State to provide more overtime pay for health-care workers at SUNY hospitals

New York State has launched a pilot program to provide nurses, other health-care professionals, and hospital employees at SUNY hospitals an overtime rate of up to two and a half times their normal rate of pay. 

Overtime is normally at one and a half times the hospital employees’ regular rate of pay, the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a Sept. 22 news release. 

Staff at SUNY’s three hospitals are eligible to participate, including Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, SUNY Downstate Health & Sciences, and Stony Brook University Hospital. 

The benefit is retroactive to Sept. 16 and may be authorized for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, techs, medical assistants, aides, clerks, cleaners, and other patient-facing staff. It will continue through the end of this year, at which point the state will evaluate its impact. 

Combined, SUNY employs 7,637 medical staff who are eligible for the pilot program. That employee count was before the loss of employees who decided not to get vaccinated against COVID-19 before the Sept. 28 state deadline.

The overtime pay increase comes at a time when hospitals will undoubtedly be requiring more employees to put in more overtime work with the staff departures due to the vaccine mandate.

“This agreement recognizes the ongoing dedication of these essential workers throughout this pandemic, and the immediate overtime that will be required of them due to vaccination requirements,” Mary Sullivan, president of the CSEA, said in the release. “The additional overtime compensation is most welcome for all of the employees who continue to provide needed services in difficult times and continue to fulfill their commitment to the people of New York. We are grateful that Governor Hochul has initiated this change in recognition of these trying times…”

The hospitals’ operating revenue will provide funding for the overtime, per Hochul’s office. New York State “will take further actions to support health care workers in the future following this agreement to ensure that we are recognizing the vital work of our health care professionals at all facilities,” it added.