CONTEXT

Contracts

Westchester’s nonprofit sector benefits from strong partnerships with government on the local, state and national levels. Yet, challenges exist in the NY State government-nonprofit partnership that relate to contracting. Complex contracting processes, including late procurement result in inefficiencies and increased non-reimbursable costs to nonprofits.

>> Ask: Support legislation that will advance timely procurement.

COLA

Government contracts have resulted in nonprofit human services workers being some of the lowest paid workers in our economy. Although the State relies on these workers to provide essential services to millions of New Yorkers, it often pays them poverty-level wages in their contracts.

The Governor’s budget includes a 1.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for human services workers. While the governor has committed to a COLA for the third year, it isn’t the full 3.2% that many in the nonprofit sector have advocated for. Additionally, a COLA alone will not get us to full pay equity for human services workers. A COLA is a key investment to ensure wages in contracts are not stagnant and keep up with cost-of-living. A 3.2% COLA is based on the CPI-U, which measures inflation. 

The Assembly and Senate have included the 3.2% COLA in their One House Budgets.

>> Ask 1:  Thank the Assembly and Senate for including the 3.2% COLA in their One House Budgets and ask them for their continued support during budget negotiations.

>> Ask 2. Support legislation that seeks a streamlined and fair COLA system.

Thank you to:

• Deanne Braveman, Esq., Senior Vice President, Mercury.
• The Human Services Council for their work in this area and for much of the information provided. Read more about their JustPay campaign HERE.

ACTION

Join Nonprofit Westchester as we:

• Advocate for a fair contracting process
  
  
• Take steps that work toward ensuring that nonprofit human services workers can live with the dignity and financial security they deserve

Read each memo of support in the survey linked below and indicate if you support the legislation by choosing "YES - SIGN ON to Support" under each memo so that your organization can be included in the sign on letter. Please enter your full name, organization name, and email address.

Important: please be sure you are an authorized person to represent your organization's support. Your organization's name will be listed on the official SIGN ON letter sent to elected officials. The legislative items are also detailed directly below to review, but you must complete the survey in order to have your organization's name listed on our letter. 

• Pass S.4877 (Mayer)/A.2740 (Paulin) which would ensure a timely procurement process for not-for-profits contracting with the state.
  
  
• Pass S.7793 (Persaud)/A.8437 (Hevesi) which adds certain human services programs to the designated human services programs eligible for a cost of living adjustment.
  
  
• Pass S.1291 (Brouk)/ A.4046 (Gunther) which will include all nonprofit human services contracts under the COLA statute.
  
  
• Pass S.4675 (Ramos and Hoylman-Sigal)/A.8937(Bronson) which relates to the convening of a human services employee wage board.
  
  
• Support the COLA Letter to NY State Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and NY State Assembly Speaker Heastie