All new employees should attend the NEOs at Noon orientation on December 15th to learn about your UUP benefits and how to take advantage of them.
Sign up here: tinyurl.com/UUPNewEmployee
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This Friday, December 10th from 12:00 to 1:30, there will be a virtual town hall for academics. If you are interested, please sign up using the link below.
Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/UUPNegotiations
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Statewide Pre-Retirement Workshop
Registration for the pre-retirement workshop webinar with Walter Apple is open at https://tinyurl.com/UUPRetirement
You can register for one or both parts of the webinar, which will take place on December 7th from 12:00 to 1:00 pm (which will cover healthcare/Medicare) and December 9th from 12:00 to 1:00 pm (which will cover union benefits of dental and vision).
Today’s the last day to submit questions and suggestions in advance of the workshop. You can submit questions to: wapple@uupbenefits.org
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Dear Colleagues,
We have received word from the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations that the State has again modified the NYS Dependent Care Advantage Account to expand DCAA benefits and eligibility as permitted under recent federal law changes included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 and the American Rescue Act of 2021. These are modifications that UUP and other state employee unions pressed for in meetings with GOER representatives and we are pleased that the State has agreed to implement them. The new changes are as follows:
- The maximum annual contribution levels have been increased from $2,500 to $5,250 for single or married filing separately and from $5,000 to $10,500 for married filing jointly or head of household, and,
- Employees are now able to change their DCAA election amount mid-year without a qualifying change in status event reason. This will allow employees to enroll, change, re-start, or terminate a DCAAccount mid-year throughout 2021. Changes will not be retroactive; they will be applied to the next available payroll processing date following the change in enrollment.
Employees who are currently enrolled in DCAA have already been notified of these changes directly by WageWorks/Health Equity. A notice is also posted on the GOER webpage Flex Spending Account | Governor’s Office of Employee Relations (ny.gov). Employees who are interested may also email fsa@goer.ny.gov or call WageWorks/Health Equity at 1-800-358-7202 with any questions on the DCAA or these new changes.
Please share this news generally with your members. Members who are not currently enrolled in DCAA, and did not receive a notice from Wage Works, may be interested in enrolling in DCAA for the balance of the year.
In Solidarity,
Fred
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August 6 Climate Protest in Albany
Colleagues,
Join UUP and our coalition partners, the New York Youth Climate Leaders, in Albany, on August 6th, at 1:30 PM in West Capitol Park (across from 89 Washington Ave) to participate in a rally to protest the inaction on climate change and demand that the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System divest from fossil fuel stocks.
With the legislature passing ZERO ambitious climate bills this year, UUP has stepped up and joined our coalition partners as a co-sponsor for the August 6, “Fossil Free Education, Fossil Free Future” rally to demand change now. We cannot allow the legislature to hide behind the CLCPA, claiming that they cannot pass additional climate legislation until the Climate Action Council releases its recommendations. These excuses are merely delay tactics, and they threaten the livelihoods of our generation and future generations. Additionally, with an estimated $4.5 billion invested in the fossil fuel industry, NYSTRS is doing their pensioners and the planet a disservice by continuing to invest in fossil fuels.
You can check out bus availability, find more information about the rally, and register here.
We will be sure to have signs and t-shirts on hand to distribute to all UUP members. So, after you register, please send Danielle Judge, djudge@uupmail.org an email and let her know that you will be joining. We will pick a UUP member rally meet-up location (and time) as we get closer to the event. That information will be shared with all who let Danielle know that you will be joining us on August 6 at 1:30 PM.
In solidarity,
Fred
Dear Colleagues:
On behalf of myself and UUP’s Chief Negotiator Bret Benjamin, I am pleased to announce UUP’s Negotiations Team for the upcoming round of contract negotiations.
I am grateful to each and every one of them for their willingness to serve. This is one of the most demanding and important volunteer positions in our union. The team will begin its official work next month, followed by a series of campus visits (both virtual and in-person) during the Fall semester to solicit member feedback on priorities for the coming round of negotiations. As we move forward, expect to see a member survey as well as a dedicated area for 2022 negotiations on UUP’s website which will be updated on a regular basis.
Negotiations Team:
Bret Benjamin, Chair Albany Chapter
Redetha Abraham-Nichols Downstate Medical Center Chapter
Jennifer Drake Cortland Chapter
Mindy Heath Upstate Medical University Chapter
Shoshana Hershkowitz Stony Brook Chapter
Jude Jayatilleke Buffalo State Chapter
Aaron Major Albany Chapter
Pamela Malone Empire State College Chapter
Jackie Pittsley Cortland Chapter
Benita Roth Binghamton Chapter
Idalia Torres Fredonia Chapter
Bill Tusang Cobleskill Chapter
In solidarity,
Fred