After many years as provisional employees, 73 Activity Therapists have been appointed from an exam list and are now permanent civil servants.

These members of Local 299 had worked at the Health and Hospitals Corp. for long years without the job security protections, benefits and grievance rights of permanent civil service employees.

With the support of DC 37, Local 299 convinced HHC to offer the Activity Therapist civil service test. “This would not have happened without the local pushing for the exam,” said Local Treasurer Bill Ferrarini, a Supervising Activity Therapist at Metropolitan Hospital.

Virtually every member who took the test passed. With the dark budget cloud hanging over the city, they are excited about the results of the exam.

“If there are layoffs, provisionals go first,” Mr. Ferrarini said. “So, people feel a lot more secure about their jobs now.” The open competitive, “education and experience” exam in which workers submit applications detailing their professional and educational background took place in December 2001.

The 73 Activity Therapists visited HHC’s personnel office in January to receive appointments from the list and job assignments.

“After an exam hadn’t been given for years, it was certainly refreshing to work with HHC to help our members become permanent and not encounter roadblocks,” Local 299 President Lou Sbar said. “HHC did the right thing.”

Associate Director Evelyn Seinfeld and Assistant Director Michele M. Trester of the union’s Research and Negotiations Dept. and Division Director Stephanie Velez and Rep Stephanie Miller of the Professional Division worked with Local 299 and HHC to arrange for the exam.

Now Local 299 will press for exams for the senior and supervising titles in the Activity Therapist series.