Reinstatement Rule Change Vote by New York State Civil Service Commission Delayed
A rule change required to allow reinstatement of some NYC workers fired under the vax mandate was expected to be approved at today's Commission meeting, but DCAS says it will be considered next year.
Some of the New York City municipal workers who were fired under the City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate and are seeking reinstatement saw another setback today when a rules change required for their reinstatements failed to appear on the agenda for this month’s New York State Civil Service Commission meeting.
The reinstatement offer was made by outgoing NYC mayor Eric Adams the day after Election Day, and does not require legal waivers or affect ongoing litigation, as previous reinstatement offers did. With the new offer, former City employees had until December 5 to begin the reinstatement process by sending a request to their former agencies.
Reinstating teachers and other former Department of Education employees can go forward without any regulatory changes, but reinstating most other municipal workers requires a change to the Personnel Rules and Regulations of the City of New York.
The Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) proposed adding rule 6.2.8 to allow reinstatements, and held a hearing on the amendment on November 19. The next step in the rule change process is for the New York State Civil Service Commission to vote on the amendment at one of its monthly meetings.
Both former workers and their advocates had been expecting the Commission to vote on the amendment at its December meeting today, but it did not appear on the agenda and was not discussed.
New York City Council Minority Leader Joann Ariola’s chief of staff, Phyllis Inserillo, says she was told by the intergovernmental affairs office at DCAS today that the amendment will appear on the Commission’s agenda sometime next year.
There are no further details now, but I will be reporting on any that become available.
More on the reinstatement offer and DCAS hearing:
Adams Offers Reinstatement for Fired City Workers, but Questions on Details Remain
NOTE: I will be adding updates to this article as new information about the reinstatement offer becomes available.
