State Reopener Proposal - IFPTE (Memorandum of Agreement)

State IFPTE - UI Weekly Benefit Rates

Important information for certifying for weekly benefits due to the coronavirus emergency

NJ Division Unemployment Insurance

Local 195, IFPTE would like to say THANK YOU to everyone showing up, despite the risks and fears of COVID-19. You are appreciated and your efforts are not going unnoticed. You matter and we care!

Local 195 Members, Paul I.and Geraldo C.
N.J. DOT Employees,Clifton OMSC Chapter

On June 10, 2020, Local 195 Members Paul and Geraldo went above and beyond when they pulled a trapped motorist out of his overturned truck after it crashed. Both men were working along the shoulder of I-208 south when a pickup truck lost control, went airborne, struck a median and landed upside down only a few feet from where they were working. Paul and Geraldo quickly called first responders, ran to the scene to aid the trapped driver when they noticed the engine smoking. No serious injuries were reported. Paul and Geraldo's bravery and quick action is grately appreciated!

THANK YOU PAUL AND GERALDO!.

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Local 195's Michael Scorzetti Jr.'s Fun Under the Sun Outing at the Eagles Landing Day Camp HAS BEEN CANCELED.

Click on Local 195's Gallery Tab to view recent photos from the AFL-CIO Veteran's Council visit to the Menlo Park Veteran's Home on June 8, 2020.

Governor Murphy OKs furloughs for public employees to avert layoffs.

Please click on the read button to view the article from Senate President Sweeney regarding the possible future of Local 195 members due to the Covid Crisis.

The Civil Service Guidelines and FAQs for State Employees on COVID-19 has been updated as of April 29, 2020. Please click on the link to be directed to the CSC website.

The Department of Human Services Division of Developmental Disabilities has begun implementing the Universal COVID-19 testing for Developmental Centers staff and residents using the collection of saliva. Please read the letters from Local 195 President Rudolph and the Dept. of Human Services by clicking on the read button.

Please click the link to be directed to the State of New Jersey's Covid-19 Information Hub.

Please click on the read button to review the breakdown of the CARES Stimulus Bill.

Governor Murphy established an assistance program to help support child care costs for essential workers, as defined by Governor's Executive Order 110. In order to participate, essential employees who wish to utilize emergency care services must complete an online registration form at: www.childcarenj.gov. Please click the link below to be directed to the page.

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO has a COVID-19 Pandemic Resource Page. Please click the icon above or the link below to be directed to their resource page.

PLEASE LOG ON TO THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY'S WEBSITE FOR UP-TO-DATE AND ACCURATE COVID-19 INFORMATION WWW.NJ.GOV.

The current contract (July 1, 2019-June 30, 2023) is now available online and can be found under the drop down menu of the "Members" tab and then by clicking on "Contract".

For those members who do not have an I.D. card with your membership number listed on the card, please call the Local office or email the Local at local195@local195.org and a card will be ordered for you. Please note this process takes several weeks.

Please notify the Local office if you have changed your home address and/or work location so that we can update our records. Thank you!

R.I.P. Julius Sabo Jr.
Local 195 Member

Local 195 would like to notify its membership, family and friends of the passing of our member Julius Sabo Jr. He was a member with the Trenton I&S Chapter. Our deepest sympathies go out to Mr. Sabo's family, friends and co-workers

R.I.P. Latasha Andrews
Local 195 Member

Local 195 would like to notify its membership, family and friends of the passing of our member Latahsa Andrews. She was a member with the Trenton I&S Chapter. Our deepest sympathies go out to Ms. Andrews' family, friends and co-workers

Article from Dudley Burdge, Union Representative on the Plan Design Committee

• No Change in Rates for Active Members; Retiree Rates Go Down

  Effective January 1, 2018 there will be no increase in premiums for any active state or local government workers that are in the State Health Benefit Plan.

  Premium rates for local government early retirees will go down by 2.3%; rates for local government Medicare retirees will go down 6.2%.

  Premium rates for state early retirees will fall 4.4% and the rates for Medicare retirees go down 6.3%.

• One Small Plan Design Change for 2018

  Active local and state workers will see no change in plan design. The only plan design change for 2018 is that the retiree prescription drug copay for mail order brand drugs will fall from $33 to 28.

• Incentives for Choosing a Tiered Network Plan Continue

  The incentive program for those newly choosing a tiered network plan (Aetna Liberty or Horizon Omnia) will continue for plan year 2018. New employees and employees changing coverage due to a life event will now be able to participate in the incentive program.

  The incentives vary depending on level of coverage: Single-coverage employees receive $1,000; Member/Spouse or Parent/Child-covered employees receive $1,250; and Family-covered employees receive $2,000. This incentive is paid by gift card within the first quarter of Plan Year 2017, and is deemed reportable income for tax purposes.

• New Prescription Drug Manager

  Effective 1/1/18 OptumRx will replace Express Scripts as the vendor operating the SHBP prescription drug program.

  The new vendor was chosen through a reverse on-line auction -- a union initiative developed by CWA, AFT, and NJEA with the help of the national union-based health coalition, America's Agenda.

  We anticipated the reverse on-line auction would produce overall drug savings of 8 to 10% but it looks like the savings will be closer to 12%. It's a major factor in the lack of rate increases for active employees and fall in rates for retirees.

  It's estimated that about ten percent of drugs currently on the Express Scripts formulary will not be on the OPTUM formularies.

  We will be meeting in the near future with OPTUMRx to ensure a smooth transition.

• State Surpluses Mean State Members Pay Too Much

  The active state worker part of SHBP saw large surpluses of $121 million in 2016 and $101 million projected for 2017. The surpluses were because claims were 5 to 8% less than projected by Aon.

  Normally surpluses are good news but in this case it means 91,000 state workers probably paid $40 to $50 million more in premium share than they needed to over the two year period.

  That's because once premiums are set for the year that determines the amount members pay in premium share but it does not determine the amount the state pays. The states simply pays for the amount of claims and other expenses not covered by our members premium share.

  When there are surpluses in the state plan, it means members pay more than they need to because the premiums have been set too high but the state pays less.

  Stay tuned, the Union side of the Plan Design Committee will be pursuing this issue further.

  IMPORTANT NOTE: this problem does NOT effect local government as any surplus due to lower than expected claims is deposited in the Claims Stabilization Reserve (the State part has no reserve fund.) For the last two years we have used some of the surplus in the local government Claims Stabilization Reserve to keep local government rates at 0% for active members. The Claims Stabilization Reserve, even with this spend-down, has a more than adequate reserve with

  Dudley