Action Required to Maintain Insurance for Dependents

PSC members and retirees who are eligible for employer-paid health insurance because of their employment at CUNY receive coverage from the City of New York, through the NYC Employee Benefits Program. For those who have “family” coverage, the City has decided to audit the eligibility of dependents (spouses and children) for that coverage. Health Management Systems, Inc., a contractor working on behalf of the city, has begun sending letters (not emails) to all city employees/retirees with family coverage (which term includes spouse/domestic partner-only coverage) explaining what documents they need to submit to verify dependents’ eligibility and how to submit them. The first letters were mailed in early October to Community College employees with last names beginning with the letters A-H. The letter sent to you by HMS will specify the deadline by which you must reply. The deadlines will be approximately 3-4 weeks following the mailing date of your notice. Failure to submit proof of eligibility will result in the termination of your dependent’s City health insurance coverage. When the required documents are submitted and the dependent/s deemed eligible, coverage will be restored.

Click here to read a longer notice from the PSC and here to read more from the NYC Office of Labor Relations.

The Fall 2026 Annual Health Benefits Program Transfer Period for all NYC Employees and Retirees (including CUNY) is November 1st-30th. Health plan changes requested during the Transfer Period will be effective January 1, 2027. Contact your college HR department for more information about the health plan options.

Emblem/UnitedHealthcare offers virtual and in-person information sessions about the health insurance plan that covers most active CUNY employees. Any eligible member, whether currently enrolled or not, can attend and ask questions. New info session dates and other information are posted at the Member Center webpage. For more information, contact Christine O’Connor at Emblem: [email protected].

The stakes of this year’s election are high, and it’s not just members in swing districts who have an important role to play. Every New Yorker has the opportunity to vote on the Working Families Party line for Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, protecting our state from MAGA enablers while building a power base for labor and progressives. The Working Families Party needs to meet a threshold of votes in this year’s gubernatorial general election to maintain their ballot line, so vote on the WFP line whenever possible.

Early voting is underway. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3rd.

Labor Unions Support Kathy Hochul for Governor

PSC Members Attend Campaign Event at Medgar Evers College

This Sunday, PSC members at Medgar Evers college joined leaders from across the NYC labor movement — and Mayor Zohran Mamdani — at a campaign rally for Governor Kathy Hochul. We celebrated Governor Hochul’s historic investments in education, including her support for programs like CUNY and SUNY Reconnect, which have helped boost enrollment and improve student outcomes at CUNY.

PSC President James Davis addressed the crowd, lauding Hochul’s commitment to funding public higher education: “We know that Governor Hochul believes in colleges like Medgar Evers College not just as a place to go study, but also as a part of the legacy of the Civil Rights movement and the movement for opportunity for all New Yorkers.” Video of his statement is on the PSC Instagram.

The PSC encourages members to vote for Governor Hochul on the Working Families Party line. The party needs 250,000 votes to stay on the ballot; 350,000 votes would result in a higher position on the ballot. Early voting is underway and Election Day is November 3rd.

PSC Endorsements

The PSC is proud to endorse a slate of candidates who will fight for working people and higher education at every level of government. Click here to see all of PSC’s endorsements for the general election, including statewide, congressional, state senate and assembly candidates.

Get Out the Vote

PSC members will be phone banking from home on Wednesday, October 28th, 6-8PM, calling union households in Congressional District 11 (Staten Island and South West Brooklyn) to elect Mike Decillis and oust Trump ally Nicole Malliotakis. Register here.

We’ll be door knocking in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to help elect Chris McCreight in Assembly District 46 on Sunday, November 1, from 1-3 PM the last day of early voting. Register here.

We’ll be phone banking from the PSC office and stationed near key polling sites with the Working Families Party throughout Election Day. You can take the day off and volunteer all day, sign up for a before-work morning shift in Brooklyn or Queens, or come to the PSC office to phone bank throughout the day. Register here.

Post Midterms Townhall

On Zoom, Friday, November 6, 12:30PM

Join us for a mass online union meeting to discuss the results of the elections and strategize about next steps to defend free and fair elections. Register here to get the Zoom link and add it to your calendar.

March for Our Democracy

Sat., Nov 7, 12PM @ Times Square

Hands Off NYC is calling for a mass mobilization the Saturday after the election to demand accurate vote counts and defend the results of the midterm elections. Every vote must be counted, because every vote counts. The full results of the midterm elections may be unclear on November 3rd, and the struggle to defend the legitimacy of the election may extend long past Election Day.

New Yorkers will gather in Times Square around the intersection of W 47th St. and 7th Ave., the site of the red TKTS stairs. (The exact PSC staging site is still TBD.) Marchers will head down 7th Ave. to 14th St. where they will then disperse.

Every PSC member who signs up on the Election 2026: Make it Count action form will be on call to join us in the streets at the March for Our Democracy to defend the election.

SAVE THE DATE, NOV 7

Tickets are available for the annual Friends of CUNY & Salute Our Scholars fundraiser event to benefit the Belle Zeller Scholarship Trust Fund. Proceeds from ticket sales will help provide financial aid to CUNY students who demonstrate a commitment to social change and academic excellence. The Fund was established by the PSC in 1979 and honors the PSC’s founding president, Belle Zeller, Professor Emerita of Political Science at Brooklyn College, where she taught for more than 40 years. And this year, PSC President James Davis will be honored. Learn more and buy tickets here.

Court Support Every Friday Morning

While ICE has been grabbing more people in our communities than in the courts recently, they still detain people at check-ins and often show up to instill fear. Our neighbors remain haunted at the prospect of attending immigration hearings, so our court watch work remains important. If you have completed the PSC’s online court support training, please join fellow union members to bear witness and support immigrants who are called to the courts. Meet any Friday at Pret, 7:30 AM at 319 Broadway, across the street from 26 Federal Plaza.