Public Employee Press

City begins to replace provisionals

The May 1 New York State Court of Appeals decision that invalidated contractual job security rights for provisionals also called on municipalities to enforce the nine-month time limit on provisional service under the state Civil Service Law.

In compliance with this decision in a case involving the city of Long Beach (see story below), New York City agencies have started to replace provisionals with permanent employees from civil service lists. No matter how long they’ve been on the job, the provisionals are getting notices that it is time to pack up.

DC 37 has mounted an effort to help the pushed-out provisionals find work and provide training to help them find jobs.

The Human Resources Administration announced in August that it would terminate 55 provisional Clerical Aides Sept. 14 and hire new Clerical Aides from a list on Sept. 17. The number was quickly cut to 14, and they received official notices. Management responded to the union’s request to reassign the provisional Clerical Aides to other titles where available.

“We were informed that the process could ultimately see thousands of provisionals replaced citywide,” said Ron Arnero, assistant director of DC 37’s Clerical Division. “The union is trying to make their landing as soft as possible,” he said.

On Sept. 5, Clerical-Administrative Employees Local 1549 held a mid-day meeting at DC 37 to provide crucial assistance to these members in their hour of need. Staff representatives from the union’s Clerical Division, Education Fund and Health and Security Plan outlined steps the workers could take immediately.

They stressed the need for all provisional employees to register and prepare for the civil service tests as they are scheduled. Lists of upcoming exams and registration information were published in the September PEP, in the Chief-Leader and on the Dept. of Citywide Administrative Services Web site at http://www.nyc.gov/dcas.

Norman Issacs of the Health and Security Plan’s Inquiry Unit pointed out that benefits end with the job and presented useful information about making full use of the union’s health, dental, and legal services benefits.

Associate Administrator Viviana Tillman described the services the Education Fund will be offering. These include civil service test preparation courses and study materials, keyboarding classes to build clerical skills, counseling to help workers evaluate their work experience and academic needs, help in applying for the state High School Equivalency examination, assistance in preparing resumes, and referrals to outside agencies for services not provided by DC 37. For information on counseling, call 212-815-7694; for other information, call 212-815-1700.