{"id":8570,"date":"2023-10-12T12:00:09","date_gmt":"2023-10-12T16:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pef.org\/?p=8570"},"modified":"2023-10-12T13:58:27","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T17:58:27","slug":"pef-testifies-to-fix-tier-6-increase-salary-grades-and-state-employee-recruitment-and-retention-efforts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pef.org\/articles\/nys\/pef-testifies-to-fix-tier-6-increase-salary-grades-and-state-employee-recruitment-and-retention-efforts\/","title":{"rendered":"PEF to State Senate: Fix Tier 6 and increase compensation to attract and retain State workers"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Vice
PEF Vice President Randi DiAntonio testifying before the Senate\u2019s Civil Service and Pension Committee.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Vice President Randi DiAntonio testified before the Senate\u2019s Civil Service and Pension Committee on October 11, urging the state to reform pension plans; fix compensation and the lag payroll system; and combat bullying in the workplace to attract much-needed talent.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSince 2021, the state has lost 16,858 employees due to attrition,\u201d she told the committee, chaired by Sen. Robert Jackson, a former PEF member. \u201cThis is the highest level of attrition recorded in the decade that the report has been compiled by the Office of the State Comptroller.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStaff are fleeing state employment,\u201d DiAntonio said. \u201cWe hear it from our members: they can earn more in the private sector. Our members are frustrated they can\u2019t do their jobs effectively or efficiently due to the lack of staff and they are tired of being overworked and undercompensated.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lack of staffing at New York agencies profoundly inhibits the state\u2019s delivery of public services \u2013 from public safety, to support programs for the incarcerated, to appropriate care for the most at-risk residents, to the safety of roads and bridges, and so much more.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Using the insight of the employees who are actually delivering these public services, PEF proposes the following solutions to improve recruitment and retention of State workers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tier 6<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe state retirement plan was once called the \u2018career plan,\u2019\u201d DiAntonio said. \u201cThat is because defined benefit plans are designed to reward longevity and service. The Tier 6 plan does not provide incentives to remain in state service.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Tier 6 improvements PEF supports include:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n