Cazenovia College mandates booster shots for employees, students for spring semester

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CAZENOVIA, N.Y. — Cazenovia College is requiring COVID-19 booster vaccinations for all employees and all eligible students returning to campus as the Spring 2022 semester gets underway in the new year. Cazenovia College employees are being asked to receive their booster shots as soon as possible and by Jan. 21 at the latest, the college […]

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Excellus provides support for On Point for College mental-health program

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, Insurance & Financial Services, New York News, Nonprofits, Regional News, Subscriber Only

UTICA — Excellus BlueCross BlueShield announced it provided On Point for College – Utica with a $5,000 sponsorship to support a new mental-health program for first-generation college students. The program provides two mental-health workshops for college students and training for front-line advising staff. Rochester–based Excellus BlueCross BlueShield is Central New York’s largest health insurer. Students

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UTICA — Excellus BlueCross BlueShield announced it provided On Point for College – Utica with a $5,000 sponsorship to support a new mental-health program for first-generation college students.

The program provides two mental-health workshops for college students and training for front-line advising staff.

Rochester–based Excellus BlueCross BlueShield is Central New York’s largest health insurer.

Students will gain a better understanding of mental health and learn self-care skills that will allow them to address issues as they arise, Excellus said in its Dec. 3 announcement. Staff training will enhance skills in empathy, advocacy, listening, and mental-health issues, allowing them to aid “students in crisis.”

“Social-emotional learning and mental health services have become more important for our students since the beginning of the pandemic,” Kevin Marken, Utica director of On Point for College, said. “While preparing for college and leaving home are major disruptions for students in our program, fear and anxiety have been amplified for students by the trauma of the pandemic. This program will help students and staff identify mental health issues and actions that can be taken to assist.”

On Point for College says it works to break down barriers that prevent young, under-served people from achieving education and career success. The organization also works to “transform” communities by making college, training, and career success “a reality for those who face great obstacles.”

With office in Syracuse and Utica, On Point for College serves youth in Onondaga, Cayuga, Oswego, Cortland, Madison, Oneida, and Herkimer counties.

“We are proud to assist On Point for College in their effort to provide vital mental-health support to first-generation college students in our community,” Eve Van de Wal, Utica regional president of Excellus, said. “Removing barriers to education and career success helps our community thrive.”

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s Utica region encompasses Clinton, Delaware, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Montgomery, Oneida, Otsego, and St. Lawrence counties.

DFS to review covered benefits under new law

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Insurance & Financial Services, Law, Accounting & Taxes, New York News, Nonprofits, Subscriber Only

A new state law focuses on covered benefits related to childbirth offered by all health-insurance providers in New York State. The measure directs the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) — in consultation with the New York State Department of Health (DOH) — to prepare a report with recommendations on their review of those covered benefits.

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A new state law focuses on covered benefits related to childbirth offered by all health-insurance providers in New York State.

The measure directs the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) — in consultation with the New York State Department of Health (DOH) — to prepare a report with recommendations on their review of those covered benefits.

It was among a series of bills that Gov. Kathy Hochul signed Dec. 22 addressing what she said were “several challenges” facing women and people of color. The bills cover labor and health inequalities, from ensuring proper menstrual care is accessible, to promoting more women and minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

The DFS and DOH review of the covered childbirth benefits will include examination of length of stay, costs incurred by patients and reimbursed to providers, and additional benefits offered, Hochul’s office said.

This new law will work to uncover “hidden costs and disparities” in rates negotiated by insurers covering the birth and determine if statewide standards need to be adopted.

The governor also signed a bill that provides menstrual products at no cost to women living in homeless shelters.

The third bill signed into law directs the urban-development corporation to conduct a study regarding the assistance needed by women and minorities to pursue STEM careers. The urban-development corporation will work with the New York Education Department and the New York State Department of Labor to determine the amount of assistance that should be provided in school districts, charter schools, BOCES, and private schools to develop new and enhance current STEM programs in grades 6-12. Those programs will focus on career exploration, opportunities for technical-skills attainment, and partnerships with postsecondary education and training programs.

In a 2010 survey by the Bayer Corporation of female and minority chemists and chemical engineers, 77 percent said “significant” numbers of women and minorities are missing from the U.S. STEM work force because “they were not identified, encouraged or nurtured to pursue STEM studies early on.”

This new law will help identify the types of assistance necessary to encourage more women and minorities to enter STEM fields, Hochul’s office contends.

“New York must continue to break down barriers for women and fight inequality throughout our state,” Hochul said. “These laws will address a variety of important issues, supporting STEM careers and helping to ensure equity and access in women’s health.”

FLH nurse, Nicandri, honored with The DAISY Award

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, New York News, Nonprofits, Regional News, Subscriber Only

GENEVA, N.Y. — Finger Lakes Health (FLH) announced that nurse Kimberly Nicandri — an LPN from its Lifecare Medical Associates unit who is currently working on the Step-Down Unit at Geneva General Hospital — was recently honored with “The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.” A grateful husband of a patient nominated Nicandri for the Daisy

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Employer-sponsored health-insurance costs rose 6% in 2021

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Insurance & Financial Services, Subscriber Only

Total health-benefit costs rose 6.3 percent, on average, in 2021, reaching $14,542 per employee among all U.S. employer health-plan sponsors with 50 or more employees. That’s according to the annual Mercer “National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans” for 2021, which the firm released Dec. 13. The rise follows last year’s increase of just 3.4 percent, according to

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Survey: 4 of 10 workers to look for new jobs in 1st half of 2022

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Small Business, Subscriber Only

More than four in 10 workers surveyed (41 percent) said they plan to look for a new job in the first half of 2022, up from 32 percent six months ago. The top reasons are to secure a salary boost (54 percent), better benefits and perks (38 percent), and the ability to work remotely permanently (34 percent).

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More than four in 10 workers surveyed (41 percent) said they plan to look for a new job in the first half of 2022, up from 32 percent six months ago.

The top reasons are to secure a salary boost (54 percent), better benefits and perks (38 percent), and the ability to work remotely permanently (34 percent).

That’s according to research from Robert Half, a Menlo Park, California–based talent solutions and business-consulting firm. The company’s biannual job-optimism survey of more than 2,400 professionals tracks worker sentiment on current and future career prospects and reveals key implications for employers.

The survey also found that those most likely to start job searching are Gen Z professionals (52 percent), employees who have been with their company for 2-4 years (49 percent), and technology workers (47 percent).

In addition, the survey found that 28 percent of professionals planning to look for a new job would quit without another one lined up.

“This is the first time in my 37-year staffing career that I’ve seen so much movement in the market and so many opportunities for workers at all levels,” Paul McDonald, senior executive director at Robert Half, said in a news release about the firm’s research report. “With nearly half their workforce poised to make a move, companies should be highly concerned about retention in the coming months.”

Regardless of job-search plans, 87 percent of workers surveyed feel confident about their current skill set and 61 percent plan to seek a promotion as the next step in their career. Yet, 41 percent feel they don’t have a clear path for advancement at their current company. Moreover, over one-third of employees (34 percent) feel performance discussions with their manager are ineffective and don’t help them reach their professional goals.

“In today’s environment, workers are in the driver’s seat,” McDonald noted. “To help keep their best on board, managers should have regular check-ins with their direct reports to discuss career goals, development plans and what could make their employee experience better.”

Drawn to remote work

When considering their career options, the survey found 54 percent of professionals expressing interest in fully remote positions at companies based in a different city or state from where they live.

Employers recruiting for open roles should look “far and wide,” per the Robert Half release.

“Your next great hire could be miles away,” McDonald said. “Companies that embrace remote work options and provide a seamless onboarding experience will have the best chance of bringing in — and keeping — top talent.”

CNY regions post improved jobless rates, job growth in November

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, New York News, Regional News, Small Business, Subscriber Only

Unemployment rates in the Syracuse, Utica–Rome, Watertown–Fort Drum, Binghamton, Ithaca, and Elmira regions continued to improve compared to a year ago as the Central New York regions’ job markets rebound from the worst effects of the pandemic. The figures are part of the latest New York State Department of Labor data released Dec. 21. In addition,

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The figures are part of the latest New York State Department of Labor data released Dec. 21.

In addition, the Syracuse, Utica–Rome, Watertown–Fort Drum, Binghamton, Ithaca, and Elmira regions all gained jobs between November 2020 and this past November, ranging from 0.7 percent growth to 5.4 percent growth.

That’s according to the latest monthly employment report that the New York State Department of Labor issued Dec. 16.

Regional unemployment rates

The jobless rate in the Syracuse area fell to 3.8 percent in November from 5.8 percent in November 2020.

The Utica–Rome region’s rate fell to 4 percent from 6 percent; the Watertown–Fort Drum area’s number dipped to 4 percent from 5.5 percent; the Binghamton region posted a rate of 3.9 percent, down from 5.9 percent; the Ithaca area hit 2.9 percent unemployment, down from 4.6 percent; and the jobless rate in the Elmira region was 4 percent in November, down from 6.6 percent in the same month a year ago.

The local-unemployment data isn’t seasonally adjusted, meaning the figures don’t reflect seasonal influences such as holiday hires.

The unemployment rates are calculated following procedures prescribed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state Labor Department said.

State unemployment rate

New York state posted an unemployment rate of 6.6 percent in November, down from 6.9 percent in October and 8.7 percent in November 2020, according to the department’s data.

The 6.6 percent jobless rate for New York was significantly higher than the U.S. unemployment rate of 4.2 percent in November.

The federal government calculates New York’s unemployment rate partly based upon the results of a monthly telephone survey of 3,100 state households that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics conducts.

November jobs data

The Syracuse region gained 2.100 jobs in the past year, a rise of 0.7 percent, the smallest increase among the Central New York regions.

The Utica–Rome metro area picked up 2,700 positions, a gain of 2.3 percent; the Watertown–Fort Drum region added 2,100 jobs, a rise of 5.4 percent (the largest increase of the CNY regions); the Binghamton area gained 2,100 jobs, up 2.2 percent; the Ithaca region gained 1,100 jobs, an increase of 1.9 percent; and the Elmira area added 800 jobs in the past year, a gain of 2.3 percent.

New York state as a whole gained more than 308,000 jobs, an increase of 3.5 percent, in the last 12 months. The state economy also gained 23,600 jobs, a 0.3 percent rise, from October to November, the state Labor Department said.

VIEWPOINT: N.Y.’s Minimum Salary Level to Qualify for Executive Exemptions Will Rise

Business Mentors, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Subscriber Only

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Ever since the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) announced an increase in the minimum wage from $12.50 per hour to $13.20 an hour in areas outside of New York City, and Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties effective Dec. 31, 2021, we have been expecting a proportionate increase in the minimum weekly salary to qualify for the executive and administrative exemptions. For the last few years, the minimum weekly salary to qualify for the executive and administrative exemptions has been 75 times the minimum hourly wage. The NYSDOL has confirmed that this proportionate increase will occur effective on Dec. 31.

The following question and answer are included on the department’s minimum wage FAQ page:

Will the minimum weekly salary for overtime-exempt administrative and executive employees increase on Dec. 31, 2021?

Yes. Each time the New York State minimum wage increases, the state’s minimum salary required for executive and administrative employees will increase proportionately. On Dec. 31, the state minimum weekly salary for administrative and executive employees will range from $990 per week for employees in New York state, to $1,125 per week for employees who work in Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties and in New York City for any size employer and fast-food establishments.

So, effective on Dec. 31, the minimum weekly salary to qualify for the executive and administrative exemptions in areas outside of New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties will be $990 per week. The minimum weekly salary to qualify for the executive and administrative exemptions in New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties will be $1,125 per week. There is no minimum weekly salary under New York law to qualify for the professional exemption. However, with a few exceptions (such as for teachers, doctors, and lawyers), employers still must comply with the federal minimum weekly salary of $684 in order to classify employees as exempt under the professional exemption.

Subhash Viswanathan is a member (partner) at Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC in Syracuse. Viswanathan represents employers in many different industries on labor and employment issues. Contact him at suba@bsk.com. This viewpoint is drawn from the firm’s New York Labor and Employment Law Report.

Ask Rusty: How Do I Apply for Social Security Benefits?

Business Mentors, Subscriber Only

Dear Rusty: I would like some advice concerning Social Security. In January, I will be 62.5 years old. I was laid off two years ago and have not had a steady income since (though I still have bills to pay). I also did not qualify for unemployment. Therefore, what little I had for “retirement” is

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Dear Rusty: I would like some advice concerning Social Security. In January, I will be 62.5 years old. I was laid off two years ago and have not had a steady income since (though I still have bills to pay). I also did not qualify for unemployment. Therefore, what little I had for “retirement” is now gone. For this reason, I have been seriously considering applying for Social Security as soon as I’m able. I remember reading something that said I should begin the “paperwork” three months ahead of time. I’d like to begin that process, but don’t know where to start. Could you guide me to the right place?

Signed: Ready to Claim Benefits

Dear Ready to Claim: Sorry to hear of your loss of employment and your current financial struggle, but the Social Security benefits you earned from a lifetime of working are there for you. Here’s what you need to know about applying for Social Security:

Since you are already 62 years of age, you can apply for your Social Security at any time now. The process is fairly simple, especially if you apply online, which you can do at www.ssa.gov. Just click on the “Retirement” icon and you will see a link to the online application. You simply complete the application, save it if you need more time to work on it, and later when you’re done, submit it online to the Social Security Administration (SSA). Before you do that, however, you’ll need to create your personal “my Social Security” online account, which is easy to do at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. Once you have your online account set up you can fill out and submit the online application. Of course, you can also apply via telephone by calling either the national Social Security service center at 1-800-772-1213, or your local Social Security office to make an appointment to apply. But applying online at www.ssa.gov is by far the most efficient way.

You can apply for your Social Security benefits up to four months before the month you wish your payments to start. On the application, you will tell the SSA which month you want your benefits to begin so you can apply before you want to start benefits. Since you’re applying before your full retirement age of 66 years and 10 months, there are a couple of things to keep in mind:

• By claiming at age 62 ½, your benefit amount will be permanently reduced by about 29 percent. You only get your full benefits if you wait to claim until your full retirement age (FRA) which for you is 66 years and 10 months; claiming any earlier means a permanently reduced benefit.

• If you claim before your FRA and you return to work, you’ll be subject to an “earnings test” which limits how much you can earn from working while collecting early Social Security benefits. The 2022 earnings limit is $19,560 and if that is exceeded, the SSA will take back $1 for every $2 you are over the limit (half of what you exceed the limit by). The earnings limit will apply until you reach your full retirement age, and the allowable earnings are more in the year you reach FRA.

Applying online for Social Security benefits is a reasonably easy process, and if you have even moderate computer skills you shouldn’t be intimidated by the thought. But if you are, simply call the SSA and request an appointment to apply. It will walk you through the application process.

Russell Gloor is a national Social Security advisor at the AMAC Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). The 2.4 million member AMAC says it is a senior advocacy organization. Send your questions to: ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.

Author’s note: This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). The NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity.

OPINION: COVID funds used to make snow, hire band, & outright fraud

Opinion, Subscriber Only

Looking back at how some of the $2.2 trillion in CARES Act money was spent is a lesson in why we don’t need another multi-trillion-dollar spending bill — they are always fraught with waste and abuse. When Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in the Spring of 2020, it directed states

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When Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in the Spring of 2020, it directed states to funnel funds and provide oversight of spending to the state’s counties based on their population size.

Uintah County, Utah used the money to build a tubing hill

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, last January, Uintah County opened a brand-new Buckskin Hills snow hill, complete with snowmakers, snow guns, a tow rope, and more than a dozen runs for tubing, skiing, and snowboarding.

The price tag for the attraction could be half a million dollars or more, and it all came from federal dollars meant for the pandemic response. That has some struggling business owners and county residents raising eyebrows.

Uintah County received $5.1 million. Most of that money, about $3.6 million, went to two rounds of economic recovery grants for local businesses according to a public-records request. Another $114,000 went to two local artists to paint murals.

But the Tribune found that some business owners were left behind.

“I had to sell my house just to make this all work. This COVID grant would’ve been a godsend to me,” Darryl Andersen, owner of Wet and Wild Rentals told the Tribune. He said he was twice denied an economic recovery grant for his event rental business.

Westfield, New Jersey bought tote bags still sitting in a warehouse

According to the New Jersey Globe, in 2020 the town of Westfield used some of its stimulus money to buy 2,000 canvas tote bags that were never distributed and have been sitting in boxes at the Department of Public Works since last year.

The tote bags were part of a federally funded Holiday Visitors Center set up in a vacant storefront and staffed by paid “ambassadors” who were hired “to patrol our downtown streets starting in mid-November and continuing every day through Christmas.”

The $8,000 tote bag plan — part of a $72,530 grant to help jumpstart a downtown economy that has seen multiple store closings as a result of the coronavirus pandemic — were to “emblazon a ‘Shop Local, Shop Safe, Shop Westfield’ message on them.”

“The canvas bags were never intended to be fully distributed during last year’s holiday season,” Bob Zuckerman, the executive director of the Downtown Westfield Corporation told the Globe. “We will continue to distribute them throughout the year including at special events such as Girl’s Night Out, Sweet Sounds Downtown and during this year’s holiday season.”

But the grant application for the Downtown Westfield Covid Relief program pledged the distribution of the tote bags in during the 2020 holiday season.

Connecticut state lawmaker charged with scheme to steal $600K in CARES money

The U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut recently charged a state lawmaker and a West Haven city employee with creating a phony investment group last February, that fraudulently billed the City of West Haven and its “COVID-19 Grant Department” for consulting services purportedly provided to the West Haven Health Department that were not performed. From February 2021 through September 2021, the City of West Haven paid Compass Investment Group a total of $636,783.70.

According to a news release from the U.S. attorney’s office, Michael DiMassa appears to have been using the money to gamble. The complaint alleges that DiMassa made several large cash withdrawals from the Compass Investment Group LLC bank account, some of which were made shortly before or after he was recorded as having made a large cash “buy-in” of gaming chips at the Mohegan Sun Casino.

According to the Connecticut Mirror, West Haven officials also spent tens of thousands of dollars in federal COVID relief funding on Christmas decorations, payments to a city councilman’s business — and a marching band that performed at the city’s Memorial Day parade.

Catherine Mortensen is the VP of communications at Americans for Limited Government (ALG). The organization says it is a “non-partisan, nationwide network committed to advancing free-market reforms, private property rights, and core American liberties.”

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