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ober 19 HI SANTA — Sarah Beth
Depue. daughter of,
Carla Depue. a food ser- |
vice worker at Elmira
Psychiatric Center.
flashes her smile to win
over Santa during CSEA
Local 437°s annual
Christmas show for
children recently. For
more of the sea-
sonal activities.
see PAGE 12.
> 4 Vol. 8, No. 26
64.9949) Monday, December 30, 1985
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ES
CSEA celebrated its 75th anniversary
during 1985, but there were many other
significant events affecting the union
and the membership during the year as
well. In the next issue we’ll take a look
back at 1985 and the many changes it
brought us all.
Official Publication of The Civil Service Employees Association Local: 1000,
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees AFL-CIO.
_ALBANY—Office of Court Administration the right to negotiate salary increases for its
Determination
{OGCA) employees got their recently negotiated
three-year contract all wrapped up in time for
Christmas. =.
CSEA was able to get a ‘pay bill’ to
implement salary hikes approved in a special
session of the state Legislature. Gov. Mario
Cuomo signed the bill on Dee. 20. The bill
provides salary increases of 5 percent, 5.5
increase should be,” said CSEA Collective
members. And no union would ever agree to |
a discretionary cap which would let
management decide which employees should |
receive a salary increase, and what that
Bargaining Specialist Joseph Reedy. -
_ The issue wound up in factfinding, where -
Fact Finder Robert Rabin rejected OCA’s
pays off with
: _ : _ a : i | . a _ percent and 6 percent over the life of the
qd new pact for a garecace: exited March 31, but
‘OCA members *
(Using generic prescription drugs
will keep your co-pay fee at $1
CSEA’s Employee Benefit Fund (EBF) reminds that anew
schedule for drug prescription payments goes into ef-
fect Jan. 1, as reported in the previous issue of The Public
Sector, Employees and their eligible dependents who pur-
chase generic drugs will continue to pay only a $1 co-
pay fee. However, the co-pay increases to $3 if a
prescription is filled with a brand name drug. And for par-
ticipants in EBF’s maintenance drug program (under
which participants purchase prescription drugs’ by mail
for use over a longer period of time) there will be no
ee =Re cA
position, saying “The premise of my salary
recommendations is that the union should |
retain its traditional collective bargaining role
_in jointly engineering the salary structure at all
levels : ae
_ Notes Reedy, “We have broken the concept
x On all bargaining unit sal:
eae
CSEA members at
Bear Mountain
miraculously
transform
park into
North Pole
for holidays
By Anita Manley
CSEA Communications Associate
BEAR MOUNTAIN — For most of the year,
Palisades Park Commission workers maintain
the parks and historic sites throughout the Hud-
son Valley.
But come December, our members become
Santa’s helpers when Old St. Nick himself
brings his Christmas magic to Bear Mountain
Park.
According to Maintenance Supervisor Ed
Dyroff, thousands of visitors were expected at
this year’s 16th annual holiday display. This
year, the event featured a host of festive at-
tractions including a giant train set, a teddy bear
tree, gingerbread houses, floral arrangements,
private ‘collections of toys and dolls, quilts,
paintings and wreaths, and a number of animat-
ed exhibits.
Many special events were also scheduled.
Local organizations and clubs presented sing-
ing and dance programs, ice sculpturing, pup-
pet shows and skating.
Other events include hot air balloons,
Clydesdale horses, fireworks and wood
carving.
In addition, the park commission sponsors
cross country skiing, ice skating, sledding and
Ski jumping tournaments. A nature museum and
zoo is also open year-round from 9 a.m. to 5
p.m. daily.
PICTURESQUE BEAR MOUNTAIN INN takes
on a holiday spirit in December when peo-
ple come from miles around to see the beau-
tiful Christmas displays that are put together
by CSEA members who work for the Pali-
sades Park Commission.
Among attractions this year
will be a giant train set and an
8-foot edible gingerbread
house.
= ‘ ¥
PARK WORKER FRANK GRANATA and maintenance work-
er Bill Bates polish the plexiglass that will be attached to
display cases for gingerbread houses that make up part
of the holiday exhibit at Bear Mountain Park.
GENERAL MECHANIC JOHN MORAIS is one of many CSEA members work-
ing on displays at Bear Mountain. Here he helps construct an eight- foot
high gingerbread house—completely edible—which is being decorated by
Mike Cardena of the Smith Clove Bakery in Central Valley. The giant con-
fection contain 350 pounds of frosting and thousands of cookies and gin-
gerbread.
2
THE PUBLIC SECTOR December 30, 1985
PASSING THE BUCK WHILE THE BUILDING
CRUMBLES—Patients and employees at Kingsboro PC
live and work in sorry conditions as administrators
haggle over who’s responsible for cleanup of the fa-
cility. Pictured, from top: CSEA Occupational Safety
and Health Specialist Floyd Payne and Local 446 Vice
President Lorraine Burrus inspect water damage ina
ward; more ward damage, inset; Payne and Local 402
Vice President Lou Smith look at an exposed ventila-
tion shaft below the ward; Smith points out a portion
of an extensively used tunnel in sore need of repair.
December 30, 1985
Bonco to ward bosses:
‘Clean up
that mess!’
By Steve Madarasz
CSEA Communications Associate
BROOKLYN — The water damage is extensive and getting worse
on the Bars unit on the grounds of Kingsboro Psychiatric Center. But
bureaucratic haggling within the Office of Mental Health is holding up
repair work.
That's because the unit is actually run by South Beach Psychiatric
Genter, not Kingsboro, and each administration keeps pointing fingers
at the other claiming it’s the other’s problem.
“The water’s coming out of the ceilings and walls, paint is chipping
and the whole structure may be moving toward collapse. But no one
will do anything about it,” claims Local 446 First Vice President Lor-
raine Burrus, who has filed a grievance demanding action.
She adds: ‘‘We don't even know the extent of the problem or where
it's coming from. Kingsboro says it’s South Beach’s problem. South
Beach doesn’t have the materials or the crew to deal with it even if it
wanted to.”
While some of the rooms on the ward have been closed, patients
continue to live in others that show evidence of damage. Members con-
tend that it’s bad enough to work under the conditions but patients have
to live with it. And the administrations don’t seem to care.
“What | don’t care about is who cleans it up—but we want action
taken now,” insists Region ll President George Boncoraglio. ‘There is
no excuse for this situation to exist.”
But physical plant decay is not a new phenomenon at Kingsboro.
The facility is one of the oldest psychiatric centers in the country and
many of the buildings look like original structures.
According to Lou Smith, first vice president of Kingsboro CSEA Lo-
cal 402, repair and maintenance have been ongoing concerns. “We have
a tunnel that’s used to take most of the patients from the wards to their
therapy sessions. It’s one of the most widely used passageways in the
whole place, but the walls are crumbing, rats and squirrels nest in the
roof,...it looks like a hell-hole.”
Smith says that a safety and health grievance that CSEA won or-
dered Kingsboro to fix up one tunnel. Using young people from a job
training program, the facility began renovations but only went as far as
the passageway immediately adjacent to Kingsboro’s main building. “They
just stopped and never explained why.”
The local is particularly suspicious because the renovations include
only the most public part of the center and wards with predominately
white patients. The outlying wards and the tunnel most in need of repair
service predominately black and hispanic patients. OMH patients are
assigned to wards according to where they live so they will be with oth-
er patients from their own or surrounding communities.
Smith says the local is continuing to press the administration over
the tunnel cleanup but is getting no satisfaction. “We told them we were
concerned because the tunnel is used to transport all the patients’ meals
to the wards, and we found paint chips falling in the food. Their response
was that the employees don’t have to eat the food.”
Smith points out that the administration seems to believe that if they
ignore a situation, it doesn't exist. Unfortunately, he says, CSEA mem-
bers have to deal with the reality day in and day out.
THE PUBLIC SECTOR 3
SRuitie
SECTOR
Official publication of The Civil Service
Employees Association Local 1000, AFSCME,
AFL-CIO 143 Washington Avenue, Albany,
New York 12210
The Public Sector (445010) is published every other
Monday by The Civil Service Employees Association,
143 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12210.
Publication Office: 143 Washington Avenue, Albany,
New York, 12210. Second Class Postage paid at
Post Office, Albany, New York.
AARON SHEPARD — Publisher
ROGER A. COLE — Editor
BRIAN K. BAKER — Associate Editor
Adaress changes should be sent to: Civil Service Em-
ployees Association, The Public Sector, P.O. Box
7125. Capitol Station, Albany, New York 12224.
$21,600!
By Dan Campbell
CSEA Communications Associate «
ALBANY — He's a jack of many trades.
Jack Woodard, that is. He’s a training super-
visor at Great Meadow Correctional Facility, a
CSEA shop steward, and a father of six.
And now the 47-year-old Washington County
resident holds another distinction: He is the
winner of the largest amount of money ever giv-
en in the history of the state’s long running Em-
ployee Suggestion Program.
His take? $21,600! Which makes Wood-
JACK WOODWARD
with his recent
award.
4 THE PUBLIC SECTOR December 30, 1985
NS
ence
RESPONSIeH ity
DON'T THINK OF THIS
AS “PASSING THE BUCK’...
THINK OF 1T AS
SUBCONTRACTING OF
GOV'T SERVICES.
Good idea pays off like the
lottery for prison employee
ward living proof that public employees with
better ideas about how the state should con-
duct its business can put a lot of extra bucks
in their pockets.
Woodward received the award for devising
a better system for building metal chairs put
together by inmates under his supervision at
the maximum security prison in Comstock. The
concept saved the state $216,000 in its first
year of operation, 10 percent of which went
to Woodward.
Woodward explains that the old manufactur-
ing process produced a large amount of scrap
metal because the metal tubing purchased for
chair legs had to be cut and fitted. He suggest-
ed that by redesigning the tubing and order-
ing it in different lengths and sizes, the amount
of scrap could be eliminated and productivity
would increase.
He was right. The production rate at the
Great Meadow shops has jumped from about
250 chairs per week to almost 750. Chairs
made at the prison are used by schools, hospi-
tals and in public and private facilities across
the state. The Correction Department's Indus-
trial Division sells the chairs through Corcraft
This isn't the first time that Woodward has
won a suggestion award. In 1983, the crea-
tive state worker received a $500 bonus for
an earlier suggestion on the production proce-
dure at the facility
During the 40-year history of the suggestion
program, more than 46,000 suggestions have
by made by public workers. More than 8,000
monetary awards to public employees have
been made during that period
The state hasn't faired badly, either. More
than $10.8 million in net tangible first-year sav-
ings to the state have been generated by the
program, according to Henrik Dullea, director
of state operations.
At an awards ceremony held in honor of re-
cent winners of the program, the largest
checks presented other than Woodward's
were for $1,000. Josephine Gambino, a mem-
ber of the state Civil Service Commission and
chairwoman of the employee suggestion pro-
gram took an opportunity at the presentation
to praise the ingenuity of public employees.
“This sets an example for other civil servants.
That's important because at times they are criti-
cized. We have a few bad apples, but this kind
of interest and creativity proves the majority are
hard-working, honest people.”
door hammers s
sealing the individual raid
ther workday a
. Fry
WOODWARD WAS FEATURED in an ar-
ticle about his work that appeared in
The Public Sector earlier this year.
The chill in the air
at HVCC isn't just
the arrival of winter
Compiled by Daniel X. Campbell
CSEA Communications Associate
TROY — A planned employee recognition program was abruptly can-
celled recently by Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC), ostensibly
because of inclement weather. But CSEA officials say the cancellation had
less to do with cold weather than with the cold shoulder many of the em-
ployees had planned to give the college administration during the awards
presentation
Angered over a lengthy contract impasse, many of the 45 members
of the CSEA HVCC Unit scheduled to receive “dedicated service” pins
planned to refuse to accept them to protest the drawn-out contract dis-
pute. Instead, they were to wear lapel stickers with slogans such as ‘'l
want a raise, not a pin!” and ‘Pins don’t put bread and butter on my ta-
ble!” The college administration got wind of the planned protest, and when
a minor, but convenient, snowstorm dusted the area the same day, the
program was cancelled
The CSEA Unit at HVCC represents 220 college support service wor-
kers in various titles ranging from clerk to audio visual technician. The unit's
bargaining team has been at the table since April and recently declared
an impasse.
“Management is trying to force the unit into unnecessary givebacks
and giveaways, which would make the current coolie wage schedule even
worst,” says CSEA Collective Bargaining Specialist Emanuele Vitale. He
described the planned refusal to accept service pins as “just the tip of an
iceberg of frustration the employees have been holding back for months.”
Vitale said, “It’s intolerable to continue to accept double standards on
hospitalization and retirement benefits.”
CSEA Unit President Dick Evans said some of his members already
qualify for some assistance programs ‘and if they don’t get a decent in-
crease soon, some will be able to receive food stamps and other social
service program benefits.”
“Faculty, students and other individuals are asking for our protest stick-
ers. They are apparently on our side,” Evans said
Anice letter from Mr. CSEA
They call him “Mr. CSEA,” and by
the time he retired in 1977 he had
compiled nearly 46 years of service
as a staff employee of the union.
Joseph Lochner, who was
CSEA's first executive director and
held that post for decades until he
retired, recently wrote to CSEA
friends in connection with the
celebration of CSEA’s 75th anniver-
sary this year.
Wrote Lochner, “| came to CSEA
in Oct. 1931 and retired 7/15/77,
and | was proud of my contributions
to CSEA and the reference to me in
the book reporting the 75th anniver-
sary
“| came to CSEA when they had
8,100 members and $1 annual
dues, and | left CSEA (with a) mem-
bership of 250,000...”
Lochner concluded, ‘Sorry |
couldn't be with you and my other
friends celebrating the 75th anniver-
sary of CSEA in NYC recently. Tell
the guys ‘hello’ for me, and much
success to CSEA in the future
Sincerely, Joe Lochner.”
“MR. CSEA’’ Joseph Lochner
December 30, 1985
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SMOKING
AND NON-SMOKING AREAS BEING ES-
TABLISHED IN PUBLIC WORK AREAS?
Where asked: Capital Region IV
ERICKA KASSON Clerk,
Tax and Finance, CSEA Lo-
cal 690
| “I'm for it. With all the recent
findings concerning the effects
of second-hand smoke, people
have become more aware of
the possible health hazards.
Not only should cigarette smok-
ing be segregated, but cigar
-and pipe smoking should be to-
tally banned.”
\
(eT
LYNNE ALBRIGHT Typist,
Dept. of Health, CSEA Lo-
cal 664
“They should have smoking
areas and smokers should
recognize non-smokers rights.
\'m allergic to smoke and I’m
athletic, so | don’t smoke.”
7 am oo
MICHAEL GIFFORD Clerk,
Tax and Finance, CSEA Lo-
cal 690
“I feel it is a good idea as long
as you keep the rights of the
smoker comparable to the
rights of a non-smoker and do
not discriminate against a per-
son because he or she is a
smoker.”’
i RI SL SRE IAPR SS SLE
CAROL LaBOISSIERE Typ-
ist, Dept. of Health, CSEA
Local 664
‘l feel if | have to concede to
the rights of non-smokers, they
should extend the same
courtesy to smokers by not sit-
ting in designated smoking
areas, etc.’
Basasrsomunno 3 _(See story, Page 6)
THE PUBLIC SECTOR
President's message
ALBANY—State employees in the Health
Department and Office of Employee Relations
who make New Year's resolutions to give up
smoking will find them a lot harder to break in
1986
The two state agencies, with about 6,000
workers, will ban smoking in designated areas
beginning Jan. 1
(See CSEA Camera Close-Ups to find out
what union members think of the ban.)
Employees and the public “who come to our
offices for services or assistance should not
be subjected to a potentially unhealthy
environment,” said Health Commissioner David
Axelrod. Meanwhile Jim Corcoran, CSEA’s
bee occupational safety and health,
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
As we come to the end of our 75th an-
niversary year, we do so with great pride
in reflecting on our hard fought past suc-
cesses. We are proud that over the years
we brought an end to the 72-hour work
week in state institutions, provided great-
er job security for our members, helped
create safer work environments, estab-
lished low cost medical and life insurance
programs, negotiated impressive salary in-
creases, and, more recently, played a ma-
jor role in the Comparable Worth study
which will assure equal pay for women and
minorities.
These gains are part of our CSEA hist-
ory, won through the sacrifice and strug-
gle of our members. Their yesterday is our
today.
But CSEA’s tomorrow depends on you.
Your involvement in union matters goes
beyond the bargaining table and the sign-
ing of the contract. It means participation
at the local and Unit levels to find new
ways to deal with new problems, challeng-
ing old ideas, innovative tactics, and most
of all to make sure that your voice is heard
CSEA is more than a collection of in-
dividual locals. It is a movement, a belief,
a piece of our society. And like society, it
is made up of people—members—who can
learn from the past but never allow the past
to be a substitute for the future.
Fraternally yours for a prosperous and
healthy 1986,
Wiliam L. McGowan
cautions that the ban is “a pilot project that will
be studied throughout the year
“It's a total educational program, stressing
cooperation, coaching and not counseling
More importantly, the policy does have
consideration for both smokers and non-
smokers.”
Smoking will be banned in common areas
and in such places as conference and
classrooms, libraries, computer rooms,
elevators and reception areas. Puffing will be
permitted only in specially designated areas in
lunchrooms and lounges. And, individual
workers will be able to declare their work
stations “smoke-free.”
Work stations are defined as an employee's
Pair of state agencies
to designate smoking
and non-smoking areas
assigned desk, chair and office equipment.
The new policy also bars workers from
visiting non-smoking areas with lit cigarettes
It's a total education, program, stressing
cooperation, coaching and not counseling. . .
the policy does have consideration for
both smokers and non-smokers?
6
THE PUBLIC SECTOR
December 30, 1985
OPEN COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS
SCHEDULE
APPLICATIONS DEADLINE JANUARY 6, 1986
JOB TITLE
Commercial Valuation Specialist II
Commercial Valuation Specialist III
Senior Marketing Representative
Senior Rail Transportation Specialist
Associate Rail Transportation Specialist
Social Services Assistant
26-490
26-489
26-452
26-449
26-450
26-501
BEGINNING
EXAM NO. SALARY
$25,090
32,628
2lvees
32,628
40,345
20,066
APPLICATIONS DEADLINE JANUARY 20, 1986
26-476
28-562
26-465
26-425
26-467
26-467
26-468
26-468
26-469
26-469
26-470
26-470
26-466
26-473
Computer Programmer/Analyst
Assistant Director of Public Employment Conciliation
Principal Stenographer (Law)
Senior Offset Printing Machine Operator
Conservation Biologist (Aquatic)
Conservation Biologist (Aquatic) Trainee
Conservation Biologist (Ecology)
Conservation Biologist (Ecology) Trainee
Conservation Biologist (Extension)
Conservation Biologist (Extension) Trainee
Conservation Biologist (Wildlife)
Conservation Biologist (Wildlife) Trainee
Senior Valuation Enginer
Workers’ Compensation Social Worker |
20,066
48,183
18,818
15,670
20,066
18,951
20,066
18,951
20,066
18,951
20,066
18,951
34,391
22,842
APPLICATIONS DEADLINE FEBRUARY 10, 1986
26-463
26-460
28-794
28-795
26-491
26-480
26-481
Assistant Sanitary Engineer (Design)
Assistant Plumbing Engineer
Energy Technical Specialist |
Energy Technical Specialist II
Vocational Specialist |
Housing Management Assistant
Housing Management Representative
27,862
27,862
25,099
32,628
25,088
25,099
32,628
APPLICATIONS CONTINUOUSLY ACCEPTED
20-127
20-128
Occupational Therapy Assistant |
Occupational Therapy Assistant II
16,909
20,066
‘Tax
APPLICATION FORMS—You may obtain application forms by mail or in person at
the following offices of the State Department of Civil Services
ALBANY—W. Averell Harriman NYS Office Building Campus 12239.
BUFFALO—Room 303, 65 Court Street 14202
NEW YORK—55th Floor, 2 World Trade Center 10047, or 6th Floor, Adam
Clayton Powell State Office Building, 163 West 125th Street, 10027.
LOCAL OFFICES, NYS Employment Service (no mail requests). When you
request an application, specify the examination number and title. Mail completed
application to: NYS Department of Civil Service, W. Averell Harriman NYS Office
Building Campus, Albany, N.Y. 12239.
COMPETITIVE PROMOTION EXAMINATIONS
(State Employees Only)
APPLICATIONS DEADLINE JANUARY 13, 1986
JOB TITLE
Supervisor, Inmate Grievance Program G-18
Assistant Director of Correctiona Volunteer Programs
(G-23)
Regional Supervisor of Natural Resources M-2
Chief Marketing Representative G-22
Farm Products Grading Inspector V G-22
Payroll Audit Clerk IV G-18
Payroll Audit Clerk V G-22
Assistant Director of Public Employment Conciliation
M-4 38-800
Motor Vehicle Title Services Representative Trainee 38-876
Medicaid Claims Examiner V G-23 39-941
Head Offset Printing Machine Operator G-15 38-756
Principal Offset Printing Maching Operator G-12 38-755
Senior Offset Printing Machine Operator G-9 38-754
Principal Stenographer (Law) G-12 38-855
Principal Stenographer G-12 38-854
Principal Typist G-11 38-856
Tax Operations Promotion Series G-18
Tax Operations Promotion Series G-27
Tax Technicians Promotion Series G-23
Tax Auditors Promotion Series G-23
EXAM NO.
39-920
39-940
38-861
39-934
89-933
38-788
38-789
DEPARTMENT
Correctional Services
Correctional Services
EnCon
Ag and Markets
Ag and Markets
Comptroller
Comptroller
PERB
Motor Vehicles
Social Services
Interdepartmental
Interdepartmental
Interdepartmental
Interdepartmental
Interdepartmental
Interdepartmental
Tax and Finance
Tax and Finance
Tax and Finance
Tax and Finance
APPLICATION FORMS: Application forms for promotion candidates are available
though your Personnel or Business Office. You may also obtain them by mail or
in person at the following offices of the New York State Department of Civil Service
NYS Office Building Campus, Albany, N.Y. 12239; 55thFloor, Two W
Center, New York, N.Y. 10047; 6th Floor, Adam Clayton Powell St
Building, 163 West 125th Street, New York, N.Y, 10027; or Room 303, 65
Court Street, Buffalo, N.Y. 14 2. Specify the examination by its num!
title. Mail your completed application form to: NYS Department of Civil Service.
The W. Averell Harriman NYS Office Building Campus, Albany, N.Y. 1 €
amnesty
ends Jan. 31.
New York has a serious problem.
We're losing millions of dollars
a year due to tax evasion. And
honest taxpayers are the people
who pay the price.
Well, no more. New York is
cracking down on tax evaders. Our
new tax laws provide for harsher
penalties, tougher enforcement
and a sophisticated new computer
system to effectively catch and
prosecute tax evaders.
If you've underreported or
avoided paying your fair share of
taxes, you've got one chance to pay
up before you get caught and
punished severely.
Tax Amnesty.
Tax Amnesty is a one-time opportunity
for taxpayers to pay delinquent taxes
without penalty or criminal prosecution.
Taxes eligible for Tax Amnesty include:
© State Personal Income Tax
@ NYC Personal Income Tax
@ Sales and Use Taxes (State & Local)
© Highway Use Tax
@ Withholding Tax (State & NYC)
© Motor Fuel Tax
Estate & Gift Taxes
© Unincorporated Business Tax and
Business Corporation Taxes (limited to
corporations with up to 500 employees
nationwide)
e@ NYC Unincorporated Business Tax
e NYC General Corporation Tax
© Petroleum Business Tax (with certain
restrictions)
¢ Transportation and Transmission Com-
pany ‘Taxes (with certain restrictions)
© Yonkers Income Tax Surcharge
@ Yonkers Nonresident Earnings Tax
To apply for Amnesty, you mus
1) file an application along with previ-
ously unfiled or amended returns by
January 31, 1986
2) specify both the tax and tax periods
for which you are requesting Amnesty
3) pay the tax and interest due
For more information:
New York State Amnesty —
Write to the above address or call:
1-800-CALL TAX (in New York State)
(518) 489-2924 (outside New York State)
New York City Amnesty — Write:
NYC Tax Amnesty
31 Chambers St. Room 209
New York, NY 10007
or call (212) 608-5400
e
December 30, 1985
THE PUBLIC SECTOR 7
delegate.
By Sheryl Carlin
CSEA Communications Associate
CENTRAL ISLIP — Their work is vital but they
are seldom seen by those who benefit from
their labor.
They are the one hundred laundry em-
ployees who are responsible for the 85,000
clean sheets, 38,000 clean towels, 15,000
clean hospitals gowns, and thousands of clean
bedspreads, diapers, and pillow cases that are
needed each week at the Central Islip Psy-
chiatric Center, Suffolk Developmental Center,
Pilgrim Psychiatric Center and Sagamore Chil-
dren's Center
These members work out of a laundry facili-
ty at Central Islip PC and are employees of the
Office of General Services. Recently, OGS and
DEDICATED SERVICE — Laundry workers wel
preciation day. Displaying it above are, from left: Joe Harbison, first vice president of Lo-
cal 404; Mary Ansbach, secretary; Barbara Allen, treasurer; John Tish, delegate; Al Hen-
neborn, president; Pat Simmons, shop steward; Nick Pollicino, field rep; and Sal Russo,
re honored with a plaque during recent ap-
Appreciation (and some good,
Clean fun) for laundry workers
CSEA/OGS efforts boost morale
CSEA joined together to honor this group of
individuals with an employee appreciation day
which included plenty of food and beverages.
According to CIPC Local 404 President Al
Henneborn, the appreciation day really proved
that OGS and CSEA realize how hard these
people work and that they are sometimes over-
looked.
“These people have a lot of work to do and
the conditions they worked in were pretty bad
until the past year or so. CSEA and OGS
worked together and improved the safety
aspects of the laundry room. The employees
also got a much larger lunchroom complete
with air conditioning, refrigerators and micro-
wave ovens,” explains Barbara Allen, treasurer
of the local.
HAVE IT YOUR WAY — John Tish, far right,
a delegate for CIPC Local 404, flips burgers
for laundry workers on their day.
“Now we're having this party. It really means
a lot,” she said
Shop stewards Willie White, Enrique Rivera
and Patricia Simmons worked with Henneborn
and Field Representative Nick Pollicino to see
that these improvements were made and that
members were treated better
Rain fell on the party but didn’t end festivi-
ties as the barbecue was brought indoors next
to an open loading platform and two huge fans
were up to suck out the smoke. Members
talked and laughed as they filled their plates
and carried them back to the lunchroom
“OGS has recognized the need to keep peo-
ple happy in their work environment. They have
done a fine job in improving morale here,”’ said
Pollicino
Things that go bump in the night
come to light at Central Islip PC
CENTRAL ISLIP — Some people are lucky enough to be in the right
place at the right time. Or not there at the wrong time.
ton. “When | got there, part of the fixture was still attached to the ceil-
ing and the other part was on the bed.”
This was the case at Central Islip Psycho-Geriatric Center recently
when at about 10:30 one night a 17-foot light fixture weighing approxi-
mately 80 pounds crashed down from the ceiling and landed on a pa-
tient’s bed. Fortunately, the patient wasn’t in bed at the time and no one
was injured
“It was very lucky that no one got killed by that light. It could have
been a real tragedy,” said CIPC Local Treasurer Barbara Allen
The ward, which houses nearly 50 clients, was cleared the night
of the incident and OSH Representative Ken Brotherton was called early
the next morning
“That fixture probably fell due to faulty attachment,” said Brother-
THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Management has agreed to put the electricians to work on the fix-
ture that fell, as well as any other fixtures which looked threatening. Ac-
cording to Allen, approximately 1,000 fixtures need work, 84 of which
were repaired the first night
“These lights were installed by a private contractor three to five years
ago,” said Allen. The contractor secured the fixtures with three bolts
The electricians at the facility are now adding three more bolts
Painters are also following the electricians, spot painting the ceil-
ings when the electricians are finished
The employees and patients have returned to the ward. Local 404
President Al Henneborn said he had no problem refilling the ward once
there was no chance of danger
December 30, 1985
Cattaraugus Co. worker in heroic role
She’s a life
By Ron Wofford
CSEA Communications Associate
OLEAN—Quick, calm action by a CSEA member here has been
credited with saving the life of a baby boy who otherwise might have
suffocated.
Pamela Ethridge, a member of Cattaraugus County Employees Unit,
was at work in the county Social Services office recently when she
spotted a child turning blue in the arms of his father. Acting immediately,
she directed co-workers to call emergency rescue while she proceeded
to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
“| never expected to have to use it,” said Ethridge, referring to the
CPR she learned from a friend three years ago. “But when that child
started to breathe again, it made learning it all worthwhile — so
rewarding.”
The pleasant fallout from her heroic deed has included a
commendation certificate from the Cattaraugus County Legislature, calls
and letters of congratulations from numerous public officials, friends and
relatives, and even a gift certificate from her fellow department
employees.
4 /’m just very
thankful the child
is still with us.9
“She has also inspired several of our members to seek CPR training,”
said Michelle Hoffman, unit president, who is also trained in CPR but
was in another office during the incident.
Ethridge, a senior clerk and a 15-year county employee, said she
would have felt ‘so helpless” if she had not been able to do something
to help the child when she saw it suffering from breathing difficulties.
“When | heard the baby crying a couple of desks away, | knew
something was wrong, and heard another worker ask if he was okay.
When the father turned and | saw the baby’s face turning blue, | knew
the breathing had to be stimulated immediately. | just yelled, ‘Call 911,”
and laid the child on his back and went to work.”
Ethridge said she was spurred to work quickly and efficiently because
even two minutes of oxygen loss to the brain could cause irreversible
brain damage.
“They told me | was acting calmly, but | was very tense inside,”
Info meetings slated for January
HONORED IN LIFESAVER’S ROLE—Pamela Ethridge, left, who saved
a child’s life recently by administering CPR, is joined by Cattaraugus
County Unit President Michelle Hoffman in looking over a certificate
cf commendation Ethridge received for her heroic efforts.
Ethridge recalls. ‘| was very shook up, but relieved that the child was
breathing normally when the city ambulance arrived to take him to the
hospital.”
James Gilbert, a Social Services caseworker, said he contacted the
family later and learned the child had been sent home from the hospital
after being examined by a physician.
“I'm just very thankful the child is still with us,” said Ethridge.
CSEA gearing up for DMNA negotiations
ALBANY—CSEA will be holding meetings
throughout the state to solicit input from Division
of Military and Naval Affairs employees who will
be represented by the union in a new bargaining
unit established this fall by PERB
Meetings during the month of January in each
region will alow DMNA employees to express
their concerns to CSEA as it prepares for
negotiations. A DMNA Negotiating Committee
meeting will take place Jan. 21 in Albany
At the same time, the union will take an
opportunity to explain the PERB decision which
has excluded armory superintendents from the
new unit. The ruling calls for a continued
investigation of whether the superintendents
should have their own bargaining unit or be
designated as management confidential
PERB will conduct a full board hearing to
discuss the issues Jan. 14
CSEA Collective Bargaining Specialist and chief
negotiator Joseph Reedy says that several
requests to begin negotiations with DMNA already
have been made to the Governor's Office of
December 30, 1985
members, we will be available to talk to members
and furnish the latest information as it becomes
available.”
CSEA staff opening
CSEA has an opening for Supervisor of
its Group Life Insurance Department. The
Albany-based position requires strong su-
pervisory skills and a thorough knowledge
of life insurance procedures in general and
group plans in particular
Qualifications include a Bachelor's
degree in business administration or four
years experience in administering life insur-
ance programs.
Qualified candidates should submit re-
sumes no later than Jan. 6 to: Personnel
Director, P.O. Box 7125, Capitol Station, Al-
bany, N.Y. 12224. CSEA is an equal op-
portunity employer.
Employee Relations. However, the state
indicates, as it did prior to the decision, that it may
decide not to negotiate with CSEA until a final
determination is made concerning the bargaining
units. Such a decision is not expected until the
end of January
“We fully realize the employees are frustrated
when forced to work without a contract. They
should be,”" comments Reedy. “No state
employee should be required to work without an
agreement, but we want to assure every DMNA
worker that we represent that we are doing
everything possible under PERB guidelines.”
Reedy also noted the union will make
retroactive pay increases one of its “top
priorities.”
In addition, he urged that DMNA members
attend the January meetings to be held across
the state. Local officers and members will be
notified of dates
“To ensure the flow of correct information, it
is important for those meetings to be well
attended,” said Reedy. ‘Along with regional staff
THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Mm y
bdarasz
ions Associate
€
crowd is growing,
and the line is already snaking its way out the door at
the Department of Motor Vehicles office in Queens,
Jamaica.
“This ts a quiet morning here,” i Cissey Mar-
us, a 19- year DMV veteran who is also grievance
utative for CSEA Local O10.
A few minutes later, Marcus is told to make an an-
aouncemnent that the computers will be going down for twen-
ty minutes. “They re gonna love this,”’ she moans as
he moves toward a microphone. A collective groan is heard
Utroughont the crowd as she ends her statement, and busi-
Hess grounds to a halt.
hortly afterwards, an argument develo
Justent window. As a sup , Mai
the fray to clear up the problem. Wher the ¢
like the answer he gets, he becomes me
away, anting obscenttites at Marcus.
“It's like this all day — many times a day.” sighs
Mares.
ms at the ad-
us steps into
stomur doesn t
rate and stomps
NEW YORK CITY — They are subject to abuse,
ridicule, contempt and anger. They are people the
public loves to hate. They are employees of the
Department of Motor Vehicles.
With the possible exception of employees of
the Tax Department, they are the most likely can-
didates to take the brunt of the public’s dissatis-
faction with government procedures
Even without the flak, it’s not an easy job. DMV
employees are on the frontline in administering
the complex and cumbersome details of licens-
ing over two million drivers, and six and one- half
million vehicles each year. Each transaction re-
quires individual attention and is time consuming
The process is tedious for employees and pub-
lic alike.
But it is usually the employees who take the
blame for the delays, slow-moving lines, and the
public's annoyance, even though the employees
are simply being thorough
“It's frustration,” claims Queens DMV Super-
visor Marcus, “because people have no other
way to go...they retaliate against you because
you are denying them something. They forget that
they are working with a system that has a set of
rules. Our job is to serve the public, and if we can
bend we do, as long as it's within the guidelines
If people don't like what we tell them, there’ al-
ways a chain of command that they can appeal
to for clarification.”
1 0 THE PUBLIC SECTOR
STORY IS
iw AYS, THES “ava
BY
Marcus points out that often the public’s frus-
tration is based on its own disorganization and
lack of preparedness. Especially under such cir-
cumstances, venting anger on the employees is
counterproductive. “The public doesn’t always
have its papers in order, and if they're understand-
ing and cooperative, and you can see a way to
deal with the situation, we try to go along with
them and work it out.”
“But,” notes Marcus, “if someone comes in and
calls you all kinds of dirty names, your instinct is
not to do anything out of the ordinary for them.”
Unfortunately many people don’t understand
that, because Marcus calmly explains that one of
the office games is to count how many times a
day she is cursed out. “You cannot work here
unless you are able to walk away from insults on
a regular daily basis, and unless you know your
job so well that you are certain when you tell
someone a fact you are correct.”
Although the assaults on DMV employees are
almost all verbal, there are growing concerns
about physical safety on the job. All New York
City CSEA representatives say that security in
their offices is inadequate considering the amount
of money changing hands, the number of peo-
ple passing through daily, and the potential for
rising tempers
In the Manhattan office there have been fist-
fights, pick-pocketing, and bomb threats. In
Queens, a disgruntled customer tried to tear
down a security divider
Employees, of course, don’t want to be at any
more risk than they need to be. For that reason,
they've filed grievances objecting to a new direc-
tive ordering representatives working the floor to
wear sashes identifying themselves. The em-
ployees say that’s like painting a target on their
backs and declaring open hunting season
Marcus says she is also concerned about a lack
of barriers to hold back the public in the adjust-
ment area. She has repeatedly asked for a more
secure physical set-up, without any action being
taken.
Her point is echoed by Wilfred Miranda, another
Local 010 member employed in the enforcement
area at the Manhattan DMV office. ‘The people
we're dealing with are those who've had prob-
lems with DMV so they're not pleased when we
see them. But we're right out in the open, and
there's nothing to protect us from abuse.”
Miranda indicates that it's unproductive to work
in an unenclosed area. ‘All day long, the public
is coming up asking questions and interrupting
while we're trying to do our work.”
Although the Department of Motor Vehicles has
made much about its attempts to relieve conges-
tion and simplify license and registration proce-
dures, New York City members says the long
lines continue. For instance, in spite of heavy en-
couragement to renew by mail, there is still
tremendous overcrowding at the beginning and
end of every month.
Peggy Hay, Local 010 grievance rep at Man-
hattan DMV, claims “even people who do renew
by mail still end up at our windows because they
haven't received their new documents in
time...they come in to check if it was received
and to get temporary papers. Most of the time
we find out that it was processed in Albany but
the mails just didn't get to people.”
Members are also troubled by a new operat-
ing system implemented across the state called
the “one-step.” The changes, intended to limit
the lines and waiting time, consolidates the previ-
ous separate functions of examining documents,
cashiering, and issuing documents. Although em-
ployees are still just learning the system, which
has been in place statewide only a few weeks,
many in New York City are skeptical that it will
LOCAL 010 GRIEVANCE REP Cissey Mar-
cus. **You have to get used to daity-iasults
to work here.’ she says.
December 30, 1985
OO eeeeNN--:-:-:----EESOrsrE—wrr
}
ee ic no
hieve any great time savings for the public
“We're doing three peoples’ jobs now,” claims
lia Logan, a Motor Vehicles representative in
janhattan. ‘It puts a lot of pressure on one per-
lon because you really have to make sure what
pu're doing is correct. Before we had specialists
area and they were able to do their work
aster.”
Employees report that it now takes longer to
Prvice each individual who comes to their win-
ow. They are also upset that they are taking on
eater responsibility without receiving any sala-
increase.
Because of the required detail work under the
e-step system and the sheer volume of trans-
tions handled in New York City, many members
Pe long lines as a fact of life. But others, like
and Hay, contend that the real problem
't being addressed.
“We process thousands of transactions every
y,"’ says Marcus. ‘This office can't really ac-
bmodate the number of people it serves. What
le need is a north Queens office to draw off
bme of our volume.” In Manhattan, DMV has
fans in the works for a satellite office in Harlem
But there are other reasons for time-consuming
its to DMV. “We're not operating at capacity
| day long, mostly because we have so many
prt-tge employees,” says Hay. Both Hay and
larcus say there is about a 50-50 split between
ll-time and part-time employees in their offices.
he result is that they are technically not under-
laffed, but they are also not as productive as
ley should be. Often, for instance, full-time em-
loyees are required to train part-timers, and this
kes away from their ability to serve the public.
ICSEA is alarmed at the increasing use of part-
ie employees in the Department of Motor Ve-
les. And the union calls “disturbing” other de-
blopments in the department, such as the re-
pntlannounced plans by DMV to use prison in-
lates to handle information requested by tele-
jone. CSEA says the project is an end-run
ound the civil service system and the union
ants answers about the quality control and secu-
aspects of this plan.
According to CSEA Collective Bargaining Spe-
list Joe Reedy, these issues along with pay
huity questions raised by the one-step system
ll be on the agenda at an upcoming meeting
heduled between CSEA statewide President
liliar'"L. McGowan and the commissioner of mo-
vehicles.
leanwhile, DMV employees continue to try to
ocess all those renewals and registrations as
ickly as they can, But if anyone needs further
ications as to why DMV lines are so long in
pw York City, a drive ywhere in the five city
broughs at rush hour will provide the answer
December 30, 1985
B
Bronx Traffic Bureau:
“
BRONX — Working conditions have been
cramped and the lines have backed out to the
street at the Department of Motor Vehicles
Bronx Traffic Violations Bureau ever since the
facility opened over ten years ago. Now, after
years of delay, some relief may be in sight.
The Governor's Office of Employee Relations
has informed CSEA that plans are in the works
to relocate the Sedgewick Avenue operation
to more appropriate quarters at 2070 White
Plains Road. Negotiations with the landlord
should be completed by Jan. 1, with the
necessary renovation finished and the facility
ready for occupancy by September.
“We're still a lite skeptical,” claims CSEA
Local 010 Grievance Rep Rosalyn Treatman.
“Since | first came here to work ten years ago
we've been veang that we're going to move,
and for one reason or another it never hap-
pened.”
If the relocation does take place as planned,
it will be due in no small part to the efforts of
Treatman and CSEA. Treatman filed a safety
and health grievance last spring detailing the
deficiencies of the building and the inadequate
working conditions.
Decade of frustration
may finally be ending
¥ cerns should be resolved by the relocation.
SKEPTICAL — CSEA Local 010 Grievance
Rep Rosalyn Treatman says she isn’t count-
ing her chickens until they’re hatched.
Treatman’s grievance led to some action on
relocating the facility, but plans for moving
the operation have been on-again and off-
again over the past ten years.
When the Department of Motor Vehicles
didn’t act, CSEA brought the situation to the
attention of the Governor's Office of Employee
Relations, which in turn had the Office of
General Services expedite its site selection
process.
In a Sept. 16 letter to OGS Commissioner
John Egan, GOER Director Thomas Hartnett
reiterated the CSEA grievance that DM offi-
cials had confirmed.
Excerpts from the Hartnett letter include:
“SECURITY—They claim the building is unin-
surable and they have had at least eight thefts
there.
SPACE—They claim the two-floor arrange-
ment is untenable and that expansion to the
third floor would be totally unworkable. They
note that their operation lends itself to a one
floor location. The second and third floors
would not be usable after 3:30 p.m. since no
police officers are on duty for security.
AIR CIRCULATION AND LIGHTING ARE
POOR.
ELEVATORS DO NOT REGULARLY
OPERATE.
PARKING IS A PROBLEM IN THE AREA.
TRAFFIC IN THE BUILDING IS CURRENT-
LY UNMANAGEABLE. Violators overflow into
the street. New York City Police volunteer to
keep order, but outbreaks do occur and staff
safety is in jeopardy.
THERE IS NO PLACE TO EAT IN THE
AREA.”
The Hartnett letter goes on to say, “’...in es-
sence, since this matter has been under con-
sideration for several years, and in view of the
anxiety level of the employees over safety con-
cerns and overcrowding, we would hope that
-a site would be identified shortly and a timeta-
ble for relocation developed so at least we
could assure CSEA officials that the matter is
progressing.”
CSEA's Director of Occupational Safety and
Health James Corcoran said employee con-
“This looks like a workable solution,” adds
Region Il President George Boncoraglio. “But
considering the past history of this situation,
| don’t think we can take anything for granted.
Sites have been selected before but they've
been blocked by community groups and local
politicians. | hope this time will be different.”
Unfortunately, some rumblings have already
been heard. A flier distributed by the Pelham
Parkway Block Assocation states, “The Mo-
tor Vehicle court is back. We don’t want
it... Voice your opposition.”
So, after ten years of endless delay and hav-
ing to tolerate horrible working conditions, and
despite the direct involvement of high level
state officials, CSEA members at the Bronx
Traffic Violations Bureau are watching closely
to see if yet another setback is developing.
y
THE PUBLIC SECTOR 1 1
CHRISTMAS JOY—Cal Gorham, a maintenance worker at Elmira
Psychiatric Center is partially hidden behind sons Christopher and
James who thrill to the antics of real-as-life talking puppets. At
right, Ryan Nigro, grandson of Addie Kelley, a former president
of Local 437, offers an impish grin to Santa’s question about being
good.
Elmira PC members
, instep with that
holiday spirit
ELMIRA—There is nothing quite like the
delightful laughter of children at Christmastime.
Just ask the members of CSEA Local 437 who
recently sponsored their Third Annual
Christmas Show for children of employees at
| Elmira Psychiatric Center.
] Tom Ward, president of the local, says this
| year's event was the biggest, most successful
) ever, with more than 100 children enjoying a
| holiday program that featured a visit from Santa
| Claus, a puppet show, plus gifts and
refreshments for every youngster.
“Every year, the show seems to get bigger
and bigger, thanks to the excellent response
from the CSEA members and other
employees,” Ward said.
He noted that the program committee gave
“a lot of personal time and effort to ensure that
each child got a full measure of the spirit of
Christmas.” Ward also expressed gratitude for
performances by Linda and Pat MacAuslan
and their cast of Patchwork Puppeteers from
Millerstown, Pennsylvania.
“They put on such a magnificent show we
invited them back next year,” Ward added.
The annual Christmas celebration started out
as a way to bring some holiday joy to children
and also provide an opportunity for employees
from the facility to gather at one time with their
children and socialize.
Judging from the turnout, Ward said, this
is a holiday tradition that will hang on.
At State Tax and Finance
Members kicking in for Toys for Tots
ALBANY—Christmas is caring and sharing, a spirit embraced every
year around this time by a group of CSEA members who refurbish dolls
for children from poor families.
This year, as for the past decade, women from Tax and Finance
Local 690 dressed 300 dolls for the Salvation Army’s Toys for Tots
campaign. Not to be outdone, men from the local contributed toys and
other articles for a table full of Christmas stockings.
“| really can't recall when this effort began,” says CSEA Local
President Carmen Bagnoli. “But | know that it has helped to make
Christmas special, not just for our members, but for the hundreds of
children who have received these gifts of love over the past years.”
In order to recognize the individual efforts of the workers, three
judges—Tax Commissioner Patrick Bulgaro, Assistant Director of Human
Services Debbie Ellis, and Special Assistant to the Commissioner Pam
Montamurro—reviewed all the dolls redone for the project. Employees
whose dolls were cited are: Annette Sanders, for most beautiful; Pauline
VandeVelde, for best crafted; and Betty Conley, for most original.
REAL DOLLS—CSEA Tax And Finance Local President Carmen
Bagnoli, left, escorts judges Pat Bulgaro, Pam Montamurro, and
Debbie Ellis around four tables filled with dolls. The winning
selections, above, were dressed by Annette Sanders, Pauline
VandeVelde and Betty Conley.
@
1 2 THE PUBLIC SECTOR December 30, 1985
CSEA PRESIDENT William L.
McGowan greets visitors at the
door of his new office.
Home sweet home
New CSHA headquarters holds open house
ALBANY—CSEA officers and other
representatives from around the state were
in town recently for an open house to show
off the union’s spacious new headquarters
at 143 Washington Avenue
Staff workers from the statewide offices
conducted tours of the four-story structure
located one block away from New York's
Capitol and just around the corner from the
union's former base at 33 Elk Street. Visitors
got to see the end result of an extensive
renovation which began in the fall after CSEA
purchased the building from the New York
State Teachers Retirement System.
To update the 20 year-old structure, the
union had the floors gutted and redesigned,
and old glazing replaced with energy
efficient double pane windows. The interior
design includes new hanging ceilings, a
neutral tone industrial carpeting throughout,
and modern work stations. Walls and office
space dividers are colored in blue or salm-
on on alternating floors.
Parking for all headquarters workers and
visitors to the statewide offices is available
in a lot adjacent to the building and
accessible by Elk Street.
The new building puts an end to the space
problem which the union had experienced
over the past several years because of its
expansion of member services. All union
statewide departments— including those
which had been forced into leased office
space— are now located under one roof
Despite the move, the telephone number
and address for headquarters remain the
same: (518) 434-0191; Civil Service
Employees Association, P.O. Box 125,
Capitol Station, Albany, N.Y. 12224
REGION | PRESIDENT Danny Donohue shares a laugh with Jeannie Frazier, a Mental
Hygiene Board representative from Pilgrim Psychiatric Center.
December 30, 1985 ot
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Joseph E.
McDermott with Joann Lowe, a member of
CSEA’s Board of Directors.
AMONG REGIONAL DIRECTORS on hand for
the open house were Ross Hanna, Region IV,
and Diane Campion, Region Ill, pictured above.
KATHY COLLINS, president of State University
at Syracuse Local 615 and Region IV President
C. Allen Mead.
THE PUBLIC SECTOR
13
The ‘‘Guide to Health Insurance Options’’ prepared by the NYS
Department of Civil Service, Division of Employee Benefits, indicat-
ed that there were variations in coverage for certain services among
health maintenance organizations (HMOs). A brief description of such
services provided under The Empire Plan and the HMOs is shown)
on pages 14-19. If additional clarification is required, please con-
tact the HMO for details on the specific benefits for that service.
a4
THE
MPIRE PLAN
BLUE CHOICE
Services Monroe, Livingston, Ontario,
Seneca, Wayne and Yates Counties
SERVICES
Paid-in-full benefits through Empire Plan participating providers. Major medical
coverage — Annual deductible $130 individual, $260 for 2 individuals, $390
for 3 or more individuals
All services must be performed by or
under the direction of a Blue Choice
doctor, except for life-threatening
emergencies.
SKILLED NURSING
FACILITY CARE
Paid in full when medically necessary in lieu of hospitalization in an approved
facility if the patient is not primary Medicare eligible.
Covered in full when determined
medically necessary in lieu of
hospitalization in an approved facility
HOME HEALTH
CARE
Paid in full when medically necessary in lieu of hospitalization or admission to a
skilled nursing facility when rendered by an approved provider in New York
State
Covered in full when determined
medically necessary by a Blue Choice
physician
HOSPICE CARE
Paid in full when rendered by an approved hospice program.
Not covered.
ACCIDENT &
EMERGENCY ILLNESS
(EMERGENCY ROOM)
Paid in full; within 72 hours of an accident — within 24 hours of the onset of a
medical emergency.
Covered in full when approved by a Blue
Choice physician and patient is admitted
in hospital. $25 co-pay when patient is
not hospitalized.
PHYSICAL THERAPY
Paid in full through participating providers. Major medical coverage if non-
participating provider utilized.
Short term — Covered in full.
Long term — 80% reimbursement after
$50 annual deductible per person.
Paid in full through participating providers. Major medical coverage for non-
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
DOCTOR'S OFFICE Jin ful h $5.00 per visi
participating providers.
INPATIENT TREATMENT Covered under major medical — 7 weeks per year in an approved facility. Covered in full up to 30 days if medical-
ly necessary
OF ALCOHOLISM AND/OR
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
OUTPATIENT TREATMENT Alcoholism Treatment — 60 outpatient visits per year in a general or public Up to 60 days of outpatient alcoholism
OF ALCOHOLISM AND/OR hospital. therapy per person per year covered in
ul
Substance Abuse — 30 outpatient visits per year.
PSYCHIATRIC CARE—
INPATIENT
Paid in full 120 days per spell of psychiatric care in a general or public
hospital.
Private hospital-covered under major medical
Up to 30 inpatient days per person per
year covered in full.
PSYCHIATRIC CARE—
Crisis intervention: 3 visits per occurrence; covered under major medical —
maximum $60 per visit; not subject to deductible or co-pay. Visits thereafter
Up to 20 outpatient or private office
visits per person per year for evaluation
PROSTHETIC APPLIANCES,
ETC.
OUTPATIENT or not related to crisis subject to major medical deductible and co-payment; Or crisis intervention only: 50% co-
A maximum payment as follows: Visits 1-10 maximum $48 per visit; 11-30 max- | Payment
2a imum $40 per visit; after 30 maximum $30 per visit
C clindenmelenmadical Durable equipment — Not covered
DURABLE EQUIPMENT, rovered Under Majo} Internal prosthetic devices — covered in
full
External prosthetic devices — 80% reim:
bursement after $50 annual deductible
per person.
HEARING AIDS
Services for examinations and/or purchase of hearing aids covered under ma-
jor medical up to a maximum of $150 once every three years.
Not covered.
CHIROPRACTIC CARE
Paid in full through participating providers. Covered under major medical if
non-participating provider utilized
Not covered
14
THE PUBLIC SECTOR
December 30, 1985
- compare, then decide. . .
CAPITAL AREA COMMUNITY
HEALTH PLAN
Serves the Capital Area and surrounding
communities in New York State, parts of
Massachusetts and Vermont
CAPITAL DISTRICT PHYSICIAN'S
HEALTH PLAN
Serves Albany, Rensselaer and
southern Saratoga Counties
CHOICECARE
Serves Nassau and Suffolk Counties
COMMUNITY BLUE
Serves Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Genesee
Wyoming, Allegany, Cattaraugus,
Chautauqua Counties in Western New
York
Allservices must be performed by or
under the direction of a CHP physician,
except for life-threatening emergencies.
All services must be performed by or
under the direction of a Health Plan
physician, except for life-threatening
emergencies
All services must be performed by or
under the direction of a ChoiceCare
physician, except for life-threatening
emergencies.
Allservices must be performed, authoriz~
edor arranged by a Community Blue
physician, except for life-threatening
emergencies.
Coveredin full when authorized by aCHP
physician in lieu of inpatient hospital care
Covered in full for 365 days when
authorized by a Health Plan physician in
lieu of inpatient hospital care
Covered in full up to 45 days if authorized
by aChoiceCare physician in lieu of inpa-
tient hospital care.
Coveredin full up to 50 days per member
per year when authorized by aCommuni-
ty Blue physician
Covered in full when authorized by aCHP.
physician in lieu of inpatient hospital care.
Covered in full for unlimited days when
medically necessary and ordered by a
Health Plan physician
Covered in full when medically
necessary in lieu of hospitalization or ad-
mission toa skilled nursing facility
Coveredin full when determined
medically necessary by aCommunity
Blue physician
Coveredin full when authorized by aCHP
physician in lieu of inpatient hospital care.
Covered in full when determined
medically necessary by a Health Plan
physician
Covered in full when determined
medically necessary by a ChoiceCare
physician
Available only in Erie County. Covered in
full when determined medically
necessary by a Community Blue
physician.
Covered in fullwhen approved by aCHP.
physician
Covered in full when approved by a
Health Plan physician and patient is ad-
mitted into hospital. $25 co-pay when
patient is not hospitalized
Coveredin full when approved by a
ChoiceCare physician and patients ad-
mitted into hospital. $25 co-pay when
patients not hospitalized.
Covered in full when approved by aCom-
munity Blue physician and patientis ad-
mitted into hospital. $15 co-pay when
patient is not hospitalized
Short term— $2.00 per visit
Long term— You pay 20% of the first
$2,500 (or $7,500 for three or more
members) of charges ina calendar year
CHP pays allother charges up toa
lifetime limit of $250,000
Short term —
Covered in full for services that will
show a significant improvement within
60 days
Long term — Not covered.
Short term— $5.00 per visit.
Long term— Not covered
Short term —leading to recovery as
medically determined covered in full
Long term — Not covered.
$2.00 per visit
Covered in full
$5.00 per visit
$3.00 per visit
Coveredin full for short term crisis
intervention.
Alcoholism Treatment — Up to 7 days
covered in full for medically necessary
detoxification services only.
Substance Abuse — Covered at 80%
for medically necessary detoxification
benefits only
Coveredin full up to 3 periods of detox-
ification within a 12 month period
Coveredin fullup to 30 days if medically
$2.00 per visit up to 60 visits inacon-
tract year
Alcoholism Treatment — Up to 60 out-
patient visits covered in full
Coveredin fullfor up to 60 visits per
calendar year.
Alcoholism Treatment — Up to 60 visits
per member per year covered in full
Substance Abuse — Up to 20 visits per
member per year. First 5 visits covered in
full, next 15 at 50% co-payment
Coveredin full up to 30 days; thereafter,
you pay 20% of the first $2,500 (or
$7,500 for three or more members) of
charges in a calendar year. CHP paysall
other charges up to alifetime limit of
$250,000
Covered at 80% for up to 30 days
Coveredin full for up to 30 days per
calendar year for short-term care
Up to 30 days permember per year
covered in full,
$2.00 per visit up to 20 visits in acon-
tract year
Up to $700 of benefits provided for
crisis intervention and evaluation ser-
vices, $10.00 co-payment per visit.
Covered for up to 20 visits in acalendar
year for short-term care. First 3 visits
Covered in full; visits 4-20 subject to
$25.00 charge per visit
Up to 20 visits per member per year. First
5 visits covered in full, next 16 at 50%
co-payment
You pay 20% of the first $2,500 (or
$7,500 for three or more members) of
charges ina calendar year. CHP paysall
other charges up toalifetime limit of
$250,000
Covered at 80% for rental or purchase
Not covered.
When medically necessary aiid authoriz:
ed by aCommunity Blue physician and
approved by medical director coveredin
full
Covered under Durable Equipment
Not covered
Not covered.
Not covered.
Not covered.
Not covered
Not covered.
Not covered.
December 30, 1985
0
THE PUBLIC SECTOR
15
compare THE EMPIRE PLAN
EMPIRE HMO*
* not connected with the Empire Plan (Blue
Cross/Metropolitan coverage)
Serves Queens, Nassau, Suffolk, Bronx
Lower Westchester and Manhattan Counties
FOUNDATION HEALTH PLAN
Services Broom, Tioga, part of Cortland
and Chenango Counties
GENESEE VALLEY GROUP HEALTH
Serves Monroe and portions of Ontario,
Livingston and Wayne counties
SERVICES
Allservices must be performed by or
under the direction of a Group Physician
except for life-threatening emergencies
Allservices must be performed or
authorized by a FHP physician, except
for life-threatening emergencies
Allservices must be provided, arranged
or authorized by a Group Health
physician
SKILLED NURSING
FACILITY CARE
Coverage provided for up to 90 days per
spellof illness when authorized by a
Group Physician. Co-payment of
$20.00 per day for the first 30 days and
$10.00 per day for the next 60 days
Coveredin full up to 240 days per stay
when authorized by a FHP physician
Covered in fullup to 120 days when
authorized by a Group Health physician
HOME HEALTH
CARE
Covered in full when determined
medically necessary by a Group
Physician
Coverage available only to the extentap-
proved by a FHP physician and only for
as long as a FHP physician considers the
services to be medically necessary
Coveredin full when medically
necessary in lieu of hospitalization or ad-
mission to a skilled nursing facility and
authorized by a Group Health physician
HOSPICE CARE
Covered in full when determined
medically necessary by a Group
Physician.
Asa general rule, no coverage available;
however, certain types of treatment are
covered in full
Coverage coordinated with home health
care
ACCIDENT &
EMERGENCY ILLNESS
(EMERGENCY ROOM)
Coveredin full when approved by a
Group Physician or Medical Genter
Care in an emergency rooms subject to
a$25 co-payment and approval of a FHP
physician.
Coveredin full when authorized by a
Group Health physician
PHYSICAL THERAPY
Coveredin full when authorized bya
Group Physician
Rehabilitative treatment covered in full
when authorized by a FHP physician and
condition is subject to significant im-
provement. Long termnot covered
$3.00 per visit
DOCTOR'S OFFICE
Covered in full
$3.00 per visit
$3.00 per visit
INPATIENT TREATMENT
OF ALCOHOLISM AND/OR
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Covered in full for 30 days when medical-
ly necessary
Alcoholism inpatient treatment not
covered. However, detoxification
coveredin fullat an affiliated hospital.
Drug rehabilitation inpatient treatment
covered for short term when authorized
bya FHP physician
Coveredin full up to 10 days per episode
foramaximum of 30 days per calendar
year
OUTPATIENT TREATMENT
OF ALCOHOLISM AND/OR
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Up to 60 visits per calendar year per per-
son for alcoholism rehabilitation
treatment.
Alcoholism outpatient treatment covered
subject to $3.00 co-payment up to 60
visits per year.
Drug rehabilitative outpatient treatment
covered subject to $3.00 co-payment
when authorized by aFHP physician
Alcoholism Treatment — Coveredin full
up to 60 visits per calendar year
Substance Abuse — Coordinated with
outpatient mental health services.
PSYCHIATRIC CARE—
INPATIENT
Covered in full for 30 days for hospital
services and non-psyciiatric physician
services
Coveredin full up to 30 days. Care ina
day treatment or night treatment facility
coveredin full up to 30 days
Covered in full limited to 30 days per
calendar year
PSYCHIATRIC CARE—
OUTPATIENT
Covered in full for one clinical evaluation.
$3.00 per visit for the first three visits,
the next 17 FHP pays at 80% of the
charge per contract year
$3.00 per visit for short-term evaluation
and crisis intervention for up to 20 visits
per calendar year
DURABLE EQUIPMENT,
PROSTHETIC APPLIANCES,
ETC.
Prosthetic applicances — allowances for
reasonable charges when use is approv-
ed by aGroup Physician
Covered in full when authorized by aFHP
physician
Durable equipment — Not covered
80% of the reasonable and customary
price of external prosthetic devices.
100% of the fair and reasonable price for
internal prostethics replacing all or part of
abody organ
HEARING AIDS Not covered Covered in full when authorized by a FHP Not covered
physician
CHIROPRACTIC CARE Not covered Not covered Not covered
1 6 THE PUBLIC SECTOR
December 30, 1985
against your HMO services
HEALTH CARE PLAN
Serves Buffalo and the Niagara Frontier
HEALTHSHIELD
Serves all of Dutchess, Putnam, Ulster
and part of Orange Counties
HEALTHWAYS
Serves New York State employees
residing in New Jersey
INDEPENDENT HEALTH
ASSOCIATION
Serves Erie, Niagara, Allegany, Chautau-
qua, Cattaraugus, Genesee, Orleans and
Wyoming Counties in Western New York
Allservices must be performed by or
under the direction of a Health Care Plan
physician, except for life-threatening
emergencies
Allservices must be performed by or
under the direction of a HealthShield
physician, except for life-threatening
emergencies
Allarrangements or specialists, hospitals
or other affiliated services must be made
by your personal physician.
Allservices must be performed by or
under the direction of an Independent
Health Association physician, except for
life-threatening emergencies
Covered in full for up to 45 days of care
when medically necessary and authoriz-
edby aHCP physician
Covered in full when authorized bya
HealthShield physician in lieu of inpatient
hospital care.
Covered in full for up to 60 days per con-
tract year.
Coveredin full up to 90 days per contract
year authorized by an |HA physician
Coveredin full when prescribed by a
HCP physician in lieu of hospitalization
Coveredin fullwhen authorized bya
HealthShield physician in lieu of inpatient
hospital care
$3.00 per visit for home health
professionals
Covered in full when authorized by an
IHA hysician in lieu of hospitalization or
admission toa skilled nursing facility.
Covered in full for up to 45 days of care
when medically necessary and authoriz
ed by aHCP physician
Coveredin fullwhen authorized by a
HealthShield physician in lieu of inpatient
hospital care
Covered in full if care is provided in a skill:
ed nursing facility or home health care.
Coveredin full when authorized by an
IHA physician
Coveredin full when authorized by a HCP
physician
Coveredin fullwhen authorized by a
HealthShield physician
$25.00 fee per visit
Covered in full when approved by an HA
physician and patient is admitted into
hospital. $25.00 co-payment if patient is
not hospitalized
Coveredin full when condition is subject
to significant improvement within two
months.
Long term —Not covered.
Short term— $3.00 per visit.
Long term — You pay 20% of the first
$2,500 ($7,500 for three or more
members) of charges ina calendar year.
HealthShield pays all other charges up to
alifetime limit of $250,000
Short term— $3.00 per visit
Long term —Not covered
Short term restorative treatment covered
in full. Long term— Not covered
$2.00 per visit
$3.00 per visit
$3.00 per visit.
$5.00 per visit.
Covered for up to 3 detoxification
periods in 12 consecutive months
Covered in full for short-term crisis
intervention
Detoxification and inpatient treatment as
medically necessary coveredin full
Detoxification unlimited and coveredin
full
Outpatient rehabilitation for alcoholism
covered for up to 60 visits per calendar
year
$3.00 per visit up to 60 visits in acon-
tract year
Referral to AAA at no cost.
Coordinated with outpatient mental
health care.
Outpatient aleohol rehabilitation —60
visits per calendar year, $5.00 member
fee per visit!)
Coveredin full to 60 daysin each 12
month period with alimit of 30 days per
stay
Covered in full up to 30 days; thereafter,
you pay 20% of the first $2,500
($6,500 for three or more members) of
charges in a calendar year. HealthShield
pays all other charges up to alifetime limit
of $250,000
Coveredin fullup to 30 days per contract
year
Coveredin full for 30 days per contract
year at a psychiatric hospital
Coveredin fullup to 20 visits in each 12
month period
$3.00 per visit up to 20 visits in acon-
tract year
Upto 20 office visits per year; 1st visit for
evaluation $3.00; visits 2-20 50% of the
fee
Covered up to 20 visits per contract
year. $5.00 charge for 1st through Sth
visit; $30.00 or 50% (whicheveris less)
for 6th through 20th visits.
Not covered
You pay 20% of the first $2,500 (or
$7,500 for three or more members) of
charges inacalendar year. HealthShield
pays all other charges up to alifetime limit
of $250,000
Not covered.
Covered in full,
Not covered
Covered under Durable Equipment
Not covered
Not covered.
Not covered
Not covered
Not covered.
Not covered.
.December 30, 1985
THE PUBLIC SECTOR 1 7
compare THE EMPIRE PLAN
KAISER FOUNDATION HEALTH
PLAN OF THE NORTHEAST
Serves Bronx and Westchester Counties
and southern Connecticut
MID-HUDSON HEALTH PLAN
Serves Mid-Hudson Region
MOHAWK VALLEY PHYSICIANS
HEALTH PLAN
Serves Schenectady, Saratoga, Mon:
tgomery and Fulton Counties and sur-
rounding areas
SERVICES
Allservices must be performed by or
under the direction ofa plan physician,
except for life-threatening emergencies.
Allservices must be performed by or
under the direction of your MHP primary
care physician, except for life-
threatening emergencies.
MVP provides for covered services
when authorized by a subscriber's
Primary Care Physician, except for life-
threatening emergencies
SKILLED NURSING
FACILITY CARE
Covered in full when authorized by aplan
physician in lieu of inpatient hospital care.
Covered in full when authorized bya
MHP physician in lieu of inpatient hospital
care
Coveredin fullfor up to.45 daysina
calendar year when authorized by a MVP
physician in lieu of inpatient hospital care.
HOME HEALTH
CARE
Covered in full when authorized by a plan
physician in lieu of inpatient hospital care.
Covered in full when authorized bya
MHP physician
Covered in fullwhen authorized byaMVP
physician.
HOSPICE CARE
Covered in full when authorized by a plan
physician in lieu of inpatient hospital care
Covered in full when authorized bya
MHP physician
Coveredin full when authorized by aMVP-
physician.
ACCIDENT &
EMERGENCY ILLNESS
(EMERGENCY ROOM)
Coveredin full when authorized by a plan
physician.
Covered in full when authorized bya
MHP physician
Coveredin full when authorizedby a MVP
physician and patientis admitted into
hospital. $15.00 co-payment if patientis
not admitted
PHYSICAL THERAPY
Short term — Coveredin full
Long term — Not covered.
Short-term therapy for conditions judged
by aMHP physician to be subject to im-
provement witha period of 60 days:
covered in full
Long term—Notcovered.
Short-term therapy for conditions which,
inthe judgment of MVP, are subject to
significant clinical improvement covered
in full
Long term — Not covered
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
60 outpatient visits per contract year for
the diagnosis and treatment of
alcoholism covered in full
DOCYOR'S OFFICE Covered in full $3.00 per visit $3.00 per visit
INPATIENT TREATMENT Gea ear ee Ee ee Covered infullusto sO dayspermember | Detexiesion Covered afl
abuse or addiction to alcohol or drugs
OF ALCOHOLISM ANDIOR §— | 2.secradci
SUBSTANCE ABUSE Detoxification treatment coveredin full
when approved by a plan physician.
Short-term detoxification services and = i:
OUTPATIENT TREATMENT — | Surisusitvatoncustomuancy | Qupwiertaconorenmutater co | Aeoolencenoisten eaten”
OF ALCOHOLISM AND/OR addiction to drugs coveredin full. Up to $3.00 fee per visit tract year, $3.00 co-payment per visit
PSYCHIATRIC CARE—
INPATIENT
Covered in full for short-term evaluation,
or crisis intervention care for up to 30.
days per contract year.
Coveredin full for 30 days per person per
contract year
Hospital — Covered in full up to 30 days.
Physician — 50% or $30.00 maximum
up to 20 visits.
PSYCHIATRIC CARE—
OUTPATIENT
Covered in full for short-term evaluation
or crisis intervention care for up to 20
visits per contract year
Maximum limit $1,400 per member per
contract year; $3.00 per visit
Up toamaximum of 20 visits per contract
year
$3.00 for 1st visit
$10.00 for 2nd through 5th visits
$30.00 or 50% for the costof the visit
whicheveris less for the 6th through
20th visits.
DURABLE EQUIPMENT,
PROSTHETIC APPLIANCES,
ETC.
Internal prosthetic devices — Coveredin
full
External prosthetic devices — Not
covered
Crutches, canes, walkers and
wheelchairs may be loaned from the
MHP Health Center (atno charge) for up
to 60 days.
Prosthetic appliances — Not covered.
Durable medical equipment covered in
full when authorized by a MVP physician.
Prosthetic appliances — Not covered
HEARING AIDS
Not covered.
Not covered.
Not covered.
CHIROPRACTIC CARE
Not covered
Not covered
Not covered,
18
THE PUBLIC SECTOR
December 30, 1985
* against your HMO services
PREFERRED CARE
Serves Monroe, Livingston, Wayne, On-
tario, Yates and Seneca Counties
PREPAID HEALTH PLAN
Serves Onondaga, western Madison,
most of Oswego and part of Cayuga
Counties
ROCHESTER HEALTH NETWORK
Serves the Greater Rochester Communi-
ty; Monroe, Ontario, Genesee, Liv-
ingston, Orleans and Wayne Counties
RUTGERS COMMUNITY HEALTH
PLAN
Serves Central New Jersey communities
All services must be provided or arrang-
ed bya Preferred Care physician and ap-
proved by Preferred Care, except for
life-threatening emergencies.
Allservices must be performed or
authorized by a PHP physician, except
for life-threatening emergencies.
Allservices must be rendered or arrang-
ed by the member's RHN physician, ex-
cept for life-threatening emergencies.
Allservices must be performed by or
under the direction of aRutgers Com-
munity Health Plan physician, except for
life-threatening emergencies
Covered in full for unlimited days when
medically necessary in lieu of hospitaliza-
tion and approved by Preferred Care
Coveredin full up to 240 days per stay
when authorized by a PHP physician.
Toverage avallable when authorized bya PAN
physician in lieu of hospitalization
Member Skilled Nursing Facility — covered in
full
Non-Member Skilled Nursing Faciity —
Covered at 80% of reqular charges for the ser-
vices paid for ina Member Skilled Nursing
Facility notto exceed $25.00 per day.
Covered up to 100 days per calendar
year when arranged by RCHP.
Coveredin full for unlimited days when
medically necessary and approved by
Preferred Care.
Coverage available only to the extent ap-
proved by a PHP physician and only for
aslongas a PHP physician considers the
services to be medically necessary
Coveredin fullwhen medically
necessary and arranged by the RHN
plan
$1.00 per visit
Coveredin full when medically
necessary and approved by Preferred
Care.
Coveredin fullif careis providedina
hospital, skilled nursing facility or home
health care
Not covered.
Coveredin full when arranged by RHOP
Covered in full when authorized bya
Preferred Care physician and patientis
admitted into hospital. $25.00 co-
payment if patient is not hospitalized.
Coveredin full when approved by aPHP
physician.
Covered in full when approved by aRHN
physician and the patientis admitted into
hospital, $25.00 co-payment if patientis
not hospitalized
Covered in full when authorized by a plan
physician
Covered at 80% after a deductible of
$50 per person per contract year if the
condition, at the sole judgment of Prefer-
red Care, is subject to continued signifi-
cant clinical improvement.
Long term—Not covered
Rehabilitative treatment covered in full
when authorized by a PHP physician and
condition is subject to significant
improvement
Short term — Covered in full
Long term—Not covered.
Short term— Covered in full for condi-
tions subject to improvement within two
months. Maximum two months therapy
per incident
Long term—Not covered
$3.00 per visit
Covered in full.
$3.00 per visit
$1.00 per visit
Short term detoxification only coveredin
full. No limit on number of times
detoxification
Alcoholism inpatient treatment —not
covered. However, detoxification
covered in fullin an affiliated hospital.
Drug rehabilitation inpatient treatment
covered for short-term when authorized
by a PHP physician
Coveredin full for detoxification
Covered in full up to 30 days per calendar
year; up to 7 days per incident for
detoxification.
Alcoholism Treatment — Up to 60 visits
per contract year at $3.00 per visit
Alcoholism rehabilitative outpatient treat-
ment covered up to 60 visits per year
Drug rehabilitative outpatient treatment
covered when authorized by a PHP
physician.
Outpatient alcoholism treatment —
covered at $5.00 per visit for up to 60
visits per year
$10.00 per visit co-payment
Up to 30 days room and board and all
medically necessary services covered in
full for crisis intervention only.
Coveredin full up to 30 days. Care ina
day treatment or night treatment facility
coveredin full up to 90 days.
Covered in full for up to 30 days per year
Coveredin full up to 30 days per calendar
year
$3.00 co-payment for 1st visit for
evaluation, 2nd through 20th visit at
50% co-payment (crisis intervention
only)
First 3 visits covered in full. The next 17
PHP pays 80% of the charge per con:
tract year up to $700.
Upto 20 visits per year covered; visits
1-5 coveredin full; visits 6-20 covered at
50%
Upto 20 visits per calendar year
covered
Durable equipment — Not covered.
Artificial limbs or eyes, or orthopedic
braces and supports which are custom
made are covered at 80% of the cost
after a $50 per person per contract year
deductible
Covered in full
Durable equipment — Not covered
100% of the fair and reasonable price for
certain external prosthetic and orthodic
devices when ordered by aRHU
physician.
Covered in full
Not covered. Not covered. Not covered. One hearing aid every three years to
$400 maximum.
Not covered. Not covered. Not covered. Not covered.
December 30, 1985
THE PUBLIC SECTOR 1 be]
The road fo retirement can
detour many fo wrong fier
A recent high court decision involving a
Broome County deputy sheriff whom the state
Comptroller's Office tried to place in the wrong
retirement tier could affect about 2,700 public
employees who joined the State Employees’
Retirement System during the last half of
1976.
The Appellate Division of State Supreme
Court recently upheld an earlier ruling by Jus-
tice Harold J. Hughes during a Special Term
of State Supreme Court that former deputy
Theodore H. Oliver was entitled to disability
retirement benefiis under Tier II and not, as the
state had claimed, Tier IV, where he had been
placed by the Comptroller's Office.
When Oliver was appointed a deputy sheriff
by Broome County on July 12, 1976, he
believed he was enrolled as a member of Tier
ll. But when his application for accidental
disability retirement was granted in August,
1984, the Comptroller's Office said he was
eligible for disability retirement under Tier IV,
which would result in a substantially reduced
retirement benefit. Oliver appealed that ruling
and filed an article 78 proceeding, which led
to the eventual court ruling.
As a result, Oliver is eligible for disability
retirement in an amount equal to three-fourths
of his final average salary, as provided under
Tier Il, rather than the lesser amount of one-
third of his final average salary as called for
under Tier IV.
The court dismissed claims by the
Comptroller's Office that Oliver's enrollment as
a Tier ll employee on July 12, 1976 was
temporary only, and that he became a Tier Ill
employee as of Jan. 1, 1977. The
Comptroller's Office claimed that members who
joined the retirement system between July |,
1976, the date that Tier Il benefits ceased, and
July 27, 1976, the effective date of legislation
creating Tier Ill, became temporary Tier Il
members only and were not entitled to benefits
Appellate court decision
may impact on status of
hundreds of employees in
state retirement system
of the retirement system until Jan. 1, 1977,
when they became eligible to participate as Tier
Ill and, subsequently, Tier IV members.
CSEA entered the case during the appeals
process following the initial decision of the
Special Term of State Supreme Court, arguing
in favor of the court's ruling and urging the
Appellate Division to uphold it. CSEA says as
many as 2,700 public employees could be
affected by the decision, although the state is
viewing the rulings differently than the union
in terms of effective dates of Tier II enroliment.
The Comptroller's Office claims that
members who joined the retirement system
between July 1, 1976 and July 27, 1976 are
affected by the ruling. But CSEA said the court
ruled it felt the Legislature intended to make
Tier Il available until Tier Ill became effective
on Jan. 1, 1977, and not just until July 27,
1976. The court also ruled that the
Comptroller's position was a violation of the
state Constitution in that it works to diminish
and impair retirement benefits.
CSEA says many of its members are among
the approximately 2,700 public employees
who joined the system after July 27, 1976 and
prior to Jan. 1, 1977, and the union is urging
CSEA members in that group of public workers
to contact CSEA (see adjacent story.) Oliver
became a Broome County deputy sheriff on
July 12, 1976. In May, 1979, while in the
course of his employment, he was severely
injured in a vehicular accident. He eventually
resumed his regular duties on road patrol, but
was reinjured while making an arrest. From
October, 1983 to May, 1984, when last
employed as a deputy, he performed only light
duties. The county, in October, 1983,
requested that Oliver apply for accidental
disability retirement, which he subsequently
did. The Comptroller granted the application in
August, 1984, placing his benefits in Tier IV
and leading to the dispute over which Tier he
should be eligible for retirement benefits under
r
If you joined system
last half of 1976
CONTACT US TODAY
The recent state Supreme Court Appellate
Division ruling enrolling Theodore H. Oliver
into Tier Il of the State Employees’
Retirement System may open the door for
CSEA to seek Tier Il status for CSEA
members who joined the Retirement System
between July 1 and Dec. 31, 1976.
According to Attorney John R. Mineaux
of CSEA’s law firm of Roemer and
Featherstonhaugh, the Oliver case ruling
may be precedent setting for employees
who joined the Retirement System between
those dates and who the state Comptroller
placed in Tier Ill and Tier IV.
Mineaux urges all CSEA members who
enrolled in the Retirement System between
July 1 and Dec. 31, 1976 to contact him.
The Appellate Division ruling stated, in
part, “The Tier Il retirement plan, created by
the Laws of 1973 (ch 382) and later
extended until June 30, 1976, was
prolonged by the Laws of 1976 (ch 890)
until December 31, 1976 (RSSL 451). We
are of the view that by this extension the
Legislature at the very least made the Tier
ll plan available to public employees
who...became members of the retirement
system between July 1, 1976 and the
effective date of Tier Ill.”
Public employees who joined the
Retirement System between July 1 and Dec
31, 1976 should contact:
Attorney John R. Mineaux
Roemer and Featherstonhaugh, P.C.,
Capital Center,
S a
Individual bills
in effort to end
to be introduced
In addition to employees who joined the
State Employees’ Retirement System
between July 1 and Dec. 31, 1976, there
may be hundreds of other public employees
who are enrolled in the wrong retirement tier
for a variety of reasons.
Each year, CSEA has introduced bills to
the state Legislature which would allow
members who are in the wrong retirement
tier to be placed in the correct tier.
CSEA is taking a new approach for the
upcoming 1986 legislative session. The
union plans to introduce individual bills on
behalf of each member who contacts CSEA
99 Pine Sreet,
Albany, N.Y. 12207
and is found to be enrolled in the wrong tier. B
It is hoped the individual approach will be
more effective in resolving the problems
Letters are being sent to all members who
have previously contacted CSEA concerning
improper tier enrollment. All other mem-
bers who believe they, too, are in the
wrong retirement tier should contact:
Attorney Elizabeth K. Clyne
Roemer and Featherstonhaugh, P.C.
Capital Center
99 Pine Street
Albany, N. Y. 12207
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20
THE PUBLIC SECTOR
December 30, 1985
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0