OMH pilot program jump starts
compliancetomandatoryovertimelaw
ByDEBORAHA.MILES firstpayrollperiodafterthepilotprogram KevinConley,apsychiatricnurse2
Infourmonthsstateagenciesmust began,ascomparedtothesamepayroll andPEFExecutiveBoardmemberat
complywiththe2008statelawprohibiting periodlastyear,”saidMarianne CentralNewYorkPC,saidthe12-hour
t
i
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n
mandatoryovertimefornurses.Gov.David Albamont,a PEFExecutiveBoard shifthasmadeabigdifferenceathis
Patersonallowedthestatealmostayearto representativeandanintensivecase facilitytoo.
prepareforthetransitionwhichofficially manager. “Thenursesloveit,”Conleysaid.“They
takesplaceJuly1. “Bythethirdpayrollperiod,the aredoingeverythingtheycantomakeit
ThestateOfficeofMentalHealth reductionwasapproximately82percent work.”
(OMH)alreadyhasimplementedapilot inovertimeratescomparedtolastyearfor Someofthestepstoreducemandatory
s
’
S
t
a
programatsixfacilities.Forthemost thesameperiod.Inthelastpayroll overtimeatCentralNewYorkPCincluded
part,itisworkingoutverywell. period,therewasactuallyzeromandatory theearlypostingofvacantshifts;
ThefacilitiesinvolvedwiththeMOT overtimeforournursesforthefirsttimeI implementingthe12-hourshift;hiring
pilotprogramareHutchingsPsychiatric canremember,”Albamontsaid. nursestofillpart-andfull-timepositions;
u
r
s
e
Center(PC),GreaterBinghamtonHealth “Managementissurprisedbythe creatingcentralizedscheduling;and
Center,HudsonRiverPC,ManhattanPC, resultsandnotquitebelievingwhatit’s havingnurseadministratorscoverthe
N
WesternNewYorkChildren’sPC,and seeingatHudsonPC.Theydidimplement wardswhennecessary.
CentralNewYorkForensicPC. almostallthesuggestionswemade,and ConleyandAlbamontagreed,“Thekey
TheOMHpilotprogrambeganinlate theyarealsoseeingthedramaticdecrease tosuccessismanagementandlabor
October2008.Itrecruitsmoreper-diem intheunscheduledtimeoffbynursesas workingtogether.”
nurses;usesarosterofon-callnurses; wepredicted.” Otherstateagenciesthatwillhaveto
expandsthevoluntaryovertime Albamontsaideachfacilityisdoing complywiththeMandatoryOvertimeLaw
proceduresbypostingonemonthearlier somethingdifferenttogetitsnumbers andestablishprogramsarethe
theschedulewithavailableovertime;and downbecausetheyeachhavedifferent DepartmentofCorrectionalServices,
developsapreferencelistfordaysand issues.AtManhattanPC,forexample,the OfficeofMentalRetardationand
shiftsnursesmightbewillingto focusison12-hourshifts.Theresultis DevelopmentalDisabilities,Departmentof
voluntarilycoverwithovertime. lessmandatoryovertimeandthe Health,OfficeofAlcoholandSubstance
“HudsonRiverPCsawa60percent increasedabilitytohireandretainmore AbuseServices,andtheStateUniversity
reductioninmandatoryovertimeinthe nurses. ofNewYork.
CDTAhikesfares,NYS-Rideistheticketforsaving
ByDEBORAHA.MILES severalyearsago,butcontinuedthe applytotheincreasedfares.”
PEFmembersinthegreaterAlbany favorablepricingarrangementforPEF BeginningApril1,thefive-daypass
areawhouseaCDTA(CaptialDistrict andmembersinothereligiblenegotiating whichhasafacevalueof$55,willbe
TransportationAuthority)swipercardfor units,”hesaid. offeredtoNYS-Rideenrolleesfor$49.50.
busservicewillseeachangeintheway CDTA’sdecisiontoraisefaresandend TheNYS-Rideprogramisopentoall
theycansaveduetoaCDTAfeehike. thediscountswasalsobasedonthe stateemployeeswhoaremembersinan
StartingApril1,CDTAswipercards recentexpansionofthepre-tax eligiblenegotiatingunitandreceive
willnolongerbeavailableforpurchase transportationprogramavailabletoall biweeklypaychecksfromtheOfficeofthe
throughPEFMembershipBenefits.In NewYorkstateemployees.Thisprogram StateComptroller.Aminimumoftwo
conjunctionwiththerecentlyannounced allowsemployeestopayfortheirmonthly successivebi-weeklypayrolldeductionsis
fareincrease,CDTAhasdecideditmust transportationcostsusingpre-taxmoney, necessarytostartpurchasingcards.
endthedeepdiscountithistorically whichcansavetheemployeeupto40 Membersshouldalsobeaware
offeredtoPEFandCivilService percentoftheticketcost.Intermsof WageWorkscommuterdebitcardswillnot
EmployeesAssociationmembers. actualcost,stateemployeesreceivea beacceptedforCDTApurchases.
Previously,thefive-daycard,which greatereconomicbenefitbyparticipating Commutingcostsarepaidthrough
hadafacevalueof$36,wasofferedto inthepre-taxprogramthanfromthe convenientpre-taxpayrolldeductions
PEFmembersfor$27.50. discountedpricing,accordingto thatsavemoneyeachpayday.Ifyour
“Yearsago,peopleintheCapital Carrothers. commutingcostsarehigherthanthepre-
Districtwereunabletoparticipateinthe “Wehaveworkedwiththestateand taxmaximumof$120permonth,the
pre-taxtransportationprogramwhich CDTAtotrytogetmorefavorablepricing,” remainderisdeductedonapost-tax
wasrestrictedtothefiveboroughsofNew Carrotherssaid.“Wesucceededin basis.
YorkCity.Atthetimetheprogram obtaininga10percentdiscountoverthe Theplanoffersflexibilitytochange
started,CDTAreceivedthemoneyfrom facevalue,andgiventhatstateemployees yourelectioneachmonthifyourneeds
thefederalgovernmenttosubsidize arelikelythesinglelargestgroupof change.Youcanorderyourmonthly
ticketstopromotegreatermasstransit employeesusingswiperpasses,wewere transitpassorvanpoolvoucherat
ridership,”saidRobertCarrothers,PEF hopefuladditionaldiscountscouldbe nysride.comorbycallingWageWorks
directorofcontractadministration. obtained.Sofar,we’vemadelittle customerserviceat1-866-428-7781.
“That’simportant,becauseCDTAlost progressinexpandingthediscount,but
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PEFInformationLine:1-800-553-2445
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