NYC MEA canvassed the 2025 NYC Mayoral Election Candidates to ascertain the position of each on the following five issues that are of utmost importance to New York City managerial employees and our membership.
Below are the responses MEA received – not all candidates responded.
MEA does not endorse any particular candidate.
BRAD LANDER
1. Preserve Original Medicare and Medigap Insurances for Municipal Retirees.
Do you support preservation of Original Medicare and Medigap Insurances for municipal retirees and their dependents as existed on December 31, 2021, including support for City Council Intro 1096?
Yes, all New Yorkers need quality, affordable health care that keeps them and their families safe without breaking the bank. As Comptroller, I rejected the Adams Administration’s contract to force City retirees onto privatized Medicare Advantage plans they did not want, helping to prevent their plan from going into effect. Adams’ proposal for a privatized Medicare Advantage plan would have forced our retirees into a smaller network, with more restrictive requirements on care, managed by an operator who makes money by denying care. This was unacceptable to me. The recent court ruling was a big win for the 250,000 some retirees fighting to keep the health care they worked for and were promised. When I am Mayor, Medicare Advantage will no longer be on the table.
2. Establish a Longevity Pay Plan for Managerial Employees.
As an employment retention incentive and acknowledgement of years of dedicated civil service to New York City, will you establish a longevity pay plan for managerial employees that is similar to District Council 37 longevity and service increment pay incentives for union employees?
Yes. Municipal employees keep New York City running. Those who invest years in working for the city and have been promoted based on their good performance standards should be compensated accordingly. As the City has struggled to recruit and retain workers, as shown by my Comptroller’s office’s NYC Agency Staffing Dashboard, I will take steps to explore opportunities for new titles and higher salaries to lessen the loss of talent to the private sector.
3. Continue of Hybrid Work Options for Managerial Employees.
Will you continue work from home / telework options for managerial employees? Presently, managers have the option of working from home up to two days per week if their work responsibilities can accommodate such an arrangement subject to approval of the supervisor.
Yes, as Comptroller I partnered with local unions to enact the first permanent hybrid work policy for all Comptroller’s office employees and instituted semi-annual employee satisfaction surveys to continually update our policies and procedures. As Mayor, I will continue hybrid work options, to ensure we are attracting and retaining the necessary city workforce.
4. Modify Funding for the Paid Parental Leave (PPL) Program and Restore Annual Leave.
Will you restore the 2 annual leave days per year taken from managerial employees who earn 27 days annually to fund the PPL Program? Will you develop a fair and equitable source of funding for the Paid Parental Leave Program? Please note, the PPL Program was never mandated by the City administration for union employees with collective bargaining agreements.
Please see below for background information on the PPL Program: In 2016, Mayor de Blasio imposed a Paid Parental Leave Program on managerial employees. He funded it by repurposing 2 of the 27 days of annual leave per year earned by managers and a uniform 0.47% managerial salary increase. A City employee must work 15 years to earn 27 days of annual leave per year. By the time employees reach 15 years of City service, in most cases, they are beyond the time of having children of the age for which the leave would be beneficial. Because of age and the fact that not all managers have children, the PPL Program does not provide any benefit for many managers although they are contributing 2 annual leave days per year and a .47% pay raise to fund the PPL Program. Inequity in funding has created disparity between managers who are beneficiaries of the PPL Program and those who are contributing (especially 2 annual leave days per year) without receiving PPL Program benefits. Additionally, union employees who earn 27 days have not been impacted by a reduction in annual leave days to fund a parental leave program. This has created disparity in annual leave between the managers who lost 2 days of annual leave per year without PPL Program benefits and union employees who continue to earn 27 days of annual leave per year. MEA advocated for the City administration to establish a Paid Family Leave Program to provide equitable leave benefits to address family matters for all managers. In the February 2, 2024 Mayor Personnel Orders #1, it was revealed that a Paid Family Leave Program sponsored through the State of New York had been approved for all managers. However, the NYC Paid Parental Leave Program remains and has been enhanced with an increase in leave time from 6 weeks to 12 weeks for eligible managers. The inequitable funding source also remains unchanged.
Yes. Paid family leave is critical to ensuring new parents can care for their children and for reducing gender inequity, as women continue to assume a disproportionate share of unpaid labor and family caregiving responsibilities. As Mayor, I will approach collective bargaining in a way that would seek to restore these 2 days of paid leave for managerial employees. Reducing benefits to managerial employees can lead to an even greater vacancy rate among city agencies.
5. Revise the Pay Plan for Management Employees (PPME) to Address Salary Compression and Inequity in Minimal Promotion Salary Increases for Managerial Titles and Levels.
Will you revise the Pay Plan for Management Employees to ensure it equitably addresses salary compression and inequity in minimal promotion salary increases for managerial titles and levels?
Yes, I look forward to partnering with MEA, additional unions, and the city workforce to ensure we can recruit and retain our city employees – especially in the face of federal budget cuts. The affordability crisis is crushing New Yorkers, and in addition to salary increases, my mayoralty will focus on tackling the housing affordability crisis and offering free high quality child care and universally accessible afterschool programs, so that New Yorkers can stay in the city they love.
ZELLNOR MYRIE
1. Preserve Original Medicare and Medigap Insurances for Municipal Retirees.
Do you support preservation of Original Medicare and Medigap Insurances for municipal retirees and their dependents as existed on December 31, 2021, including support for City Council Intro 1096?
As Mayor, I’ll preserve Original Medicare and Medigap Insurances, including City Council Intro 1096. Our municipal retirees gave their lives to public service, and in return, they were promised access to stable, high-quality healthcare. Preserving Original Medicare paired with supplemental Medigap insurance honors that promise. Furthermore, it will continue to allow us to recruit and retain dedicated, qualified public employees to deliver the highest quality services to New Yorkers.
2. Establish a Longevity Pay Plan for Managerial Employees.
As an employment retention incentive and acknowledgement of years of dedicated civil service to New York City, will you establish a longevity pay plan for managerial employees that is similar to District Council 37 longevity and service increment pay incentives for union employees?
As Mayor, one of my top priorities will be recruiting and retaining dedicated and qualified public servants to meet New York City’s managerial needs, and I recognize that a longevity pay plan is a crucial piece of this effort. Using the District Council 37 plan as a starting point, I will work carefully with MEA and other stakeholders to develop a plan that supports our city’s civil servants and its long term financial well being.
3. Continue of Hybrid Work Options for Managerial Employees.
Will you continue work from home / telework options for managerial employees? Presently, managers have the option of working from home up to two days per week if their work responsibilities can accommodate such an arrangement subject to approval of the supervisor.
As Mayor, I will continue the current hybrid arrangement for managerial employees, which allows them the crucial flexibility of work from home and the collaborative benefits of in-office work.
4. Modify Funding for the Paid Parental Leave (PPL) Program and Restore Annual Leave.
Will you restore the 2 annual leave days per year taken from managerial employees who earn 27 days annually to fund the PPL Program? Will you develop a fair and equitable source of funding for the Paid Parental Leave (PPL) Program?
I believe that all City workers deserve fair and equitable paid parental leave. During my time in the State Senate, I have long stood with workers to demand better parental leave conditions, in addition to other protections. As Mayor, I will bring that same commitment, and work with the Managerial Employees Association to modify the Paid Parental Leave program’s funding to be fair and equitable while also prioritizing the long term financial health of our city.
5. Establish a Health Insurance Plan for Managerial Employees Comparable to the NYSHIP Plan.
Will you establish a health insurance plan for managerial employees that is comparable to the New York State Health Insurance Plan (NYSHIP) offered to state employees, including access to out-of-network providers and comprehensive benefits?
As Mayor, I will prioritize providing high quality healthcare and coverage to all city employees. I will work with MEA and other stakeholders to establish a health insurance plan that includes access to as comprehensive benefits as possible while remaining fiscally responsible and sustainable over the long term.