Crisisleadingstatetoreal,recurringsavings
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ByKENNETHBRYNIEN reduceitsrelianceonconsultants.
Byallaccounts,thestate’sbudgetdeficit Recently,itwasreportedtomethe
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forthecurrentfiscalyearstandsatmore DepartmentofLawhaseliminatedtwo-thirds
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than$3billionwithsomeestimatesreaching ofitsITcontractors.
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morethan$4billion.Gov.DavidPaterson Thefiscalcrisiswasalsotheimpetusfor
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continuestoseeksuggestionsforaddressing therecentlyintroducedbill,negotiatedamong
thestate’sfiscalcrisisand,whileitpresents PEF,thegovernorandtheLegislature,that
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challengesforourmembers,italsoprovides providesthestatetheabilitytotransition
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opportunities. awayfromandeliminateITconsultants and
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Timeandagainwehaveprovidedanalysis replacethemwithstateemployees. This
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andtestimonythat,byconservative processisreferredtoas“in-sourcing.”
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estimates,thestatecouldsaveasmuchas Alongwiththebill,wenegotiateda
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$417millionannuallybyreplacing
WORKINGTOGETHER—PEF
memorandumofunderstandingthatwill
consultantswithstateemployees.
PresidentKenBrynientalkswith
enhanceourmembers’promotional
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Asaresultofthefiscalcrisis,arealization
membersCarlosGarciaandDavid
opportunitiesbyprovidingtheITtrainingin
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byagencycommissionersanddirectorsthat
LovellataRegion8conferencein
skillslackinginagenciesthathaveledto
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theymustprovidethebestvalueforeach
November. —PhotobyFredMoody
contractingout.Ihopethisisjustthefirst
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dollarspentiscreepingin.Thishasledto stepofmanyasthestatereducesitsreliance
anotherrealization:Moretimesthannot,PEFmembersprovide oncostlyconsultants.
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significantlyhighervaluefortheworkdonethandoconsultants, Asthestatecontinuestoaddressthefiscalcrisiswewillwork
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especiallyintheareasofinformationtechnology(IT)and toensurethestate’sleaderscontinuetounderstandnotonlythe
engineering. valueofourmembersandtheservicesweprovidetothestate’s
Thefiscalcrisisisforcingtheirhandsandwearebeginningto citizens,butthevalueweprovidetothestate’staxpayersaswell.
seetheresultsofourGo Publiceffortsasthestatebeginsto
Legislationcouldreplace500IT
consultantswithstateemployees L
By SHERRY HALBROOK memorandumofunderstandingPEFhas service.Thatexamalsowouldbeavailable
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ThestateAssemblypassedabill negotiatedwiththeGovernor’sOfficeof topermanentemployees.
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November18aimedatreininginrunaway EmployeeRelations.So,bythetimethe Intheeventoflayoffs,ifpermanent I
contractingbystateagenciesfor five-yearsareupforthetemporary employeesinpositionsintheiragency
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informationtechnologyservices.Themove employees,thecurrentstateemployees hadcomparableskillsandresponsibilities
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camejusttwodaysafterPEFtestified alsowillbereadytocompetewiththem atthattime,thetemporaryemployees
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beforeahearingonITworkforceissues onexamsforpermanentadvancedIT wouldbelaid-offfirst.
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heldbythreeAssemblycommittees. positions. ThestateDepartmentofCivilService
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“Wehavebeenworkinginrecentweeks Thetwo-yearMOUwouldsupplement (DCS)wouldidentifywithinthepoolof
withthegovernor’sstaffandstate trainingfundssetasideinthePS&T candidates,whopasssomeofthe
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legislatorstodeveloplegislationthatwill contractwithanadditional$1millionfor promotionalITexamsforsalarygrades25
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helpthestatesavemoneyinobtainingthe ITtrainingthatwouldbemadeavailable and27,skillprofilesofthosecandidates
ITservicesitneedsandalsoprovidenew inincrementsof$200,000asthestate andusethoseprofilesforselectionto C
opportunitiesforourmemberstoadvance achievessavingsfromin-sourcingtheIT positions.DCSwouldbeallowedtodo T
theirITskillsandcareers,”saidPEF work. thisforamaximumoftwoyears,oruntil I
PresidentKenBrynien.“Wearehopeful “Intheend,thiswouldcreateaprocess anewlistisestablished.
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thestateSenate,too,willsoonpassthis toreplaceITconsultantswithpermanent ThisissimilartowhatDCSalready N
legislationthatwillsavestatetaxpayers stateemployees,”Bryniensaid.“The doesforentry-levelITpositionsandfor
hundredsofmillionsofdollarsoverthe legislationandtheMOUaredesignedto engineeringspecialtiesneededbythe
nextfiveyears.” bridgeatechnologygap,savetaxdollars stateTransportationDepartment.
Ifenacted,thelegislation andimproveourmembers’skillsand IfPS&Temployeesdecidedto
(A.40011/S.66011)wouldallowthestate careeropportunities.” voluntarilyleavestateservicewithintwo
tohireupto500ITemployeesoverthe Astateagencywouldberequiredto yearsafterreceivingthespecialITtraining
nexttwoyearstoreplace500consultants. publiclycertifyandidentifytheskillsthat fundedbytheMOU,thoseemployees
ThestatecouldreplaceITconsultants donotexistintheagencyandforwhich wouldberequiredtorepaythestatepart
byeitherhiringfromcurrentcivilservice thefive-yearjobinatemporary“project” orallofthetrainingcost.Therepayment
listsofeligiblecandidates,orbycreating titlewascreated.Thenthejobmustbe wouldbepro-ratedbasedonhowlongthe
newITpositionsthatwouldexpireinfive conspicuouslypostedandanycurrent employeeworkedforthestateaftertaking
years. employeeswhohavetheskillscouldapply thetraining.Therepaymentcouldbe
Meanwhile,duringthosefiveyears,the fortheposition. waivediftheemployeeleavesbecauseof
state’scurrentITemployeesinthePS&T Thelegislationwouldallowthese hardshiporexceptionalcircumstances.
unitwouldbetrainedinthosecritical temporaryemployeestotakeone
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eCommunicatorDecember2009/January2010—Page7
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