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Public
Employee Press
Grievance saves summer benefits in DOH
Union action has saved summer health
benefits for more than 600 members in the Dept. of Health. The agency
was denying the employees requests to utilize annual leave time
to cover certain non-working periods during the summer. Using their leave
this way as they had done for the last three years allowed
them to maintain the Class W status that entitled them to
all their health benefits.
United Federation of Nurses and Epidemiologists Local 436 and Health Services
Employees Local 768 filed a grievance of behalf of their affected members,
Public Health Nurses, Jr. PHNs and Public Health Advisors in the public
school system.
Lillian Roberts and the union met Aug. 3 with Labor Relations Commissioner
James F. Hanley and DOH officials. We told them this would create
a serious hardship for these workers, and we reminded them that the $2.5
million that was restored to the school health budget was due to the lobbying
done by our local, said Local 436 President Gloria E. Acevedo. Three
days later, Commissioner Hanley instructed the Dept. of Health to allow
Jr. Public Health Nurses, Public Health Nurses and Public Health Advisors
to use their annual leave to preserve their Class W status and comply
with the regulations of the Citywide Contract.
Local 436 members are very pleased with this decision, said
Ms. Acevedo. This is a great victory for our members, said
Stephanie Velez, director of the Professional Division.
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