Dear Colleagues,
Please see the following information from Statewide Vice -President for Academics, Jamie Dangler, received late last Friday:
UUP President Fred Kowal is out of state and unable to deliver this message himself, so I am sending it on his behalf.
As a result of continued discussions about the telecommuting pilot program and potential needs going forward, we received positive news today from the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations (GOER). While we do not have full details at this time, we wanted to give you general information right away, since this has been a pressing issue for many of our members.
The statewide Telecommuting Pilot Agreement, which involves all other state employee bargaining units and all state agencies, expires on July 2, 2021. However, GOER will now permit SUNY (and other State agencies) to develop their own Telecommuting Policy, subject to GOER guidelines. A SUNY-specific policy can cover COVID-related health concerns, childcare needs, and other ADA health-related accommodation requests. The new SUNY policy to guide campuses will need to be created before the end of July.
In the meantime, UUP will work with SUNY to continue the terms of the current Telecommuting Agreement through July, until a new SUNY-specific telecommuting policy is created. We have been in communication with SUNY about telecommuting issues across our campuses and will continue to advocate for the best possible new policy.
Please stay tuned for further information from President Kowal as this new development unfolds over the coming weeks.
Sincerely,
Jamie Dangler
In Solidarity,
Ken Kern
Chapter President
UUP Buffalo Center