NYC Health and Hospitals Nurses Win enhanced ot Rates and program in 2021

By Eric Smith, Field Director

the oVertIme pIlot program was created to assist with shift coverage issues resulting from the Department of Health vaccination order and the serious staffing shortage across New York . It was designed to promote voluntary overtime work throughout NYC H+H facilities by providing incentives such as a higher ot rate and quicker payment . It applies to any full shift of ot worked, whether it is to cover for an unvaccinated nurse, regular sick calls or leaves, vacancies in the department, compliance with our staffing ratios or any other staffing needs . overtime worked in the pilot program is being paid at a flat rate of $110 per hour (roughly 2 to 2 .6 times the regular Staff Nurse rate), while “Regular” overtime is usually paid at 1 .5 times the employee’s hourly pay rate . In addition, staff who work ot under the pilot program will be paid on a weekly basis with a separate ot check . this is a huge win for ot payment for NYSNA H+H nurses, who previously had to wait up to 8-9 weeks for regular ot payment . Nurses now receive the full enhanced ot rate and are paid on a weekly basis for those shifts .

Why This helPs nurses AnD PATienTs in The shorT AnD long Term

First, the program puts more money in the pockets of nurses who have worked tirelessly during the pandemic . But more importantly, the pilot program demonstrates that the city can pay overtime without members meeting the 160 hours outlined in the citywide contract, and that the city can pay a premium rate quickly . Management can never again claim that they can’t do those things . our contract required NYC H+H and NYSNA to discuss ways to speed the payment of ot and reduce the system’s reliance on travel and agency nurses who get paid a lot of money and don’t do the same level of work as regular staff . this pilot program shows how that can be accomplished . We intend to use this program as the basis for a permanent fix to the ot problem at NYC H+H . NYSNA nurses must organize and use this moment to force NYC H+H to solve the ot and pay issue permanently and cut back on wasteful agency staffing . the pilot program shows that NYC H+H and the city can address nurses’ concerns about staffing and pay disparities in the public sector as well . the private sector employers (particularly the big university based medical centers) are funded in a different way than NYC H+H — they get lots of revenue from higher income and privately insured patients and generate millions in profits . poor communities of color are constantly underfunded by Medicaid and by private insurers, and underfunding impacts staffing, equipment, ppe, facilities, and a host of other things . our struggle must include equalizing funding or there will never be equal pay or outcomes for our patients . this program proves there is a way to enhance our pay and improve staffing if the money is allocated appropriately . the program has now been extended multiple times by NYSNA and the City . NYSNA plans to make these ot payment structures a permanent part of the contract, and make clear that additional pay can be found and paid on time by the City for the H+H Covid Hero nurses .