Category: Uncategorized

Dear Colleagues:

The State has agreed to extend the Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) to the 2017 calendar year. PEP allows full time and part time employees who accrue annual leave (vacation) to forfeit up to 2 or 3 vacation days for a credit toward the employee share of their NYSHIP premiums. Enrollment for the 2017 PEP program occurs during the NYSHIP November 1 though December 2, 2016 Option Transfer Period. PEP applications, which must be completed by the December 2 deadline, are available at campus Human Resources Offices. The 2017 Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) description and enrollment form are also attached to this email. Chapter Presidents – please distribute this message to your chapter lists.

http://www.suny.edu/media/suny/content-assets/documents/benefits/pep/UUP-PEP-Summary-w-Enrollment-Form-2017.pdf

In Solidarity,
Fred

uupfaircontractcampaignflier

The deadline for 2017 enrollment is November 7, 2016 and is strictly enforced. Please be sure to enroll by November 7. If you are enrolled for the 2016 plan year, you must re-enroll to continue your benefits in 2017.

The 2017 Plan Year Employer Contribution Rates are:

If Your Salary Is …………………………………………………….. The Employer Contribution Is…
Under $30,000 ………………………………………………………………………. $800
$30,001 – $40,000 ………………………………………………………………….. $700
$40,001 – $50,000 ………………………………………………………………….. $600
$50,001 – $60,000 ………………………………………………………………….. $500
$60,001 – $70,000 ………………………………………………………………….. $400
Over $70,000 ………………………………………………………………………… $300

Employees enrolling in the DCAAccount will not see their Employer Contribution displayed when enrolling. The Employer Contribution will be applied to employees’ elections and will be reported on their confirmation letter following open enrollment.

When enrolling, employees should enter the full amount they wish to have in their DCAAccount. The full amount includes any employee contribution and any Employer Contribution for which they may be eligible.

To enroll in the DCAAccount submit your application for enrollment online at www.flexspend.ny.gov. If you do not have access to the Internet, apply by telephone at 1-800-358-7202, option 1.

CLICK HERE for a brochure on UUP’s new MetLife Group Life Insurance plan
CLICK HERE for an overview of UUP’s new MetLife Group Life Insurance plan
CLICK HERE for a brochure on UUP’s new Hyatt Group Legal Services plan
CLICK HERE to enroll in the Hyatt Group Legal Services plan
CLICK HERE for a summary of UUP’s expanded dental and vision coverage

Being a UUP member has its benefits.

UUP’s Member Services Trust is offering new voluntary life insurance and legal plans and has expanded dental and vision insurance offerings for members and their families.

Only UUP members—those who have signed and submitted a UUP membership application—are eligible to take part in these programs, which start Jan. 1, 2017.

To be eligible to join UUP, you must be an employee of the State University of New York and belong to the Professional Services Negotiating Unit (PSNU, also called the `08 Bargaining Unit).

CLICK HERE to become a UUP member.

Life insurance, legal help

UUP is offering a new Group Life Insurance plan through MetLife that would provide members with $25,000 minimum coverage and supplemental coverage up to $1.2 million. A member’s spouse or domestic partner would receive $10,000 minimum coverage, while a dependent would get up to $10,000 in coverage.

Members would also have the option of contributing after-tax dollars to the policy, which would offer a competitive interest rate guaranteed not to be fall below a certain minimum. The account earns tax-deferred interest. There is a fee to take part in this plan.

A new legal plan, offered by Hyatt Group Legal Serivces, would provide UUP members with access to attorneys (more than 14,000 nationwide) that can help with everything from criminal matters and bankruptcy to adoption, mortgages and wills. Members would pay $15.75 per month (or $21.75 per month for a plan that includes their parents/in-laws), which can be deducted from payroll.

CLICK HERE to enroll in the Hyatt Group Legal Services plan.

Expanded dental, vision coverage

UUP will expand its voluntary dental and vision coverage to include surviving spouses and domestic partners of UUP members. Dependents of UUP members who are too old to be covered under a UUP member’s dental and vision insurance can receive coverage through this plan until they reach age 29.

UUP members can choose from two plans—the Delta Dental PPO plan or the Delta Dental DHMO plan. Both are offered on a national level.

There is an added cost to take part in these programs, which are only open to UUP members and their families.

For more information on any of the plans, please contact UUP Member Services Trust at 1-800-887-3863.

The latest Negotiations Bulletin, “Working under an expired contract: What is and isn’t protected by Triborough,” is posted on the UUP Negotiations Information section of the UUP website. Here’s the direct link:

negbulletin0916

In Solidarity,
Fred Kowal

2016-2017 Individual Development Awards (1)

Dear Colleagues,

Since April 2015, UUP has been involved in efforts to address the proposed patent policy changes announced by SUNY just a month before. During the fall of 2015, we gathered member input through chapter meetings, campus Senate meetings, and phone interviews with patent holders.

UUP also received written comments and suggestions from concerned UUP members through emails and a special UUP web portal created for this purpose. UUP also reviewed patent policies at 40 top U.S. research universities/university systems for comparative purposes.

Following the collection of member input, UUP met repeatedly with SUNY between July 2015 and June 2016 to present our members’ concerns about SUNY’s original proposal and to propose changes. Upon the conclusion of those meetings, a number of revisions were made in SUNY’s proposal that addressed many of these concerns.
More details about the new policy are contained in a link on UUP’s website. Please share it with your colleagues.

http://uupinfo.org/negotiations/pdf/PatentPolicyAugust2016.pdf

The SUNY Board of Trustees has passed a resolution to begin the formal rule making process by publishing the proposed SUNY Patents and Inventions Policy for the purposes of seeking public comment. Information on that process is also contained in the link.

In Solidarity,
Fred Kowal

Dear Members,

Please go to the following link for the latest information about the negotiations process.

http://uupinfo.org/negotiations/pdf/NegBulletin0816FINAL.pdf

In Solidarity,
Fred Kowal

Dear Colleagues:

Questions have continued to come to UUP chapter and statewide offices about the state’s Deficit Reduction Program repayment to UUP members.  For UUP members currently on payroll, the first DRP repayment appeared in the June 29 paycheck. There has been confusion over the appearance of “FINAL 08 DRP REPAYMENT” on pay stubs. That is a NYS Office of the Comptroller Code intended to reflect that the DRP is now in its FINAL repayment phase.  It is not a notation reflecting a single repayment.  Full repayment will continue occur on a pro-rata basis in each pay check across 39 pay periods.

In Solidarity,
Fred

Dear Colleagues:

Click here https://mac.nysut.org/faxlegislators/widget/issue/512#issuesheadline_mobile for an important action item.  Chapter Presidents, please circulate widely.

In Solidarity,
Fred