Hochul updates correctional system's future

Editor's Note: Information contained in this report was provided by the Governor's Office in a Tuesday morning update. Reactions from NYSCOPBA will be included when available. ALBANY | On Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul provided an update on New York State's correctional system following the end of the 22-day unsanctioned work stoppage, detailing efforts to recover, recruit and rebuild the system moving forward. The end of the strike follows four attempts at an agreement between DOCCS and NYSCOPBA that seriously addressed concerns regarding safety and compensation, the governor said. More than 10,000 security personnel are working at correctional facilities as of Tuesday. The Governor has signed an executive order barring the hiring into State service of individuals who are participating in the wildcat strike. Gov. Hochul is also recommending their removal from the Central Registry of Police and Peace Officers for cause, which would prevent them from being hired as a Police or Peace Officer in state and local jurisdictions. "My top priority is the safety and well-being of all New Yorkers — and I have been working around-the-clock to end this illegal work stoppage and restore safety in our correctional system," Gov. Hochul said. "We have taken unprecedented steps to protect public safety, and I am grateful to the National Guard and DOCCS personnel who stayed on the job, going above and beyond to protect their fellow New Yorkers. Today, we can finally say this work stoppage is over and move forward towards making our prisons safer for all, supporting our correctional staff, and recruiting the correction officers of the future." When the illegal walkout began, Gov. Hochul deployed significant public safety resources to ensure the safety of civilian DOCCS personnel, Correction Officers who remain on the job, the incarcerated population and the surrounding community. More than 6,000 National Guard servicemembers across the State to staff prison facilities and authorized additional compensation for National Guard in recognition of their critical work. On Saturday, DOCCS and NYSCOPBA reached the fourth and final agreement to end the illegal walkout. Despite not meeting the 85 percent return threshold, the state is recognizing components of the agreement as well as the March 6 agreement in full. Based on early numbers, 77 percent of striking officers returned by Monday's deadline. Components of the agreements the state will honor include: -Allowing the Commissioner of DOCCS to exercise his existing discretion under the HALT Act and continue the temporary suspension of the programming elements of the HALT Act for 90 days from the date of the MOA. -Minimizing and working towards eliminating 24-hour mandatory overtime. -Establishing a committee to analyze each facility's staffing and operational inefficiencies with the goal of providing more relief to existing staff. -DOCCS shall not issue notices of discipline under the collective bargaining agreement for an employee who engaged in the strike so long as the employee returned to work by the deadline. -Reiterating rescission of the 70/30 memo. -Immediately reinstating the health insurance of any returning employee. -Continue to pay the 2.5 times overtime rate originally established by mutual agreement on Feb. 20, 2025, for 30 days from the date of the MOA. -Allowing employees to purchase health insurance covering the full State share and employee share to the first day of AWOL/terminated health insurance. -Establishing a committee comprised of representatives of NYSCOPВА and DOCCS and other parties to present recommendations to the New York State Legislature regarding changes to the HALT Act. Any employee who did not report to work yesterday will be terminated, with about 2,000 termination notices going out. Gov. Hochul also signed an Executive Order establishing a policy barring the hiring into State service of individuals who are participating in the wildcat strike and recommending their removal from the Central Registry of Police and Peace Officers for cause, which would prevent them from being hired as a Police or Peace Officer in state and local jurisdictions. Attention now turns to the future to support staff at correctional facilities and recruiting the correction officers of the future, Gov. Hochul said Tuesday, adding that New York continues to expand efforts to increase recruitment and hiring of new correction officers. According to the Governor's Office, this includes: -Supporting correction officer trainees at New York's Correction Officer Academy -Introducing Article 7 language in this year's Executive Budget to amend the public officers law, in relation to residency requirements for certain positions as a correction officer, allowing recruiting from other states which would greatly expand the number of potential applicants. -DOCCS has contracted with OGS Media Services on a large-scale social media recruitment campaign that includes a multi-channel approach including social media, multicultural digital, streaming audio, video and static ads to better familiarize the public on DOCCS mission. The campaign went live in February 2025 targeting upstate NY community college campuses and military bases. -DOCCS Statewide Recruitment Unit has been running Recruitment Centers in various locations and currently is operating Recruitment Centers in the Destiny USA mall (Syracuse) and Champlain Centre mall (Plattsburgh). -DOCCS launched an advanced placement initiative to attract applicants with Correction Officer experience into our Correction Officer ranks at a pay rate commensurate to their experience. -In February 2025, the DOCCS Recruitment Unit collectively attended a total of 157 career fair and table events across colleges, high schools and community events. -In July 2024, the Department launched "CNY200", a regional hiring incentive promoting direct placement of Correction officer recruits to vacancies – a program that has been expanded to eight counties. -The DOCCS recruitment team launched a new initiative to increase DOCCS applications into the NYS HELPs program, by collecting electronic resumes at career and community events and disseminating them to the facilities in their regions. After the governor's announcement Tuesday, Assemblyman Billy Jones said he remains "committed to fighting for workplace safety at correctional facilities across New York. What is happening at correctional facilities is horrible and it never should have come to this. No one wants anyone to lose their jobs for protecting for workplace safety. All we want is for everyone to return to work under safe conditions." Jones also said he strongly opposes "the Governor's recent Executive Order declaring a state of emergency at correctional facilities and barring terminated New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (NYSDOCCS) from future employment at other state, county or local government agencies. This is an absolute ridiculous usurpation of local control and an overreach of executive power. The Executive Order is vindictive and must be reversed immediately."

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Hochul updates correctional system's future

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