Please read this important memo below if you are covered by the NYSHIP Empire Plan.
TO: Local Presidents FROM: Matt Jacobs, Regional Staff Dir. DATE: April 21, 2016 RE: NYSHIP Empire Plan Dependent Eligibility Audit____________ The following message concerning NYSHIP's dependent eligibility audit was received from NYSUT health insurance specialist Sue Klug. If your members are covered by the NYSHIP Empire Plan, please share this with them. NYSHIP enrollees that have not completed the audit are in danger of having their dependents declared ineligible for insurance coverage. NYSHIP conducted a dependent eligibility audit for those with family Empire Plan coverage who obtain their coverage through school districts and local governments. The deadline for participants to submit their information was 4/15/16. I heard yesterday that as of 4/14/16, 26,000 Empire Plan participants had not submitted their dependent verification information. If this information is not submitted, dependents will be removed from coverage, most retroactive to 1/1/16. I would suggest that local leaders encourage their members to review the dependent verification packet they received in February and comply with the request as soon as possible. If they have questions, members can call HMS Solutions (the NYSHIP dependent verification vendor) 1-855-893-8477. Hello,
I just signed the petition, "NYS Board of Regents: Alternate paths to a diploma for students in NYS." I think this is important. Will you sign it too? Here's the link: https://www.change.org/p/nys-board-of-regents-alternate-paths-to-a-diploma-for-students-in-nys Thanks, Mark Attached is information regarding two additional pre-retirement workshops scheduled for May, presented by NYSUT Member Benefits. BE the union! www.nysut.org/unionvalue
Verizon has averaged made $1.8 billion a month in profits over the first three months of 2016-- and $39 billion over the last three years. This greedy corporation is still insisting on givebacks that would devastate decent jobs for 39,000 working people up and down the east coast, a portion of which are your brothers and sister here on Long Island.
The company wants to gut job security protections, contract out more work, do away with local call centers and offshore the jobs to Mexico and the Philippines. If the Unions don’t accept all of these changes, they will require technicians to work away from home for as long as two months at a time, anywhere in the Verizon footprint, without seeing their families. Verizon has remained immovable and has ultimately attempted to get the unions to negotiate against themselves, which they will not do. So, please join CWA and IBEW on one of their picket lines found at the locations: Nassau and Suffolk To learn more about this strike and the unions involved follow the links below: Stand up to Verizon 5 Reasons our friends in the community and all workers should care If you can't make it to a picket line today, please remember to sign the petition. Good morning ED 17,
Are you or do you know residents who live in the Lawrence School District? The Lawrence TA is looking for those people who live in the district to walk with them on Wednesday, May 18 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. in front of the Lawrence Middle School. At this time, they are asking for only residents of the district. They are in their 5th year without a contract. September 2016 will be year 6. Please spread the word. In Unity Tomia Smith Do you live in the 9th Senatorial District? Not sure? See list.
Below is an email from Long Beach Retiree and retired teacher, Frank Volpe. VOTE! PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY/SPECIAL ELECTION 9TH SENATE DISTRICT TUESDAY, APRIL 19TH Please remember to cast your vote on Tuesday. It is very important that YOUR VOICE BE HEARD. Those of you who live in the 9th Senate District* will cast TWO BALLOTS, one for each of the above races. I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO SUPPORT TODD KAMINSKY FOR STATE SENATE. Todd is a product of the Long Beach Schools and represents Long Beach in the State Assembly. He is a strong advocate for our schools, our children and the well being of our communities on Long Island. Todd has recently introduced numerous bills in the Assembly that will positively influence teachers, students and education in general. Todd can introduce the same bills in the Senate giving them even more of a chance to be enacted. I know Todd to be a dedicated, selfless public servant. He is an advocate for education and all matters important to our south shore communities. If you live in the 9th senatorial district, please cast your vote for Todd Kaminsky. If you don't, but have friends or family that do - PASS THE WORD. Todd's success is vital to our well being on Long Island. Thank you for your support. In Solidarity, Frank Volpe , Long Beach Retirees * THE 9TH SENATE DISTRICT ENCOMPASSES Atlantic Beach Franklin Square Oceanside Baldwin Island Park Point Lookout East Atlantic Beach Lido Beach Rockville Centre EastRockaway Long Beach South Hempstead Elmont Lynbrook Valley Stream The Five Towns Malverne West Hempstead Parents, Teachers, Taxpayers & Community Members,
It's time to stand up for public education and protest State Senate Candidate Chris McGrath. Where: Chris McGrath's Office 1140 Franklin Avenue Garden City, NY (just south of Lord & Taylor, parking in back) When: Friday, April 15 -- We will begin to line up between 4:00 - and 4:30 p.m. Why: Our public schools are hurting. We have lost music and art programs, science electives and after school programs from budget cuts. So why did our Republican Long Island State Senators agree to send $54 million in taxpayer money to fund privately run charter schools, 80% which are in New York City? Why did our Long Island State Senators agree to use $54 million from their own discretionary funds to finance privately-run charter schools, most of which raise millions of dollars on their own through private donations? We know that the State Senate Republicans have collected millions from charter school supporters. We know the Senate campaign and housekeeping funds and New Yorkers for a Balanced Albany have collected millions from prominent Hedge Funds who have adopted charter schools as their celebrity cause. Disgraced former Majority Leader, Dean Skelos started taking these donations and the current GOP leadership clearly loves them too! We must protest State Senate Candidate Chris McGrath for support of shady deals for charter schools. We must protest Chris McGrath for supporting Senate GOP's backroom deal to give $54 million in taxpayer money to finance privately-run charter schools in return for them funding his campaign. They just donated over $1,000,000 (yes million) dollars of dark money to help McGrath win. It's time to call out Mr. McGrath --- we are calling on him to say publicly that taxpayer money should go to our local public schools first and not to privately-run charter schools. We are asking Mr. McGrath to say publicly that he will not accept donations from Hedge Fund Donors whose main goal is to privatize public education. Please take a moment to contact your legislators and tell them to support the NYSHIP Buyout Bill S.7120 which went to the Senate Civil Service and Pension Committee today. NYSUT has worked hard to get supporters of the bill, with Senator Martin Golden sponsoring it.
Also, please go to https://mac.nysut.org/ and send a fax to your representatives. They really do respond to a fax because it ties up their machines. Just scroll down through the letters (feel free to fax those that interest you) and you will come to the one regarding health insurance buyout. Even if you do not receive a health insurance buyout, you should be concerned with this happening as it ignores the protections of a collectively bargained agreement. This is only the beginning. We must do all we can to keep our buyout. In unity, Mark Deadline for NYSHIP Dependent
Eligibility Audit is Approaching If you have not done so, please be reminded that all NYSHIP Empire Plan enrollees with family coverage must return their dependent eligibility form and required documents to the audit vendor, HMS Employer Solutions, no later than this Friday, April 15, 2016. This process can be completed online, https://www.verifyos.com . Any questions, please call HMS at 855-893-8477. Please note, this audit is applicable ONLY to those with NYSHIP Empire Plan coverage through school districts and local government. |
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