2 PERCENT SALARY INCREASE
*Late last evening the Office of the State Comptroller advised that Unified Court System employees will see the 2% increase and retroactive pay reflected in their May 26th, 2021 paycheck.*
We are happy to report that included in the State budget was an appropriation for the 2 percent salary increase that was due and payable April 1, 2020. This appropriation also includes payout for any retroactive monies due. Employees who were in active service for any period following April 1, 2020 are entitled to the retroactive payment and for that base annual salary adjustment, to be factored into their pension calculation should they retire prior to the actual payment being made. Once this contractual obligation has been paid in full, our grievance that was filed regarding this issue will be withdrawn as moot. We thank you for your patience in what we know has been a long road.
Additionally we have had many members inquire about an Early Retirement Incentive (ERI). Though one was passed in the budget, it only pertains to City workers in NYC. We have no expectation and/or indication that any ERI will be passed for State employees. In fact, we will be advocating that the hiring and promotional freeze that was implemented by the NYS Division of Budget and the Governor’s office be lifted so that hiring and filling of those positions that were lost due to attrition can be filled as soon as possible.
CONTRACTUAL PAYMENTS
A reminder that CSEA has been advised that all members eligible for SLED, longevity and incremental payments effective April 1st, 2021 will see those payments reflected in their April 28th paycheck.
CSEA SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Statewide- Deadline extended to June 1st, 2021
It is with great pleasure CSEA announces the 2021 Irving Flaumenbaum Memorial Scholarship Program application period is now open. From now until April 15, eligible children or grandchildren of CSEA members can apply to win one of the 18 Irving Flaumenbaum Scholarships, plus be eligible for the Met Life and Pearl Insurance Awards.
Region 5 – Deadline May 1st, 2021
The Central Region application deadline is May 1, 2021 for our 15th annual College Scholarship awards from eligible high school seniors whose parents, legal guardians or grandparents are Region 5 CSEA members in good-standing.
Local 334 – Deadline Extended to April 23rd, 2021
It is with great pleasure CSEA Judiciary Local 334 announces the 2021 Lt. Michael D. Carraway Memorial Scholarship Program. Graduating seniors who are a child or legal dependent of a court employee represented by CSEA Judiciary Local 334 and will be attending an accredited institution of higher education are eligible to apply. All applications must be received by April 16th.
*These scholarships are another member-only benefit of belonging to New York’s Leading Union.*
AFSCME SCHOLARSHIPS
Several scholarship programs are available for AFSCME members and their children. A brief description of each scholarship is below. For more information on the AFSCME scholarships, visit the AFSCME Scholarship page or call 1-800-588-0374.
2021 WOMEN’S CONFERENCE
A message from Statewide President Mary Sullivan –
“I’m excited to invite you to virtually attend our 2021 Women’s Conference. This year’s theme is “And Still We Rise” and will feature informative workshops and inspirational speakers. Women have made great strides over time, but we still have far to go to achieve equality. Our union and the Labor Movement, in general, have always been staunch supporters of women’s rights and the struggle to achieve equity, opportunity, fairness, and respect for all. There are so many interesting and groundbreaking things we are living through. The pandemic has plagued us over the last year, and we are learning to adapt and overcome the challenges it has presented us. Our union’s Standing Women’s Committee has put together a conference agenda with programs that will provide information, tools, and techniques to help recharge our energy to continue rising above the challenges and build our power. Even though it is still not safe enough to gather in person, we will use our technology to come together online and figure out new ways to keep making “good trouble,” as the late Congressman John Lewis was fond of saying.”
This event is open to all current and retiree union members. Details on Conference Registration are available through our conference website at: https://cseany.org/womens-conference-2021. You must be logged in to our site to be able to view this page and register online. Please note: Registration has been extended and will close at 5pm on Wednesday, April 21.
DEFERRED COMP WEBINARS
Dan Kain from NYS Deferred Compensation will be holding Deferred Compensation Pre-Retirement webinars on Tuesday, April 20th at 12:00pm and Monday, April 26th at 12:00pm.
Dan will also be holding Deferred Compensation Enrollment webinars on Thursday, April 22nd at 12:00pm and Thursday, April 29th at 10:00am.
To register for one or more of the webinars, you may click here:
Pre-Retirement Webinars: (We will go over how to calculate your NYS Pension, how and when to withdraw Deferred Compensation Funds and the taxes involved with doing so and much more)
Tuesday, April 20th 12:00pm
Monday , April 26th 12:00pm
*Did you know * You can withdraw your pre-tax Deferred Compensation money as soon as you leave state service regardless of your age with no penalty!
Enrollment Webinars: (We will go over the basics of investing with Deferred Compensation as well as how to enroll).
Thursday, April 22nd 12:00pm
Thursday, April 29th 10:00am
*Did you know* You can sign up for Deferred Compensation and contribute as little as 1% of your paycheck!