Retired Public Employees Association sues State for unilaterally increasing the percentage of health insurance premiums to be paid by retirees of the State
Source: Retired Public Employees Association press release
On December 7, 2011, the Retired Public Employees Association [RPEA] announced that it is commencing legal action against Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the State of New York challenging the State’s attempt to make its retirees pay a larger portion of their health insurance premiums. According to RPEA, State officials are “administratively extending” the provisions of certain collective bargaining agreements between employee organizations representing employees of the State as the employer to retired employees of the State.*
RPEA Executive Director Alan Dorn said that the State is trying to balance its budget on the backs of its retirees who, unlike active employees of the State in a collective bargaining unit, have no ability to negotiate for “give backs or other benefits.” Dorn observed that the State has increased the retiree’s cost of such coverage by two percent and that “a 2% contribution for individual coverage is really a 20% increase.”
Mr. Dorn's letter to Civil Service Commission President Patricia Hite concerning the increase of the retiree's contribution for his or her health insurance is posted on the Internet at:
Source: Retired Public Employees Association press release
On December 7, 2011, the Retired Public Employees Association [RPEA] announced that it is commencing legal action against Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the State of New York challenging the State’s attempt to make its retirees pay a larger portion of their health insurance premiums. According to RPEA, State officials are “administratively extending” the provisions of certain collective bargaining agreements between employee organizations representing employees of the State as the employer to retired employees of the State.*
RPEA Executive Director Alan Dorn said that the State is trying to balance its budget on the backs of its retirees who, unlike active employees of the State in a collective bargaining unit, have no ability to negotiate for “give backs or other benefits.” Dorn observed that the State has increased the retiree’s cost of such coverage by two percent and that “a 2% contribution for individual coverage is really a 20% increase.”
Mr. Dorn's letter to Civil Service Commission President Patricia Hite concerning the increase of the retiree's contribution for his or her health insurance is posted on the Internet at:
http://rpea.org/documents/commentsobjectEmergRule-10-20-11-2.pdf
The text of RPEA's complaint is posted on the Internet at:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/75054148/Retirees
* Civil Service Law §167.1(a) currently sets the percentage of contributions for State retirees who retired on or after January 1, 1983 and provides that such retirees are to pay: 10% of the premium for individual coverage and, where so enrolled, 25% of the premium for dependent coverage. The text of RPEA's complaint is posted on the Internet at:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/75054148/Retirees