NYC call center lawsuit settled
BySHERRYHALBROOK AsianemployeesoftheManhattan-based
defendantsprobablywouldbeableto
Afteralongstruggle, claimscenter,onthegroundsthat
showanon-discriminatoryreasonfor
PEF’sclass-action closingitwouldviolatetheirrightsunder
transferringthefunctionoftheNYCTCC
lawsuitchargingthe thestateHumanRightsLaw.
totwoupstateTCCofficesandthat
stateLaborDepartment PEFwasconcernedthatnotonlywere
alternativeswereconsidered,”saidPEF
withdiscriminationhasbeen thecenter’sminorityemployees
DeputyGeneralCounselLisaKing,“and
settled. adverselyaffectedbyitsclosing,New
weshouldpursueDOL’soffertosettle.”
Aspartofabroadcampaign– York’slargeminorityandforeign-born
thatalsoinvolvedmobilizing populationwouldbedisadvantagedtoo
The settlement
membersandbuildingpublic bythelossofthecenter’smanybilingual
Thesettlementagreementpays$3,500
andlegislativesupport–PEF staff.
toeachPEFmembercoveredbythe
suedtheDOLinAugust2005to Thecenterwasstaffedpredominately
lawsuitwhowasforcedtomovetoTroy
stoptheagencyfromclosingits byminorityemployees,anditsfunctions
orGlendaletokeeptheirjobsaslabor
TelephoneClaimsCenter(TCC)in weretransferredtoDOL’sonlyothertwo
servicesreps,orwhoretiredwhenthe
Manhattan. TCCs(locatedinTroyand
NYCTCCclosed.
Thecenterwasclosedin Endicott/Glendale),whichwerestaffed
Also,anyofthemwhodidn’treceivea
December2006,affecting143 bypredominatelywhiteemployees.
performance(longevity)awardbecauseof
PEFmemberswhowere TheNewYorkcity-basedTCC
theclosureoftheNYCTCC,willreceive
forcedtorelocate,transferto employeesweretoldtotransfertoTroy
one.Andtheirleaveaccrualswillbe
otheragenciesorretire. orGlendaleorlosetheirjobsasstate
restorediftheylosttimefromworkon
Arecentlynegotiatedsettlement laborservicesreps.Eventually,some
certaindatestobeinPEF-sponsored
providesmonetaryreliefforcertain transferred,somefoundjobsatother
protestsoftheclosureortoattendor
membersofthatgroup,andDOLalso stateagencies,andsomeretired.NoPEF
testifybeforetheLegislature.Ifthey’ve
agreedtohire12additionallabor membersinfull-time,permanenttitles
retired,theywillbepaidforthose
servicesrepresentatives. wereamongthoselaid-off.
accruals.
Followingafairnesshearing,New Incourt,theDOLcommissionerand
Lastly,theDOLhashired12
YorkCountySupremeCourtJustice managerssaidtheyclosedtheNYCTCC
additionallaborservicesreps,thetitle
MarcyFriedmanapprovedthesettlement becausereducedfederalfundingforced
mostaffectedbytheclosingoftheNYC
agreementJuly28,2009. theagencytocutcostsandconsolidate
TCC,toworkinTroyandGlendale.
functionsoftheTCCs.Theysaidsince
Overtheyearssincethelawsuitarose,
How it played out theworkofallthreeTCCswasprimarily
thestateandDOLcameundernew
PEF’sclassactionlawsuitwasfiledon donebyphone,itcouldallbedone
administrationandattitudeschanged.
behalfofalloftheblack,Hispanicand upstatewhereoverheadcostsless.
Inauthorizingthesettlementoffer,
AlsotheleaseoftheNYCTCCwas
currentDOLCommissionerPatricia
thefirsttocomeupforrenewal.
Smithsaidtheagencywantstoprovide
“Werealizedthe
“someformofcompensationtothese
employees,bothcurrentandformer,(to)
reducethehardship(they)facedasa
resultoftheNYCTCCclosure.”
“Whilewewereunabletokeepthe
NYCTCCopen,wethinkthis
settlementisthebestresultwecould
haveobtainedunderthe
circumstancesandthereisanoverall
benefittoPEFbasedontheadditional
hires,”Kingsaid.
PEFmemberEvaristNicholas,the
leadplaintiffinthesuit,praisedKing
andtheunion’seffortstopreventthe
closingandgetjustice.
“PEFdidthebestitcouldwiththis.
Butwhathurtsandsaddensmeisthat
ourissueofdiscriminationwasnot
addressed,andwhenDOLfilledthose
newpositionswithnon-minorities,they
justmadetheproblemworse,”Nicholas
said.
FOURYEARSAGO—PEF
SheandKingbothpraisedSmithfor
membersattheTelephone
tryingtodotherightthinginasituation
ClaimsCenterinNewYorkCityheldapress
sheinheritedafterthecallcenterwas
conferencepriortofilingalawsuitagainstthestateLabor
closed.
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keepservicesandjobsinlowerManhattan.
PEFInformationLine:1-800-553-2445
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