Month: July 2020

As you know, members who are diagnosed with COVID-19 who believe their infection was due to work related exposure should be encouraged to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. At this time, potential long term effects of COVID 19 are unknown. Given this, it important that our members protect their rights to medical care and wage replacement through New York’s Workers’ Compensation system. Documenting on-the-job exposure to COVID 19 now can prove critical to protecting their rights to receive Workers Compensation benefits in the future.

Members who are exposed to COVID-19 at work should be encouraged to: document the exposure; report the exposure by following their campus process for filing an accident or incident report; report the exposure to the state Accident Reporting System; and, if they become ill, file a Workers’ Compensation claim. To assist members in this effort, we have prepared an information flyer on Workers’ Compensation and COVID 19 and a COVID-19 Exposure Tracking Form which members can use to create a written record of their exposure. Both the flyer and the tracking form are posted on the COVID 19 Resources page on the UUP website at https://uupinfo.org/resources/covid19/
UUP COVID-19 Resources Page
*Commit to Participate in Action: For the Health & Safety of Our Communities ; UUP Question Portal-Direct link to UUP officers regarding your COVID-19 questions and concerns.; Know Your Rights-Reasonable Accomodations FAQ -July 17, 2020; Workers Compensation and COVID-19 -July 2, 2020; UUP Member COVID-19 Exposure Tracking Form -July 2, 2020; Higher Education Detailed Guidelines -June 22, 2020
uupinfo.org

In solidarity,
Fred

To date, we have held statewide webinars to discuss campus reopening issues and other concerns for the four employee groups listed below. During these webinars, UUP members were able to address questions to me and other statewide officers, learn from each other about common challenges across campuses, and consider ways to work together to address pressing issues related to the COVID-19 crisis. Participants received notes from the discussions and we continue to help facilitate connecting colleagues to each other and to their chapter leaders for follow-up.

We began this webinar series in response to requests and suggestions from members at various campuses. Based on participation (more than 100 members at each webinar) and feedback from participants after the webinars, we believe it could be very helpful to provide similar opportunities to other employee groups — or to hold additional webinars with those groups we’ve already met virtually with.

Please submit suggestions for additional employee group webinars via our COVID-19 comment/question portal at this link: https://uupinfo.org/resources/covid19/index.php#Portal

UUP Employee Group Webinars to date
Residence Life – June 17
Student Health Services and Counseling Services – June 24
Academic Department Chairs – June 25
Academic Librarians and Library Professionals – July 13

In solidarity,
Fred

Dear Members,

If you are considering retiring in the next few years you should attend the UUP Pre-retirement seminar. This session was well attended in June and is in response to a request for those that may have missed it. It is scheduled for Friday 7/24/20 from 12:30-2:00 PM via the Microsoft Teams Meeting Link Below. It is being hosted in conjunction with and by the Empire State College UUP Chapter.

Here is the link:
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MjNiMmU0MDYtNDUxYS00ZTJiLTkxOTctNzhiMmQ3OGE4OGVk%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2250091132-5464-4f69-98c6-d089ea5e875c%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%224b98f64c-4f7b-4ee5-970e-ada8dbb51969%22%7d

An important note is that past retirees from Cobleskill recommend that if you are within 5 years of retiring you should attend this session to learn some of the vast important content and considerations. Numerous retirees have said they found it helpful to attend this presentation more than once as they approached retirement.

Topics include:
• State Retirement System
• Retiree Health Care Plan
• Medicare coverage
• UUP Retiree Membership
• Dental and Vision coverage options for Retirees and more…

Please RSVP to Wtusang@uupmail.org if you plan to attend.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Bill Tusang
UUP Cobleskill

Colleagues,

At last Friday’s Executive Board meeting, the attached resolutions were passed. Yesterday, they were shared with Chapter Presidents. But given the importance of each of them, I felt it necessary to share them as widely as possible. Please feel free to share them with your colleagues.

One addresses the structural violence directed against communities of color. It focuses on the wide spectrum of challenges that must be met and changes that are necessary for our state and nation to overcome our history of racism and violence. The other, in a similar vein, addresses the departure of Chancellor Johnson, and calls for a nationwide search — one which must aggressively pursue candidates who come from under-represented communities of color. For SUNY to finally begin to address its lack of diversity in administration, faculty and staff, it must start at the top. At a time when New York is quickly becoming a state in which the majority of the population will come from communities of color, this step must be taken. It is long overdue.

UUP Executive Board Resolution on Social Justice

UUP Executive Board Resolution re SUNY Chancellor Position

I urge you to study both resolutions, as they demand much of all of us. There are no quick and simple solutions to the challenges we face. The work awaits us all.

I wish all of you a restful and enjoyable Independence Day Holiday weekend. Please stay safe and stay well.

In Solidarity,
Fred