Public sector healthcare professionals are the backbone of New York’s healthcare system. We care for ALL New Yorkers. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic we were the safety net for New York – testing, tracing and treating a disproportionate number of COVID-19 patients.
Having good benefits is essential to recruiting and retaining the skilled nurses and frontline healthcare workers who New Yorkers depend on for their care. The public sector cannot compete with the private sector for pay. Without strong pension and other benefits, public sector healthcare workers will continue to leave public service in droves.
Send a message to your state legislators—it’s time to fix Tier 6!
This is a time when we need to hire more nurses and retain experienced staff. It’s also a time when New York can afford to fix the Tier 6 pension system to improve our benefits. When the Tier 6 pension system was enacted in 2012, it lowered our benefits and required 3% to 6% contributions from employees throughout their career. It made a career in public service less desirable.
Lawmakers have an opportunity now to reform Tier 6, which will improve public sector staffing and the quality of care we are able to deliver.
The healthcare professionals and other essential workers who have served on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic deserve no less.
