Chancellor Malatras Announces Agreement with CSEA to Extend Mandatory Weekly COVID-19 Testing for Unvaccinated, Union-Represented Employees
Read the Full Testing Extended MOU Here
Albany, NY – State University of New York Chancellor Jim Malatras announced with Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) President Mary E. Sullivan an extended agreement to provide mandatory weekly COVID-19 testing for unvaccinated CSEA-represented employees working in-person at SUNY state-operated colleges, universities, and hospitals. The agreement is effective through December 31, 2021.
Fully vaccinated employees who voluntarily provide confirmation of vaccination are exempt from regular testing, but may be subject to baseline testing prior to or at the commencement of the Fall 2021 semester or in instances of increased COVID-19 rates. Any increase in testing for fully vaccinated employees will be determined at the campus-level, after consultation with local union representatives. All testing will be conducted during regular work hours.
“The vaccine is our greatest weapon against COVID-19 and it has allowed us to fully reopen our campuses. However, until every individual is vaccinated, testing remains a critical piece of managing COVID,” said Chancellor Malatras. “My thanks to CSEA President Mary Sullivan—and all CSEA members, many who have been on the frontlines throughout the crisis. Leadership matters and once again our partners in labor have stepped up to keep our campuses safe.”
CSEA President Sullivan said, “CSEA members working throughout the SUNY system have been critical partners in keeping campuses safely operating during the pandemic. We’re pleased to have agreed to a new testing plan with SUNY administration that exempts fully-vaccinated CSEA members from being subjected to routine surveillance testing, unless there’s a spike at individual campuses. This respects the vaccinated status of workers, while maintaining campus safety.”
SUNY also has agreements with United University Professions, New York State Public Employees Federation, New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, and Police Benevolent Association of New York State employees. Regular testing was a key strategy during the spring semester for detecting emerging cases of COVID-19 on SUNY campuses. Since August, SUNY conducted nearly 2.5 million COVID-19 tests with a positivity rate of 0.39 percent.
If you have any questions, please contact Human Resources via email at hr@oswego.edu.
Please visit this webpage for the most up-to-date information from your Human Resources and Payroll offices.
Date Posted: 7/12/21