmail.com, 518-456-5241 or, from outside area code 518, at 1-800-828-6623.

4/20/10 - COBRA Subsidy Extended for another two months through May 31, 2010: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ("ARRA"), enacted on February 17, 2009, provided a 65% federal subsidy of COBRA premiums for certain employees and covered family members who lost coverage under a group health plan due to involuntary termination of employment from September 1, 2008 through December 31, 2009. The federal Department of Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2010 ("DOD Act") extended the COBRA premium subsidy eligibility period an additional two months, through February 28, 2010, and increased the subsidy period from 9 months to 15 months. On March 2, 2010, President Obama signed legislation extending the premium subsidy for another month, through March 31, 2010, and expanding the scope of the subsidy to include former employees whose COBRA eligibility was caused by a reduction in hours and who subsequently experience an involuntary termination. On April 15, the President signed another bill extending the COBRA subsidy and unemployment benefits an additional two months, through May 31, 2010. Congress is expected to continue debating whether to continue the COBRA subsidy and unemployment benefits through the end of the year in response to deep and prolonged unemployment.

4/15/10 – M/C Layoff Rights Clarified: An article appearing in yesterday’s Albany Times Union on the possibility of an early retirement incentive stated that non-union employees do not have the same seniority-based protections regarding potential layoffs. This is incorrect, as permanent competitive and non-competitive M/C employees affected by a reduction in force have the same layoff and retention rights that bargaining unit employees have. Information for employees affected by layoff is available in a booklet published by the Department of Civil Service and available on the Internet as a .pdf document. Go to: http://www.cs.state.ny.us/pdf/info4layoffs.pdf

4/13/10 - M/C Performance Advance and Longevity Pay Dates Announced: The Office of State Comptroller, Bureau of Payroll Services, has notified us that M/C Performance Advances and Longevity Payments will be paid in paychecks dated May 20th (Institution payroll) and May 26th (Administration payroll). Performance Advances are effective retroactive to March 25, 2010 for Institution payroll employees and April 1, 2010 for Administration payroll employees.

4/13/10 - OMCE 2010-11 Pay and Savings Proposals: With his weekly budget extender bills, the Governor has postponed the 4% pay raise for PEF and CSEA represented employees pending negotiations on enactment of a budget for Fiscal Year 2010-11. In addition to continuing our contacts and meetings with Administration staff and members of the Legislature, we have sent letters (View Here) to Governor Paterson, Speaker Silver and Senator Sampson, with copies to the minority leaders and key legislators, calling on them to do the right thing and stand with M/C employees as they work toward enacting a budget for 2010-11. We specifically urged them to include funding for M/C salary increases along with any restoration of funds in the budget for salary increases for PEF and CSEA represented employees. We called their attention to our OMCE M/C Pay Restoration Proposal (View Here) which, through a combination of deferring payment and implementing a lag payroll, would produce approximately $35 to $40 million to fund M/C salary increases for the Executive Branch and SUNY that would cost $28 million. Members can help, too, by contacting your legislators directly.

4/9/10 - PEF and CSEA Payroll Bulletins Rescinded: Today, we received the following notices from the Office of State Comptroller (OSC):

4/1/10 - Status of Hospital Negotiations: The Department of Civil Service has notified us that Empire BlueCross/BlueShield contracts with Stellaris Health Network hospitals located in Westchester County expire today, April 1, 2010. Stellaris Health Network is comprised of Lawrence Hospital, Northern Westchester Hospital, Phelps Memorial Hospital Center and White Plains Hospital. To date, negotiations with Stellaris have been unsuccessful. Consequently, effective April 1, 2010 and until further notice, Stellaris facilities will no longer be network facilities under The Empire Plan Hospital Program. Information on how this affects NYSHIP Empire Plan enrollees is posted online at the Department of Civil Service website. Go to www.cs.state.ny.us and click on "News and Notifications" in the left-hand column.

3/30/10 - Dinner and Show at a Street-Smarts Price: We are pleased to offer our members access to discounted New York City entertainment packages, consisting of a 3-course dinner (tax and tip included) and a Broadway or off-Broadway show. All theatre seats are in full-price locations. Select from lists of offerings, usually available from two to four weeks in advance. Enjoy a great night of dinner and theatre on the town at up to 37% off retail cost.

3/29/10 - Civil Service Eligible List Preferences: The Department of Civil Service has advised us of a new refinement to its online Eligible List Management System (ELMS) and asked us to share this information with our members. ELMS allows anyone to view New York State civil service eligible lists on their computer and permits access to promotion lists. The latest refinement, called the ELMS Online Preference System, enables successful candidates on an open-competitive or promotion examination to view their current geographic and job preferences (full-time/part-time, permanent/temporary, shift) and make changes to their preferences, for all lists or only selected lists. In addition to simplifying things for list eligibles, use of the Online Preference System will ensure that candidates are canvassed only for positions in which they have indicated interest. All that’s required is a simple login at: www.cs.state.ny.us/elmspublic/. Any changes a list eligible makes will take effect immediately. While it is expected that most will opt for the more immediate and efficient method of indicating their preferences online, eligible list candidates may still specifically request a paper preference questionnaire, by writing to: Staffing Support Unit, NYS Department of Civil Service, Alfred E. Smith State Office Building, Albany, NY 12239.

3/25/10 – Health Care Reform: We have been getting inquiries concerning the implications the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (HR 3590) may have for State employees, particularly NYSHIP enrollees and their dependents. Although President Obama signed the bill on March 23, there are still a number of uncertainties ahead. For example:

Despite these uncertainties, we have begun to explore with the applicable State agencies what actions they will be taking to inform the workforce and prepare for implementation of the act. As information becomes available to us, we will share it with our members here and in the OMCE Newsletter.

3/19/10 – Empire Plan Specialty Pharmacy Program: Effective April 1, 2010, a Specialty Pharmacy Program will be implemented within The Empire Plan Prescription Drug Program. This Program will offer enhanced services to individuals using specialty medications* and change how you obtain those medications under the Prescription Drug Program. These drugs usually require special handling, special administration, and intensive patient monitoring. For these reasons, not all retail pharmacies are able to dispense specialty medications. Most specialty drugs will only be covered when dispensed by The Empire Plan's designated specialty pharmacy, Accredo, a subsidiary of Medco. When Accredo dispenses a specialty medication, the applicable mail service copayment will be charged.

When taking a medication that is part of the Specialty Pharmacy Program, enrollees will receive enhanced services that include disease and drug education, compliance management, side-effect management and safety management. Also included in this Program are expedited, scheduled delivery of your medications at no additional charge, refill reminder calls, and all necessary supplies such as needles and syringes applicable to the medication.

Click here to see the list of specialty medications included in the Specialty Pharmacy Program. Each of these drugs can be ordered through the Specialty Pharmacy Program using the Medco Pharmacy Order Form. United Healthcare (the insurer for the Prescription Drug Program) has begun sending letters of notification to enrollees already using one or more specialty medications. To request refills or to speak to a specialty trained pharmacist or nurse regarding participation in the Specialty Pharmacy Program, call The Empire Plan toll free at 1-877-7-NYSHIP (1-877-769-7447), choose The Empire Plan Prescription Drug Program, and ask to speak with Accredo, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

*Specialty medications are used to treat complex conditions and illnesses, such as cancer, growth hormone deficiency, hemophilia, hepatitis C, immune deficiency, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Medications used to treat diabetes are not considered specialty medications.

3/15/10 - COBRA Subsidy Extended through March 31, 2010: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ("ARRA"), enacted on February 17, 2009, provided a 65% federal subsidy of COBRA premiums for certain employees and covered family members who lost coverage under a group health plan due to involuntary termination of employment from September 1, 2008 through December 31, 2009. The federal Department of Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2010 ("DOD Act") extended the COBRA premium subsidy eligibility period an additional two months, through February 28, 2010, and increased the subsidy period from 9 months to 15 months. On March 2, the President signed the Temporary Extension Act of 2010 (H.R. 4691), extending the premium subsidy again (for another month, through March 31, 2010) and expanding the scope of the subsidy to include former employees whose COBRA eligibility was caused by a reduction in hours and who subsequently experince an involuntary termination. The bill also allows thousands of workers whose unemployment benefits expired on Feb. 28 to receive them for another 30 days. Congress is now considering a much larger bill that would extend the COBRA subsidy and unemployment benefits through the end of the year.

3/12/10 – Retirees Medicare-Primary Take Note: Important Part B Premium Reimbursement Info: The Department of Civil Service has issued guidelines and instructions for certain enrollees and dependents in the New York State Health Insurance Plan (NYSHIP) concerning Medicare Part B Premium Reimbursement in 2010. If you and/or your covered dependent(s) are new to Medicare in 2010 or if your Part B premium is not deducted from your Social Security check(s) and/or if you and/or any of your enrolled dependents are Medicare-primary and received a letter from the Social Security Administration (SSA) requiring the payment of an income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA) in addition to the standard Medicare Part B premium, read on, because all or part of the following information applies to you and/or your dependent(s):

Medicare Part B Premium Reimbursement

For most enrollees eligible for Medicare, the base cost for the Medicare Part B premium is $96.40 per month the same as it was in 2009. However, if you and/or your covered dependent are new to Medicare in 2010 or if your Part B premium is not deducted from your Social Security check(s), the standard Part B premium for 2010 will be $110.50 per month. If you or your dependent is Medicare primary, NYSHIP automatically reimburses you for the base cost of the Part B premium unless you receive reimbursement from another source. Due to programming constraints, NYSHIP cannot automatically reimburse you for a premium amount other than the standard premium of $96.40. Therefore, if you or your dependent pays a higher premium, you will need to apply for reimbursement of any amount over $96.40. (Note: NYSHIP will not reimburse any penalty charged for late enrollment in Medicare, nor will it duplicate Medicare reimbursement received from another employer.) If your Medicare B premium is $110.50 per month, send a copy of the letter you received from the Social Security Administration or a copy of your Medicare Premium Payment bill to the Department of Civil Service and you will receive a quarterly reimbursement check for $42.30. Reimbursement is not automatic for spouses who became 65 years old before January 1, 2000, your domestic partner or for any enrollee or covered dependent who is under age 65 and eligible for Medicare due to a disability, end-stage renal disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). You must notify the Employee Benefits Division and send a photocopy of the Medicare card to begin the reimbursement.

Reimbursement of the Medicare Part B Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) for Medicare-Primary Enrollees

Medicare Law requires some people to pay a higher premium for their Medicare Part B coverage based on their income. If you and/or any of your enrolled dependents are Medicare-primary and received a letter from the Social Security Administration (SSA) requiring the payment of an income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA) in addition to the standard Medicare Part B premium ($96.40) for 2009, you are eligible to be reimbursed for this additional premium by NYSHIP. Note: If your 2007 adjusted gross income was less than or equal to $85,000 ($170,000 if you filed taxes as married filing jointly) you are NOT eligible for any additional reimbursement this year. To claim the additional IRMAA reimbursement, eligible enrollees are required to apply for and document the amount paid in excess of the standard premium. For information on how to apply, a list of the documents required or questions on IRMAA, check the Department of Civil Service web site at https://www.cs.state.ny.us. Choose Benefit Programs on the home page, then NYSHIP Online and select your group, if prompted. The IRMAA letter was mailed to Medicare Part B reimbursement-eligible enrollees in January 2010 and will be available under What’s New? on the NYSHIP Online home page. Or call the Employee Benefits Division at 518-457-5754 (if you are located in the 518 area code) or 1-800-833-4344 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

3/11/10 - M/C Performance Advances, Merit Awards and Longevity Payments: The Division of the Budget has issued authorization and guidelines (Budget Bulletin D-1127, dated March 11, 2010) for the payment of performance advances, merit awards and longevity payments in 2010-11 to Managerial and Confidential (M/C) employees. Payroll instructions for agencies are pending issuance of a payroll bulletin by the Comptroller's Office. Performance advance payments will be effective 3/25/10 (Institution payroll) and 4/1/10 (Administration payroll), beginning with paychecks dated 4/22/10 (Institution) and 4/28/10 (Administration). Performance advance payment amounts will be determined based upon the M/C salary schedule currently in effect; that is, the April 1, 2008 schedule. Longevity pay increases will be paid in the amounts of $1,250 in 2010-11 for 5 or more years of service and $2,500 for 10 or more years. Longevities are available to M/C employees in grades M/C-17 and below and payment is effective from the first day of the payroll period following completion of five or ten years of continuous service at or above the job rate. Merit awards are payable, at agency discretion and subject to agency spending allotments, at any time during the fiscal year. We are pleased to see that the Administration has implemented the payment process for M/C performance advances, merit awards and longevity payments. We are continuing our efforts with the Administration and the Legislature to restore funding in the budget for the 4% M/C general salary increase scheduled for April 1, 2010.

3/10/10 - OMCE Legislative Day: Dozens of OMCE members joined us at the State Capitol and Legislative Office Building yesterday in advocating for restoration of the withheld 2009-10 M/C pay raises and payment of the M/C increases scheduled for April 1, 2010. Additionally, several members who were unable to come to Albany yesterday advised us they were making appointments, as we had suggested, to meet with their legislators in their local district offices. The reception we received yesterday, both from individual legislators and the leadership, was very positive. We presented them with our M/C Pay Restoration Proposal, a detailed and specific pay plan that can be accomplished through the delay of general salary increases, staggering the payment of performance advances and the use of a deferred pay (lag) initiative. Several, in reacting to the specifics of our proposal, remarked that we are the only group that has come to them with a solution to the problem we discussed. If you have not yet contacted your legislator, please do so now. It is important to have the salary restoration achieved as part of the budget negotiations currently underway.

3/4/10 - Scam Alerts: Warnings to Consumers: A press conference was held at the Empire State Plaza today to launch a statewide “Loan Modification Scam Alert” campaign as part of the NYS Consumer Protection Board’s (CPB) 2010 Consumer Action Day. Loan modifications scams are a growing problem, as homeowners facing foreclosure are losing their money - and their homes - to scammers. Before today’s alert, the CPB had already issued 12 other Scam Alerts in just the first two months of 2010 alone. The list is unbelieveable: Fake U.S. Census Scam; Haiti Earthquake Email Scam; Phony IRS W-2 Email Scam; Fake Tax Preparers Scam; New Counterfeit Check Scam; Shipping Service Scam; Prison Telephone Scam; FDA Personnel Scam; and so on. In cooperation with the CPB and in order to provide our members with information on how to avoid becoming victim to a scam, we are posting a link to the CPB website here (www.cpb.state.ny.us) and, for a time, on our homepage.

2/16/10 - OMCE Testifies at Legislative Budget Hearing: News Release 2/16/10 (Read Here).

2/10/10 - OMCE President Testifies at Budget Hearing: OMCE President Barbara Zaron delivered hard-hitting testimony on behalf of M/C employees today at a Joint Legislative Hearing on the Governor's Executive Budget proposals for 2010-11. The focus of her testimony was on restoration of the 2009-10 M/C pay cuts, funding the 2010-11 M/C 4% general salary increase and retaining the funding the Governor included in his 2010-11 Executive Budget recommendations for M/C performance advances, longevities and merit pay. Click Here to view the full text of Ms. Zaron's testimony, in which she discusses the consequences of the Governor's M/C salary withholding actions on M/C employees and agency operations and OMCE's Budget Savings proposals - over $1.5 billion in 2009-10 (View Here) and $30 million in 2010-11 (View Here) to fund salary increases and adjustments for M/C employees.

1/28/10 - Update: OMCE M/C Salary Restoration: We had a very frank and open discussion yesterday in our meeting with Executive Chamber and Budget staff. We presented a detailed and specific M/C pay restoration proposal (View Here) to be accomplished through the delay of general salary increases, staggering the payment of performance advances and the use of a deferred pay (lag) initiative. Our proposal will be reviewed in the larger context of negotiations on the workforce savings demanded by the Governor, although it is still very early in negotiations on the 2010-11 Executive Budget. Our engagement with the Legislature also continues in earnest. Next up, we will be meeting with the Senate Finance Committee, testifying in Joint Legislative Public Hearings concerning the Governor's 2010-11 Executive Budget proposals on the workforce, and focusing on M/C pay restoration on OMCE Legislative Day, March 9. Watch this page - we will be posting updates here regularly.

1/28/10 - Vision Care Insurance for OMCE Retiree Members: OMCE retiree members* can now obtain easy, affordable access to regular eye care by enrolling in the OMCE @Work Vision Care Insurance plan. This innovative, flexible vision care insurance plan offers a full range of eye care services through a nationwide network of qualified ophthalmologists, optometrists, opticians and vision care centers - quality coverage and greater choices at affordable rates. Enrolling couldn’t be easier. Go to www.cbpgroup.biz or, for additional information, contact Brian Rubin at Corporate Benefit Planning: 800.233.3394 or brubin@cbpgroup.biz.

*If you are a retired NYS or local governmental employee, whose last position was designated managerial or confidential, or a former regular member of OMCE, you are eligible to join OMCE. Retiree membership dues are $35 annually. Enroll in OMCE today (Click Here).

1/25/10 - A reminder that we will be meeting with Administration staff this Wednesday, January 27, to discuss OMCE proposals for restoring the 2009-10 M/C pay cuts, funding the 2010-11 M/C 4% general salary increase and retaining the funding the Governor included in his 2010-11 Executive Budget recommendations for M/C performance advances, longevities and merit pay. Also, we have revised and updated the online letters you can edit and email to the Governor and your legislators protesting the unfair treatment M/Cs are receiving. To participate in OMCE’s online advocacy, click here ►► ACTION LINE.

1/22/10 - We have received a number of inquiries in response to the news (below) that payment of M/C Performance Advances will resume beginning April 1, 2010, specifically concerning in what dollar amounts the advance payments will be made. As things stand at present, M/C salaries and Performance Advances, including the upcoming April 1, 2010 advances, will be paid according to the M/C pay schedule currently in effect; that is, the 2008-09 schedule.

1/21/10 - M/C Salary Update: Our discussions with the Administration and the Division of the Budget have borne some fruit so far - we have confirmed with Budget that the Governor’s intended withholding of the 2010-11 M/C pay raise is limited to the 4% general salary increase. Funding has been provided in the Executive Budget to enable resumption of the payment of M/C Performance Advances (steps), Longevities, and Merit Pay beginning April 1, 2010. Our discussions with the Administration on the M/C pay issue continue - as noted below, we have a meeting scheduled with Executive Chamber staff on January 27.

1/19/10 - Fiscal Year 2010-11 Executive Budget: In his budget recommendations made public today (view here), Governor Paterson announced he is “rescinding” for M/C employees and “delaying or reducing” for union represented employees the 4% general salary increase that is scheduled for payment on April 1, 2010. Unlike last year, when the Governor’s budget included funding for the 3% raise despite the withholding from M/C employees, this year’s budget does not include funding for any employee raises. In fact, the Governor projects a savings of $250 million (general fund) or $483 million (all funds) from what he refers to in his budget as “workforce actions that require negotiation,” which includes $28 million (all funds) from his planned withholding of the 4% raise from M/C employees. He has also placed the issue of pay deferral (lag payroll) on the table as a means of raising the required savings. This places both OMCE and the unions on similar footing this year. That is, the unions, like us, will be knocking on the doors of the Legislature to secure funding for pay raises in the 2010-11 budget appropriation bills that are passed. In that connection, we will be ramping up the contacts we have been making with key legislators as part of our M/C Salary Restoration Campaign. This is a timely (and necessary) opportunity for you, as an M/C employee, to get involved with our efforts - as, for example, over 200 of your colleagues did when they turned out for our December rally at the Legislative Office Building. Join us on March 9^th for OMCE Legislative Day – registration information here. Finally, we have already talked with Budget officials today and have a meeting scheduled with Executive Chamber staff on Wednesday, January 27^th.

1/11/10 - OMCE Legislative Day: Join us for our annual Legislative advocacy day in Albany on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 (Room 120, Legislative Office Building). Our major legislative priority this year will be to advocate for restoration of the withheld 2009-10 M/C pay raises and to ensure payment of the M/C increases scheduled for April 1, 2010, as provided for in the 2008 M/C pay bill. Register today - Click Here to view and print the registration form. Please respond no later than February 5, 2010. If you can’t come to Albany, contact your legislator directly and make an appointment to see him/her in the local district office during that week.

1/8/10 - State of the State: In his State of the State message on Wednesday, Governor Paterson touched on his ideas in two areas that have implications for the State workforce and, we believe, will require our vigilance in the coming months. In the area of government accountability, he talked of using a new program called EmpireStat to track, assess and hold State agencies accountable for their performance in areas that, in his words, “matter to New Yorkers.” He plans to consolidate and merge agencies and functions and, thereby, “realize substantial savings . . . through better integration of staff resources, increased efficiency, elimination of duplicative efforts and staff reductions.” Under the heading of Economic Development that Reaches all New Yorkers, the Governor said the State “can and will serve as a model for other employers, by creating a more diverse public workforce, recruiting in non-traditional venues and among populations previously left out, and expanding opportunities for training and promotion.” Highlights, fact sheets and a transcript of the Governor’s prepared remarks can be viewed on the Executive Chamber website (http://www.state.ny.us/governor/). In less than two weeks (Tuesday, January 19), the Governor will again appear before the Legislature, this time presenting the Executive Budget he proposes for adoption in Fiscal Year 2010-2011. As we have done in past years, we will analyze the Governor’s budget proposals in terms of their implications for M/C employees and post the results of our analysis here on our website.

1/05/10 - COBRA Subsidy Extended: The 2009 federal stimulus package provided COBRA premium assistance equal to 65% of the COBRA premium for employees whose loss of health coverage occurred as a result of involuntary termination of their employment during the nine month period ending December 31, 2009. The federal Fiscal Year 2010 Defense Appropriations Act, recently passed by Congress and signed by the President on December 18, has extended the eligibility period for the COBRA premium reduction an additional two months (through February 28, 2010) and the maximum period for receiving the subsidy an additional six months (from nine to 15 months). Unlike the 2009 stimulus legislation, the 2010 bill requires only that the termination from employment itself, not the loss of coverage, must occur on or before February 28. Thus, an individual involuntarily terminated on or before February 28, whose loss of coverage occurs on or after March 1, will still be eligible for the subsidy. The Defense Appropriations Act also provides for retroactive application of the six-month subsidy extension. Individuals who may be affected by these changes should contact their agency health benefits administrator for information, or call the Employee Benefits Division at 457-5754 (Albany area) or 1-800-833-4344.

12/14/09 - Scholarships: Applications are being accepted for the Howard Coughlin Memorial Scholarship Fund and John Kelly Labor Studies Scholarship until March 3, 2010. Instructions and application forms are available for viewing and printing from the Members Only page (Login Here) or by calling OMCE at 800-828-6623 (456-5241, if calling from within area code 518).

Coughlin Scholarship – Open to member, associate member in good standing and child of member in good standing for attendance at College, University or recognized Technical or Vocational post-secondary school, Full-time (FT) or Part-time (PT). Each FT scholarship is $3000 for the first year, and $3000 for the second year – total maximum value of $6000; each PT scholarship is $1,200 for the first year and $1,200 for the second year – total maximum value of $2,400. Official OPEIU application and High School transcript required to be submitted to OMCE for endorsement and processing – must be received by March 3, 2010.

Kelly Labor Scholarship – Open to member or associate member in good standing, and undergraduate or graduate in one of the following areas of study: Labor Studies, Industrial Relations, Union Leadership and Administration, non-degree programs sponsored by the National Labor College at the George Meany Center or a similar institution. Each scholarship has a total maximum value of $3000. Official OPEIU application and college transcript (if currently enrolled) are required, along with an essay on applicant’s union activism and occupational goals, to be submitted to OMCE for endorsement and processing - must be received by March 3, 2010.

12/04/09 - 2010 Earned Income Paycheck Credit: The Federal government provides either a paycheck credit or an income tax refund to employees who earn low or modest wages, provided eligibility requirements relating to annual income and family size are met. Eligible employees, including state employees, have the option of receiving advance payment of the Earned Income Tax Credit directly from their employer in the form of regular payments added to their paychecks. To claim advance payment of the Earned Income Tax Credit, employees must file a Form W-5 with their employer.

All Form W-5s that were filed for the 2009 calendar year will expire on December 31, 2009. Employees eligible for advance payment of their Earned Income Tax Credit in 2010 must file a new form with their employer. The 2010 Form W-5 and instructions can be obtained from the IRS website at www.irs.gov.

12/04/09 - 2010 Deferred Compensation Maximum Contributions: Pursuant to IRS Regulations, the regular annual contribution amount for Deferred Compensation will remain at $16,500 for calendar year 2010. The Deferred Compensation “Retirement Catch-Up” provision, available to employees in each of the last three years prior to normal retirement age, will also remain at $16,500 for a combined maximum total contribution of $33,000 for calendar year 2010. For employees age 50 and over, an additional deferment is available. These employees may defer up to $5,500 beyond the amount of their regular contribution, up to a combined total maximum contribution limit of $22,000 in 2010. However, employees cannot choose to have both the “Retirement Catch-Up” and the “50 and Over Catch-Up” additional amounts deferred in the same year.

Questions regarding Deferred Compensation deductions and catch-up plans may be directed to the NYS Deferred Compensation Helpline at 1-800-422-8463. The NYS Deferred Compensation website at www.nysdcp.com may provide additional information.

New OMCE Member Benefit: Sign up by December 3rd and get December FREE! Join Crunch - more than a gym, a fitness community for everyone - at huge savings! Several locations in New York City and Brooklyn. Choose from 400 classes per week - yoga, dance, boxing, pilates - expert trainers, indoor pool, rock wall and much more!

11/19/09 – Voluntary Severance Program Extended: The Division of the Budget has issued policy guidelines (November 18, 2009) for implementation of a second phase (Phase II) of the Voluntary Severance Program under which certain employees, including M/C employees, will again be offered a one-time $20,000 incentive payment to leave the payroll. Agencies are encouraged to offer severances to as many employees as feasible, including some of those who were denied severances in the first phase of the program.

To be eligible, an employee must have been in active, full-time annual-salaried service in a non-federally funded position, both on July 1, 2009 and at the time the employee elects to participate in the program. Hourly and non-annual salaried employees are not eligible to participate. Employees working under § 211 or § 212 of the Retirement and Social Security Law will not be eligible to participate in Phase II.

Employees selected for participation must officially resign and be off the State payroll no later than close-of-business January 20, 2010. If an employee is eligible for retirement, and chooses to retire, a retirement application must be filed with the retirement system at least 30 days prior to the date of retirement, but in no case later than December 22, 2009. Retiring employees should contact the retirement system for a projection of their retirement benefits. The severance payment will not be used in the calculation of the retirement benefit.

The time lines are tight. Agencies are instructed to re-survey their employees for interest in participating and submit their Phase II Severance Plan to the Division of the Budget no later than November 30. As before, all accompanying positions will be left vacant and earmarked. OMCE members with questions are invited to call us at 800-828-6623 (or 456-5241, if calling from within area code 518).

11/12/09 - Restore M/C Compensation Now! On November 10th, as part of our M/C Salary Restoration Campaign, we sent an email (View Here) to each member of the State Legislature during their special session here in Albany, reminding them of the need for action to ensure fair and equitable treatment for M/C employees: specifically, that their negotiations with the Governor on his proposed Deficit Reduction Plan include full restoration of the withheld M/C salary increases.

10/29/09 - Reminder: NYSHIP Dependent Eligibility Verification Project: Final disposition letters are now being mailed out to enrollees who, by October 20, either did not respond to requests to document the eligibility of their dependents or did not submit all of the required documentation. The project contractor, Budco Health Service Solutions, will continue to review documentation it receives through November 25, however. In early December, Budco will provide the Department of Civil Service (DCS) with a final file of all dependents deemed ineligible for NYSHIP coverage and, on December 24, these dependents will be removed from coverage retroactive to February 1, 2009. Enrollees are strongly encouraged to submit the required documents to Budco no later than November 25, in order to avoid any interruption in their dependents’ healthcare benefits.* Additional information is available at www.cs.state.ny.us/nyshipeligibilityproject/ or by calling the NYSHIP Dependent Eligibility Project Service Center at 1-888-358-2198, Monday through Friday between the new extended hours -9:30 AM to 7:30 PM.

* Beginning November 30, enrollees who wish to appeal the ineligible status determination of their dependent(s) will have to contact DCS directly. A special toll free number and Post Office Box have been established for this purpose. On or after November 30, call 800-409-9059 or write: NYSHIP Dependent Eligibility Project, NYS Dept of Civil Service, P.O. Box 13193, 12212-3193.

10/27/09 - OMCE Salary Increase Restoration Campaign: We have two new initiatives to note for you in our continuing campaign to win restoration of the salary increases that Governor Paterson unfairly withheld from M/C employees in April. Recently, we submitted a statement to the Albany and New York City legislative hearings held by the Assembly Ways and Means and the Senate Finance committees to examine the Governor’s proposed deficit reduction plans for the remainder of 2009-2010. (A copy of the OMCE statement is available here.) And on Friday, October 23rd, we began a three-week campaign of radio spots on an Albany talk radio station. Click Here to Listen / Read Text (The Albany area has the largest concentration of M/C employees – over half live and work in the Capital District). The station features a 10:00 AM political talk show from the State Capitol that is listened to daily by top State officials.

10/20/09 - Update: We met today with Executive Chamber and Budget staff for a wide-ranging, frank and productive discussion about restoring the April 2009 salary increases to M/C employees. They said a number of our proposals will be discussed further and studied. We reviewed previously discussed savings proposals, including continuation of the Voluntary Severance Initiative and several variations of lag payroll, and the ongoing impact on M/C employees of this adverse payroll action. Two new savings proposals we suggested, using part of the NYSHIP reserve funds excess (over an actuarially reasonable amount) to be returned to state and local participating employers and consolidating the purchase of prescription drugs for various programs, evinced particular interest. No final decision on restoration has been made, but there is a commitment to keep talking.

10/16/09 - College Savings Grant: $500 grant to OMCE members who open a 529 college savings or pre-paid tuition account - must be a new account and opened after January 1, 2009. To apply for this year's grant, deposit $1,000 into your account by November 30, 2009 and submit your application. (You can combine the totals from multiple 529 plan accounts, as long as each plan meets the grant requirements.) Login here for information and instructions on how to apply.

10/15/09 - New OMCE Member Benefit: Join Crunch - more than a gym, a fitness community for everyone - at huge savings! Several locations in New York City and Brooklyn. Choose from 400 classes per week - yoga, dance, boxing, pilates - expert trainers, indoor pool, rock wall and much more!

Eligible full and part-time employees may exchange previously accrued vacation credits and/or personal leave in return for a credit to be applied toward the employee share of the NYSHIP (NYS Health Insurance Program) premium. Up to three days may be forfeited in exchange for a premium credit of up to $500. If you are currently enrolled, you must re-enroll to continue your benefit in 2010. Ask your agency/facility personnel office for details and an application.

Your share of the health insurance premium may be deducted from your wages before taxes are withheld, which may lower your taxes. You were automatically enrolled in PTCP when you became eligible for health insurance, unless you declined. (Your paycheck shows whether you are enrolled in PTCP.) No action is required to keep your current pre-tax status. If you wish to change your pre-tax selection for 2010, see your agency/facility Health Benefits Administrator for assistance in determining if you have had a qualifying event, as defined by the IRS, and to complete a health insurance transaction form by the November 30 deadline

10/9/09 - Our Salary Restoration Campaign continues: During the past two weeks, we’ve talked to the Division of the Budget, select State Senators and the Assembly Majority Leader. Legislators we have met with so far are supportive and committed to working with us to resolve this issue. Following our recent letters to all legislators, we are focusing our initial discussions with Capital District legislators, since one-half of State M/C employees reside in the greater Capital District. Our next step is to meet with Capital District Assembly members.

It is very important that you contact your legislators, as well as the leaders and committee chairs, so that they understand the urgency to you of fixing the problem, even despite the worsening fiscal picture and the Governor’s additional agency budget reductions. We have scheduled another meeting with the Governor’s Executive Chamber staff for later this month.

We are also rolling out our public awareness campaign - articles have already appeared in The Chief and The Capitol newspapers. Banner ads will be placed on the NY Daily News “Daily Politic” and Albany Times Union “Capital Confidential” blogs, an ad will appear in The Chief, and radio spots are now in production for airing on Capital District stations.

You can help in another way, too, if you are willing to send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper or participate in an interview with an interested reporter. Call us to let us know of your interest.

10/9/09 - NYSHIP Dependent Eligibility Verification Project Filing Extension: For New York State (NYS) and Participating Employer (PE) enrollees (that is, enrollees whose verification period ended October 5, 2009), Budco Health Service Solutions will continue to review documentation it receives after that date, through November 25, 2009, the last day of the appeals period. If Budco does not receive all of the documents necessary to verify the eligibility of your dependent(s) by the November 25 deadline, the Department of Civil Service will notify you on December 24 that it will cancel the coverage for your dependent(s), effective retroactive to February 1, 2009. If you submitted the required documentation to Budco by October 5, but have not yet received a letter from Budco confirming the eligibility of your dependent(s), you can expect to receive a confirmation letter between October 23 and October 29. If the eligibility of your dependent(s) is not confirmed, follow the instructions for submitting additional documentation during the appeals period, which will run from October 27 through November 25, 2009. Additional information is available at www.cs.state.ny.us/nyshipeligibilityproject/index.cfm or by calling the NYSHIP Dependent Eligibility Project Service Center at 1-888-358-2198, Monday through Friday between 12:00 Noon and 8:00 PM.

10/01/09 - Keep Those Letters Going to the Legislature: In addition to your own legislators, we are providing a list of the pertinent committee chairs and legislative leaders you may want to write to about persuading the Governor to restore the 3% increase. Legislative Leaders and Committee Chairs Contact Information.

9/25/09 - NYSHIP Announces Compliance with Age 29 Dependent Coverage Status: NYSHIP has announced that effective January 1, 2010 health insurance coverage for the unmarried child of an insured through the age of (29) twenty-nine years will be available. The law now mandates expanded access to health insurance by allowing unmarried children through age 29, regardless of financial dependence, to be covered under a parent's group health insurance policy. The young adults must not be eligible for coverage under any other employer sponsored insurance, not covered by Medicare and they must live, work or reside in New York State or in the service area of the insurer.

9/25/09 - Security Breach at Express Scripts Pharmacy Benefit Manager: Express Scripts, the pharmacy benefit manager for the Empire Plan (1999-2005) and some HMO's, recently announced that certain customer's personal data may have been stolen by individuals seeking to extort funds over this breach. Approximately 300,000 subscribers have been notified by Express Scripts of this breach and have been advised about the steps they can take to check their credit status and identity safety. Express Scripts launched a website, www.esisupports.com, for members to obtain information about this incident and to access resources and information to help them protect themselves against the possibility of identity theft.

9/21/09 - 2010 OPEIU/Union Plus® Scholarships: Eligible members, their spouses and dependent children are eligible for these scholarships. Numerous awards are given for under-graduate, post-high school study and vary from $500 to $4,000. Call OMCE now for an application (1-800-828-6623). Applications must be completed and returned to OMCE no later than December 31, 2009.

9/15/09 - Voluntary Severance Program: In announcing completion of the Division of the Budget’s preliminary review of the State’s workforce reduction plans, Budget Director Robert L. Megna said that 1,089 individuals have been authorized thus far to receive the one-time $20,000 severance payments provided for under the Voluntary Severance Program. He said additional such $20,000 payments in excess of the 1,089 he announced today may be authorized to produce further savings and agencies are encouraged to continue to seek cost-reductions through this program. OMCE members interested in participating in any continuation of the Voluntary Severance Program, including those who have expressed interest but thus far have been denied opportunity to participate, are encouraged to reiterate to their agencies or facilities their interest in participating. Additionally, if you would like us to include you on a list we are assembling of OMCE members who remain interested in participating in the Voluntary Severance Program, please telephone us as soon as possible to let us know of your interest. We plan to share the list with the Administration.

9/4/09 - Update: Our contacts with the administration continue on resolution of the M/C salary withholding issue. And this week we began our advocacy campaign, with an ad appearing in the Labor Day issue of the Legislative Gazette and an interview given to The Capitol. We will provide copies (or links) here on our website to these and other publicity initiatives as soon as they are published. Next week, when the Senate returns, we will be continuing pursuit of our legislative strategy, meeting with the Senate leaders to discuss specific strategies, e.g. possible legislation, direct contacts with the Governor, etc. These meetings are a follow-up to our earlier discussions with the legislative leadership on the M/C salary withholding issue.

9/3/09 - SEFA: Our members have a proud tradition of supporting the State Employees Federated Appeal (SEFA), in good times and bad. This year, with the economy in crisis and jobs being lost at an alarming rate, the importance of helping those in need is greater than ever. OMCE joins with other State public employee labor organizations in urging its members to support the 2010 SEFA campaign. Read more . . .

8/18/09 - NYSHIP and Health Coverage Changes: Governor Paterson recently signed bills (S.5471 and S.6030) extending COBRA continuation coverage to 36 months and requiring insurers of group health insurance plans to extend eligibility for dependent coverage to age 29. The Civil Service Department has taken steps to implement the COBRA changes, which became effective July 1, 2009. For individuals whose COBRA coverage (formerly 18 months) expired on or after July 1, coverage has been reactivated with a new adjusted ending date; for individuals currently enrolled in COBRA, a new end date will be calculated extending the expiration date to the new 36 month maximum. The age 29 dependent coverage bill becomes effective September 1, 2009, but the changes take effect only as contracts are issued, renewed or modified after that date. It is the Civil Service Department’s understanding that NYSHIP is not required to make any changes until January 1, 2010, the beginning of the next plan year. Meanwhile, they are reviewing the legislation and seeking clarification from the Insurance Department, with a view toward having an implementation plan in place as soon as feasible. When more information is available, we will post it here.

8/14/09 – Salary Withholding Update: In our continuing efforts during the past week to satisfactorily resolve this issue, we had preliminary, critical discussions with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari, Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos and State AFL-CIO President Denis Hughes. We are scheduling follow-up meetings with them to discuss specific strategies, e.g. possible legislation, direct contacts with the Governor, etc. We also met yesterday with the new Director of State Operations, Val Grey, and staff from the Executive Chamber. Both parties agreed this was a productive introductory meeting, with full discussion of our position that the 2009-10 withheld salary increases must be restored. We will continue talking, as discussions are also taking place now about how to address the $2.1 billion gap projected for this year and the $4.6 billion gap projected for next year.

8/7/09 - Update: Empire Plan Hospital Negotiations: Empire BlueCross-Blue Shield and East End Health Alliance (EEHA) have not yet reached agreement on a new contract to replace the one which expired on August 1. Consequently, EEHA, which comprises Eastern Long Island Hospital, Peconic Bay Medical Center and Southampton Hospital, is no longer an Empire Plan participating provider. The Civil Service Department's Employee Benefits Division has posted an FAQ on its website, which we have reproduced here (Click Here) for the convenience of OMCE members and dependents who may be affected by the failure of the parties to reach agreement. Negotiations continue and we will provide further updates as soon as information becomes available.

7/28/09 - Update: After considerable deliberation and in consultation with our attorneys at Hinman Straub, P.C., the OMCE Board of Directors has determined not to pursue at this time an uncertain outcome in litigation regarding the State’s withholding of the three percent pay raise and other increases from M/C employees in 2009-10. Instead, OMCE will concentrate its efforts and resources at advancing other types of advocacy to obtain the equitable salary increases that our members were promised and deserve. These advocacy activities will include continuing and ramping up our contacts and meetings with administration and budget officials to secure restoration of the withheld M/C salary increases and performance steps, etc. (In this regard, we have already requested a meeting with the Governor’s newly appointed Director of State Operations, Valerie Grey, who replaces Dennis Whalen with whom we had been dealing.) We also will continue to pursue our legislative strategy, which includes meetings with legislative leaders, and increase our public relations activities, to garner support for our efforts to fend off discriminatory and arbitrary treatment of M/C employees by the State and ensure that M/C employees are equally treated in any future administration initiatives that concern the State workforce. Finally, we are developing ways for our members to fully participate in these increased efforts to persuade the administration to restore the M/C pay cuts. Meanwhile, we are continuing our Vacation Buyback lawsuit – oral argument is scheduled for August 5.

7/28/09 - Update: Empire Plan Hospital Negotiations: We posted a notice here on July 7 that Empire BlueCross-BlueShield contracts with certain hospitals in Suffolk County are due to expire August 1 and that negotiations on new agreements were continuing. The Civil Service Department’s Employee Benefits Division advises that agreement has been reached with Stony Brook University Medical Center on a new contract, to be effective August 1, and that negotiations are continuing with East End Health Alliance (EEHA), which affects Eastern Long Island Hospital, Peconic Bay Medical Center and Southampton Hospital. We will provide an update on the status of these negotiations as soon as the information is available.

7/23/09 - Voluntary Severance Program: The Division of the Budget has issued guidelines (Budget Bulletin D-1125, dated July 23, 2009) for implementation of the Voluntary Severance Program under which certain employees, including M/C employees, will be offered a one-time $20,000 incentive (severance), payable in one or two installments, to leave the payroll. Severance payments will be made available only to CSEA and PEF-represented employees and M/C employees, and participation will be limited to Executive Branch agencies. Also, payments will be offered only to employees in a non-federally funded position with a minimum of ten years of full-time annual-salaried State service or who are otherwise retirement eligible. All accompanying positions will be left vacant and earmarked. To view or download the bulletin, click here >> Budget Bulletin D-1125. OMCE members with questions are invited to call us at 800-828-6623 (or 456-5241, if calling from within area code 518).

Thank You M/Cs! We want to thank you, M/C employees, for keeping State government running during the 31-day State Senate debacle. We are proud to represent you, as you have once again shown both your dedication and commitment to serving all New Yorkers and your professionalism in doing the people's business. Rest assured, we are continuing to try to resolve the salary withholding issues. There is no question that you deserve the salary increases that were withheld earlier this year. (Posted 7/10/09)

7/7/09 - Empire Plan Hospital Negotiations: The Civil Service Department’s Employee Benefits Division advises that Empire BlueCross-BlueShield contracts with certain hospitals located in Suffolk County are due to expire, effective August 1st. In accordance with the State Insurance Law, which requires insurers to send letters of notification to affected enrollees at least 30 days prior to the expiration of such contracts, Empire BlueCross-BlueShield has mailed notices to enrollees and dependents who have recently used services or live in the vicinity of these hospitals. The Employee Benefits Division has also notified agency Health Benefits Administrators. Negotiations with the hospitals are ongoing and, based on past experience, it is expected that Empire and the hospitals will reach a satisfactory agreement before their contracts expire. Affected hospitals are: Stony Brook University Medical Center; East End Health Alliance (EEHA), which includes Eastern Long Island Hospital; Peconic Bay Medical Center; and Southampton Hospital. We will keep you posted on the status of the participation of these hospitals in the Empire BlueCross-BlueShield network.

Tier V: The Tier V bill the Governor has talked about - and is supposed to be one of the elements of the “handshake deal” with PEF and CSEA - has not been introduced in the Assembly or Senate. The Assembly adjourned on June 22, before the Governor had the bill ready to send. And the Governor has not sent the bill to the Senate, given the leadership vacuum there. Although the State AFL-CIO had taken a position opposing Tier V (PEF, CSEA and OMCE had all signed on to this position), the AFL-CIO also said its affiliates retain their autonomy and each is free to do what is in the interest of its members. PEF and CSEA expressed support for the modified Tier V bill as part of their “handshake deal” with the Governor; so did NYSCOPBA, the State Corrections Officers union. Council 82 and the Executive Chamber disagree on whether they have an agreement. In New York City, the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) has made a deal with Mayor Bloomberg on Tier V. The message has been that, if you have a special retirement plan, go ahead and cut your own deal. There are 85 different retirement plans within the public pension systems.

Pension Extender Legislation: The Governor has signed legislation extending Tiers 3 and 4, so there are no longer any issues outstanding relative to these pension tiers sunsetting.

PEF/CSEA Deal: There is still no firm, definitive information on how the PEF/CSEA deal with the Governor is to be implemented. We understand that discussions are still taking place between the unions and the Executive Chamber.

M/C Pay Withholdings: No decision has been made either way about M/C exclusion or participation in the VRWS or Separation Incentive, nor can we get a firm answer as to whether or not there is even a deal, since there is no Tier V. The Thruway Authority has now also withheld raises and steps from its M/C employees. We have sent the Governor a letter urging restoration of the M/C’s pay cuts. And we continue to talk to Budget Division and Administration officials. Meanwhile, our attorneys are preparing a response, due for court submission by July 8, on our Vacation Buyback lawsuit, and are researching the legal options for salary withholding litigation.

6/23/09 - Update: Tier V Stalls – The Assembly adjourned shortly before 2:00 AM this morning without taking any action on Tier V. And the Senate (?) does not even have a Tier V proposal to act upon, nor do they yet have any agreement on leadership. With the Tier V pension changes not having been addressed by the now-adjourned Assembly and its status amid the chaos in the Senate as yet unknown, the savings estimates from the CSEA/PEF “handshake deal” will again need to be revisited. Meanwhile, no decision has been reached by the Paterson administration on whether or not MCs will be included or excluded from participating in the $20,000 severance incentive buyout or the expanded VRWS program. Send latest email ACTION LINE to Governor objecting to his treatment of M/Cs.

6/16/09 - Update: Specific details on the “handshake deal" between the State and CSEA/PEF (implementation dates, eligibility criteria for the $20,000 severance incentive, VRWS protocols, etc) have still not been worked out. And adding to the confusion, the Paterson administration has not yet been able to come up with a clear financial estimate of the net savings they expect to realize from the severance incentive and abolition of 3,700 funded positions.

Meanwhile, the administration continues to defer on reconsideration of the Governor’s withholding of the M/C raises, performance advances, etc. The Budget Division estimates the annualized cost of restoration of the monies owed to the M/Cs at $16 Million. OMCE continues to maintain that, in a $132 Billion budget, it is quite clear that the M/C pay cuts were not done out of any fiscal necessity.

The Senate is still in chaos and, as of today, there is yet no amended or revised TIER V bill from the Governor, and there probably won't be! The question now is: Will the State/CSEA/PEF deal stay together, if TIER V does not happen? Meanwhile, while top administration staff continues its exodus (the latest, Budget Director Laura Anglin), the resolution of our issues will only get further delayed, as newcomers will necessarily require time to become familiar with the issues. We will continue our efforts to win resolution of these issues, but in the meantime, we have instructed our lawyers to examine our legal options.

6/8/09 - Update: OMCE is committed to continuing our discussions with the Paterson Administration. Our principal focus remains on the restoration of the monies taken from the M/Cs. The “handshake deal” agreed to by PEF and CSEA has raised more questions than it has answered. It bears repeating that no labor organization or public employer can negotiate pension benefits. Such proposals are statutorily prohibited from bargaining. Yet conversations on the Tier V issue (as the “glue” to hold a “deal” together) have led to an endorsement of Tier V by both CSEA and PEF.

That endorsement of Tier V has been met with almost unanimous disagreement amongst the other public sector labor organizations. Police and Fire Unions are outraged by the Governor's veto of their 20-year plan extender (done each year since 1981). Now, we are being told that there is a high probability the Governor will veto other temporary retirement benefits.

There is no final resolution to the M/C pay increase and steps/performance advances withholding issues. Nor is there any final resolution concerning the “$20,000 Separation Incentive” and the eligibility of M/C employees to participate.

Regardless, this “separation incentive” is statutorily barred from being used for retirement calculations. It’s just wrong to sell it as a retirement incentive. There are no details as to who is eligible, what will be saved, when these events will unfold, etc, or how this “deal” will be implemented in a fair and equitable manner. Truly, the “devil is in the details” and at this time details are in short supply. And even when published, they are often in conflict.

Couple these events with the June 8, 2009 coup that has changed the NYS Senate from a Democratic to a Republican majority and you begin to see that the only thing constant in Albany these days is change.

We will continue to seek a settlement of our pay issues with this administration.

6/5/09 - Update: The Governor has reached agreement with PEF and CSEA on resolution of the layoffs issue and union support for his Tier V retirement proposal. The agreement is expected to result in reduction of approximately 7,000 positions through the combination of a separation incentive for employees in targeted positions, normal attrition and the elimination of funded positions that are currently vacant. We will provide the specific details of the agreement and how M/C employees will be affected, as soon as additional information is available.

6/4/09 - Update: Discussions continue with the administration on a plan to avoid the governor's proposed 8,700 layoffs and restore the M/C 3% raises and performance advances (steps). The preliminary plan would provide "buyouts" to workers who voluntarily leave the payroll. Current retirement law prohibits such severance payments to be used in Final Average Salary computations. We estimate 7000 departures would NET the state about $600 Million savings in this fiscal year once the restoration of our monies and the costs of this ”buy out” are counted. These departures would have to take place this fiscal year.

Current discussions call for the governor to drop his layoff plan and for all to endorse a new pension package – a version of the governor's proposed Tier V – with more modest benefits terms than those available to current public employees. However, the newest complication is the Governor’s veto yesterday of the ongoing/temporary legislation police and fire pension bill. This “renewal legislation” – identical to one approved by lawmakers and signed by the governor every year since 1981 – allows police and firefighters to retire at half pay after 20 years of service. If this veto stands it will apply to new hires and not those currently employed in that capacity.

No labor organization or public employer can negotiate pension benefits. Such proposals are statutorily prohibited from bargaining. Yet conversations on the Tier V issue (as the “glue” to hold a “deal” together) that lead to some form of endorsed enabling legislation, can be discussed by all.

OMCE is dedicated to participating in and resolving these issues with our principal focus remaining on the restoration of the monies taken from the M/Cs. We will make every attempt to keep this site updated as to the progress of these issues.

6/1/09 - Nominations: Last Call: A reminder that nominations for the OMCE Board of Directors, via email or regular mail, are due to be received in the OMCE office by June 12, 2009. There are six seats to be filled this year, five for 3- year terms and one for a 1-year term. The nominations process is simple, since a member can nominate him/herself. Just submit your resume, a letter stating your interest to run for a Board seat and a statement that can be used on the ballot, describing your background and the issues and priorities you would want to focus on as a Board member.

5/29/09 - Update: Our talks with the Administration continue and we remain optimistic about resolving the M/C pay withholding issue. The pay cuts, though real, are nevertheless reversible. Our sense still is that we have a shot at fixing this, and that is why our talks are continuing. On a related note, the State has responded in our Vacation Exchange Program lawsuit, denying that its suspension of the program was arbitrary and capricious, as we had charged, and urging dismissal of the lawsuit. We have until on or about June 8 to respond, which we will do upon completion of our review of the State’s response.

5/15/09 - Civil Service Lists Online: The Civil Service Department has announced a new website that offers job candidates and human resource personnel instant, online access to civil service eligible lists. The Eligible List Management System (ELMS) provides agencies and individuals who pass civil service examinations an easy-to-use online system for checking rankings and scores on eligible lists. Currently, over 2,000 civil service lists may be accessed. Users can search for information by list number, list name, or job title. Individuals whose names appear on eligible lists can also access additional information specific to their list status by creating a civil service ID and password. ELMS Online can be found by clicking here: http://www.cs.state.ny.us/elmspublic/

5/11/09 – Update: Governor Paterson’s Executive Order No. 6, issued on June 4, 2008, created the Governor’s Task Force on Personal Services Contracting and established procedural and reporting requirements regarding certain State agency contracts for personal services. On Friday, the Division of the Budget issued a bulletin (Budget Bulletin B-1187, dated May 8, 2009) summarizing and clarifying the requirements of the order and detailing agencies’ compliance obligations and reporting responsibilities. The Executive Order aims to ensure that agencies enter into such contracts only after considering whether State employees can practicably meet the same needs by providing services of the same or better quality at an equivalent or lower cost. Beginning October 1, 2009 and annually thereafter, the Task Force will be responsible for issuing a public report to the Governor on the progress the State is making toward the goal of limiting the number of contracts for personal service to those that comply with the criteria set forth in the Bulletin. In its initial report, the Task Force will specifically examine contracting out in two areas: transportation engineering and information technology. The report will include recommendations as to whether and how such contracting may be limited, including regulatory, legislative and/or budgetary proposals. We welcome this as a positive and important step by the State to address one of the key areas for savings that we, PEF and CSEA have repeatedly raised in our talks with the Administration on ways to resolve the M/C pay withholding and impending layoffs issues.

5/5/09 – Update: We met with the Governor’s Office and Division of the Budget yesterday and had some very positive discussions toward possible restoration of the M/C pay withholdings. Even some of the suggestions our members submitted to us via savings4NY@gmail.com caught the administration’s attention. The administration has projected savings figures for various payroll schemes that agree with ours and the Comptroller’s Office is currently costing out the administrative costs of managing the various schemes under discussion, which include provision for retroactive payment of the M/C pay withholdings (3% general salary increase, performance advances (steps) and longevity payments). At this juncture, we remain optimistic of an agreement that restores the M/C pay withholdings and guarantees a “no layoffs” pledge for everyone, including the unions (e.g. the 8,700 job cuts).

4/30/09 - Update: Our lawyers are still reviewing all of our legal options, as our talks with the administration continue over restoration of the withheld 2009-2010 M/C compensation. An interesting statistic is that greater than 73% of M/Cs are age 40 and over!

California has settled with most of its unions on furlough days (one day per month, instead of two; two additional paid personal leave days to replace loss of two holidays). New Jersey is ramming furloughs and staggered temporary layoffs down the throats of its public employees (lawsuits to follow) and Suffolk County cut a deal with its largest employee organization on a one year, no layoff pledge with a lagged payroll. Reasoned settlements and force are being used equally across the nation at both state and local levels.

Despite the rhetoric and chest pounding, ALL employee organizations are still talking to resolve this mess. We've agreed that a one-week "rolling pay date lag" payroll for all current Executive branch employees will save approximately $692 million (salary and fringes). This one-week lag pushes both an administrative and institutional pay date into the next fiscal year. Yes, it is a "gimmick," but one of the least painful. A full pay period "rolling lag" would save the same amount, but without any debt being pushed into the next fiscal year. In either case, the State’s obligation to pay employees upon separation still remains. The unions will require some form of assurance and time-defined guarantee of “no layoffs” before any possible concessions can be made and finalized. We remain optimistic that a reasoned resolution can be achieved that restores the lost M/C compensation and halts the massive 8,700 - 8,900 layoffs.

4/27/09 – Nominations for OMCE Board: Each year at this time, we begin looking for members interested in serving on the OMCE Board of Directors. There are six seats to be filled, five for 3- year terms and one for a 1-year term. The nominations process is simple, since a member can nominate him/herself. Just submit your resume, a letter stating your interest to run for a Board seat and a statement that can be used on the ballot, describing your background, the issues and priorities you would want to focus on as a Board Member and why you would be a good Board Member. Nominations, via email or regular mail, are due to be received in the OMCE office by June 12, 2009.

Board Members are expected to attend four Board Meetings per year (March, June, September/October and December) and to serve on at least one committee. Board Members are not paid to serve on the Board, but travel expenses are reimbursed at State rates. We need active working M/C employees who are interested in being leaders in our ongoing efforts to improve the working lives and working conditions of M/C employees, to help develop policies and programs to better serve M/C employees and to ensure that their rights and benefits are protected. For additional information, contact OMCE at nysomce@gmail.com, 518-456-5241 or, from outside area code 518, at 1-800-828-6623.

4/23/09 – Health Insurance Premium Assistance/Current and Former Vestees: The federal stimulus package provides COBRA premium assistance for certain employees whose loss of health coverage occurred as a result of involuntary termination of employment during the period September 1, 2008 through December 31, 2009. Premium assistance equal to 65% pf the COBRA premium is available for up to nine months for qualified beneficiaries. The Department of Civil Service’s Employee Benefits Divison advises that individuals covered under the New York State Health Insurance Plan (NYSHIP), whose employment was terminated during this period and who are eligible to continue coverage under NYSHIP as a vestee (because they meet the requirements for retiree coverage, except for age) have experienced a COBRA qualifying event. Therefore, vestees are entitled to COBRA coverage and the federal premium reduction that is now available, if the criteria for the premium reduction are met. Once you no longer qualify for the premium reduction, you will be able to request a return to vestee status. By maintaining continuous coverage under NYSHIP until you reach retirement age, you will retain your right to NYSHIP coverage as a retiree. For information about these additional vestee rights to continue your health insurance coverage under NYSHIP, or if you have questions, call the Employee Benefits Division at 457-5754 (Albany area) or 1-800-833-4344.

4/17/09 - Update: Our discussions are continuing with the Division of the Budget on alternatives to the withholding of the M/C pay increases and layoffs. Although we have received no commitments as of today, nevertheless, we are encouraged that the discussions and exchanges of ideas continue and the contacts have been frequent.

4/6/09 - OMCE Meeting with Budget: We met with the Division of the Budget today to discuss our suggestions on ways to achieve the savings the Governor seeks without either pay cuts or layoffs of M/C employees. The Budget staff were very receptive to the proposals we put forth and will be looking at the numbers preparatory to giving us a response. Our discussions are continuing and as soon as we have further information to report, we will post it here.

4/2/09 - Governor Announces Withholding of M/C Pay Increases along with No-Layoff pledge for M/Cs: Governor Paterson has ordered* the withholding from M/C employees of the April 1, 2009 3% general salary increase, the 2009-10 performance advances, merit awards and longevity payments. Additionally, he has stated that M/Cs, wherever possible under the law, will not be targeted for layoffs and that agencies will be so instructed. He is asking the State Comptroller, Attorney General, SUNY system and Office of Court Administration to join him in taking similar actions. In a press release issued today, OMCE President Barbara Zaron said: “While dismayed at the Governor’s announcement, we are not surprised. This is not the first time an administration has targeted M/C employees for such actions. It is, however, the first time that an administration has been open to substantive and continuing discussions with OMCE about alternate plans that meet our mutual needs." In that connection, OMCE President Zaron and OMCE Executive Director Joseph Sano will be meeting with the Division of the Budget on Monday, April 6, to discuss alternatives to the announced actions in an effort to reverse the withholdings.

3/30/09 – State Budget News: The agreed upon budget does not include: Tier V, increased health or Medicare Part B insurance payments by employees and retirees, elimination of the April 2009 3% salary increase or implementation of a lag payroll. However, discussions continue on implementing a new lag payroll. The proposed July 1st layoffs would produce savings similar to a two-week lag - $580 million (personal service and fringe benefits savings), $480 million (personal service savings only).

3/30/09 – New Healthcare Products Benefit: We are pleased to introduce our latest member benefit, the OMCE Home Healthcare Product Program provided by EveryDayMedical. This valuable member benefit can help you deal with rising healthcare costs by providing you and your family a 10% discount off already low prices on more than 180,000 health products shipped directly to your home. The OMCE Home Healthcare Product Program coordinates with your health insurance and Medicare for covered products and offers significant savings on covered items. There is no membership fee. For more information and how to order, login to our Members Only page or call 800-828-OMCE.

3/25/09 - Stop Tier V: Join your fellow members of the 2 1/2 million strong New York State AFL-CIO in opposing the proposal to create a new Tier V retirement tier! Click here or select STOP TIER V from the menu in the left-hand column for information on why this proposal is unacceptable and to learn what you can do to urge the Legislature to remove Tier V from budget consideration at this time.

3/24/09 - April 1, 2009 Salary and Other Increases for M/C Employees: The Office of the State Comptroller has issued guidelines and instructions for payment of the April 1, 2009 general salary increase (across-the-board increase in base salary of 3%) and the 2009-10 performance advances and longevity payment increases authorized for Managerial and Confidential (M/C) employees by Chapter 10 of the Laws of 2008 (M/C Paybill). (Exception: April 1, 2009 salary and longevity increases for M/C employees in the Executive Chamber are being withheld.) The general salary increase, performance advances and longevity increases will be effective 3/26/09 (Institution payroll) and 4/2/09 (Administration payroll), beginning with the paychecks dated 4/23/09 (Institution) and 4/29/09 (Administration). Longevity pay (increasing to $1,125 in 2009-10 for 5 or more years of service; $2,250 for 10 or more years) is available to employees in grades M/C-17 and below and is payable effective from the first day of the payroll period following completion of five or ten years of continuous service at or above the job rate. (Click Here to view the 2009-10 and future years M/C Salary Schedules.)

3/17/09 - NYS-Ride Monthly Transit Limit Increased to $230: The stimulus plan bill signed by the President on February 17, 2009 brought some good news for State employees participating in NYS-Ride. In the bill is a provision that nearly doubles the transit limit for commuter benefits. Now commuter participants in NYS-Ride will be able to elect up to $230 tax-free dollars a month to pay for their transit passes and tickets. The new limit is effective immediately. WageWorks, which administers NYS-Ride, has updated its systems so participants can take advantage of the additional savings. For information about NYS-Ride or to enroll, go to: www.nysride.com.

3/9/09 - Vacation Exchange Payments for M/C employees who separated from service: The Office of the State Comptroller has issued the long-awaited payroll instructions to agencies on the processing of vacation exchange payments for employees who participated in the M/C 2008 Vacation Exchange Program and separated from State service from an M/C position prior to January 2, 2009 or from a bargaining unit position prior to April 1, 2009. Payroll transactions may be submitted for payment beginning with the checks dated March 26, 2009 (Institution Payroll) and April 1, 2009 (Administration). Generally, the agency responsible for initiating the payment is either the agency in which the employee was still active in an M/C position on 10/1/08 or, if the employee was no longer in an M/C position on 10/1/08, the agency in which the employee earned eligibility.

3/5/09 - Update: $350 Million United Healthcare Settlement: In January, settlement was announced of the class action lawsuit against United Healthcare (UHC) in which OMCE and three other public employee organizations participated. We intervened in the lawsuit in 2003, after our investigation of OMCE members’ complaints that the reimbursements they were receiving from UHC for out-of-network services were inappropriately lower than they should be convinced us that our members were being harmed by UHC’s use of a database maintained by Ingenix, a wholly-owned subsidiary of UHC. In a separate settlement announced in January by the Attorney General’s Office, UHC has agreed to close the Ingenix database and contribute $50 million to a qualified non-profit organization that will establish a new, independent database to help determine fair out-of-network reimbursement rates. The $350 million settlement in which OMCE participated goes further than that, of course, in that it provides for reimbursement to those who were harmed. That settlement has to be approved by the court, however. A hearing on the proposed settlement will be conducted on March 30 and 31, following which the court will be expected to rule on the final settlement. As soon as possible following approval, we will be communicating with our members on implementation of a claims process they can use against the settlement fund.

2/5/09 – OMCE Testifies at Legislative Budget Hearing: OMCE President Barbara Zaron joined leaders of the state’s major public employee labor organizations yesterday in testifying at a Legislative Joint Budget Hearing on the Governor’s 2009 Executive Budget recommendations affecting the state workforce. Acknowledging the state faces a serious financial situation, Ms. Zaron said the Governor’s proposals to deny state employees their contractual and statutorily provided salary increase, to impose another salary deferral and to increase the amount employees and retirees pay for health insurance are not the right way to approach the problem. “OMCE is fully prepared to work with the Governor and Legislature to identify and implement alternate proposals,” she said. “At this time of severe economic strain, with increased demands on government programs and services, we should be doing everything possible to most effectively use our workforce to serve all New Yorkers who need help, not reduce the workforce and, thereby, the help we can provide.”

1/30/09 – OMCE Legislative Day (Tuesday, March 10, 2009, Room 120, Legislative Office Building): Join us for our annual Legislative advocacy day in Albany.* Although the Governor wants the budget to be passed by March 1, we think we might still be discussing budget issues on March 10, as well as our legislative proposals (Click Here to view our 2009-2010 Legislative Program). Those proposals will include Tier Equity (Remember, the Governor is proposing Tier V without addressing a variety of tier equity issues.), Vacation Exchange Program applicable to all state employees, support for enhanced Whistleblower Protection. Click Here to view and print registration form – Please respond no later than February 9, 2009.

*If you can’t come to Albany – contact your legislator and make an appointment to see him/her in the local district office during that week.

1/29/09 – M/C Online Courses: The Governor’s Office of Employee Relations has announced that the State has partnered once again with the State University of New York at Binghamton to provide M/C employees with online courses, at no charge and with the opportunity to earn continuing education units. There is a new, expanded selection of online course offerings to meet a wide variety of professional and personal development needs, as well as options for M/C employees in secretarial and clerical titles. To access these courses, go to our Links page (Click Here) and select M/C Online Courses in the left-hand column. And bookmark our Links page for convenient and direct online access to information you should know as a NYS M/C employee or retiree.

1/15/09 - $350 Million United Healthcare Settlement Announced: We are proud of OMCE’s key role in the historic $350 million settlement announced recently of the class action lawsuit related to United Healthcare’s (UHC) use of databases disseminated by a wholly-owned subsidiary (Ingenix, Inc) to set reimbursement rates for out-of-network Empire Plan providers. OMCE intervened in the lawsuit in 2003, along with three other labor organizations (CSEA, NYS United Teachers and the State Police Investigators Association), after our investigation of OMCE members’ complaints that the reimbursements they were receiving for out-of-network services were inappropriately lower than they should be convinced us that our members were being harmed by UHC’s use of the Ingenix database. The $350 million settlement provides for reimbursement to those who were harmed.

In a press release issued today, OMCE President Barbara Zaron said that OMCE is “diligent and tenacious when resolving our members’ problems, whether related to health care or other issues. We spend a lot of time and effort dealing with healthcare related issues, because it appears we have had to assume the role of ‘watchdog’ to ensure that members are receiving what they are entitled to, and that the contracts entered into by the State are fair and reasonable.” OMCE Executive Director Joe Sano noted that OMCE is currently a plaintiff in another lawsuit challenging the business practices of another Empire Plan provider, Express Scripts. Sano noted: “Our members pay their fair share for health insurance and expect these companies to execute their responsibilities honestly and fairly. We’ll continue to monitor all who provide these services to our members.”

This settlement has to be approved by the court. As soon as possible following approval, we will be communicating with our members on implementation of claims processing against the settlement fund.

1/15/09 – Scholarships: Applications are being accepted for the Howard Coughlin Memorial Scholarship Fund and John Kelly Labor Studies Scholarship until March 3, 2009. Instructions and application forms are available for viewing and printing from the Members Only page (Login Here) or by calling OMCE at 800-828-6623 (456-5241, if calling from within area code 518).

Coughlin Scholarship – Open to member, associate member in good standing and child of member in good standing for attendance at College, University or recognized Technical or Vocational post-secondary school, Full-time (FT) or Part-time (PT). Each FT scholarship is $3000 for the first year, and $3000 for the second year – total maximum value of $6000; each PT scholarship is $1,200 for the first year and $1,200 for the second year – total maximum value of $2,400. Official OPEIU application and High School transcript required to be submitted to OMCE for endorsement and processing – must be received by March 3, 2009.

1/15/09 – NYS Civil Service Examinations/Disabled Veterans’ Credits: In November, voters approved an amendment to the State Constitution removing the requirement that disabled veterans be receiving disability payments from the US Department of Veterans Affairs in order to obtain additional credits on examinations. Now the Department of Veterans Affairs need only certify that the veteran was disabled in the actual performance of duty in any war, that the disability is rated at 10% or more, and that the disability exists at the time of application for appointment or promotion. The provisions of the amendment are not retroactive and apply only to eligible lists established on or after January 1, 2009. The Civil Service Department is revising its examination announcements, application forms and other documents, as appropriate, to reflect this change. Note that veterans credits on competitive examinations may only be used once to achieve a permanent appointment to any civil service position in any jurisdiction in New York State. Individuals who previously used credit as a non-disabled veteran to receive a permanent appointment are not entitled to additional credit as a disabled veteran, even if they would now qualify as a disabled veteran after passage of the constitutional amendment.

1/15/09 - Extension of Special Military and Post-Discharge Benefits: The State has extended special military leave and post-discharge benefits for another year (through December 31, 2009) in response to the continuing need for New York State employees in the National Guard and Reserves to be activated federally or by the Governor for military service related to the war on terror. These benefits are available to M/C employees and employees covered by a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the State and CSEA, PEF and other public employee unions.

Section 243 of the New York State Military Law and the federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) entitle reservists and National Guard members, under certain circumstances, of up to 90 calendar days from the date of discharge from active military duty to return to work. The MOUs address returning service members' entitlement to charge appropriate leave credits (e.g. credits other than sick leave) and to be granted certain military benefits if ordered to perform military duty during this 90-day post-discharge period. Extension of the special military leave benefit for another year will also require recalculation (by the Comptroller’s Office, Bureau of Payroll Services) of the military stipend that is available to employees on military training leave at reduced pay or military leave at reduced pay.

For further information, please contact your agency or facility’s personnel and/or payroll office.

1/6/09 - Professional Careers Test Workshop: CSEA's WORK Institute will be offering a workshop covering the four topic areas on the March 7, 2009 NYS Professional Careers Test: Preparing Written Material, Quantitative Analysis, Understanding and Interpreting Written Material Related to Government and Social Issues, and Verbal Analysis. Seats will be offered, as available, to OMCE members.