Page 17 - Work Force March 2021

Procedure protects rights
Important reminder for state HCSA aAnd DCAA participants
s noted in previous articles, during the 2021 calendar year. flexible spending accounts are Participants in the state’s
AFSCME’s constitution includes
a rebate procedure to protect the rights of members who disagree with how the union spends money for partisan political or ideological purposes.
Article IX, Section 14 of the International Constitution, which establishes the procedure for dues rebates for members who object to AFSCME’s partisan political
or ideological expenditures,
was amended at AFSCME’s 33rd International Convention.
The amended language requires those persons who object to the expenditure of dues for political
or ideological purposes to submit their objection in writing to both the International Union and CSEA Local 1000 by certified mail between April 1 and April 16, 2021, each year for the prior year ending Dec. 31.
The timing of the steps in
the procedure is tied to the International’s fiscal year.
The procedure, including the requirements for submitting a proper rebate request, is spelled out in Article IX, Section 14 of the International Constitution. THESE REQUIREMENTS WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED.
Here’s how it works. Members who object to the expenditure of a portion of their dues for partisan political or ideological purposes and want to request a rebate must do
so individually in writing. Written requests must be postmarked between April 1 and April 16, 2021. That request must be timely filed by registered or certified mail with: the International Secretary-Treasurer and the CSEA Statewide Treasurer. The requests must contain the following information: name, CSEA ID number, home address, email address, if available, and the AFSCME local (CSEA Local 1000) to which dues were paid during the preceding year. This information must be typed or legibly printed. The individual request must be signed by the member and sent
by the individual member to: International Secretary-Treasurer
at AFSCME Headquarters, 1625 L
St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036- 5687; and CSEA Statewide Treasurer, Empire State Plaza Station, P.O.
Box 2611, Albany, N.Y. 12220-
0611. Requests for more than one person may not be sent in the same envelope. Each request must be sent individually. Requests must be renewed in writing every year the member wishes a rebate.
Upon receipt by the International of a valid rebate request, an application for partisan political or ideological rebate will be sent to the objecting member. The objecting member will be required to complete and return the application within 30 days of its issuance. In accordance with the constitutional amendment adopted at the 1998 International Convention, the application will require the objecting member to identify those partisan or political
or ideological activities to which objection is being made, and no rebate will be made to any member who fails to complete that portion
of the application. In determining
the amount of the rebate to be paid to any member, the International Union and each subordinate body shall have the option of limiting the rebate to the member’s pro-rata share of the expenses for those activities specifically identified in the application.
Upon receipt by CSEA of the valid, certified request, the constitutional maximum of 3 percent rebate will be processed. No phone calls or email correspondence will be accepted.
Any member who is dissatisfied with the amount of the rebate paid by the International Union may object by filing a written appeal with the AFSCME Judicial Panel within 15 days after the rebate check has been received. Appeals should be sent to the Judicial Panel Chairperson at the AFSCME International Headquarters at the address listed above. The Judicial Panel will conduct a hearing and issue a written decision on such appeals, subject to an appeal to the full Judicial Panel. If dissatisfied with the Judicial Panel’s ruling, a member can appeal to the next International Convention.
subject to the use-it-or-lose-it rule; any account balances remaining at the end of the plan year are traditionally forfeited.
The 2020 Flexible Spending Accounts for state employees were enhanced to allow for IRS provisions to help reduce potential forfeitures. The state’s Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) allows participants to carry over up to $500 of remaining HCSA funds at the end of 2020 to use toward eligible expenses incurred
Dependent Care Advantage Account (DCAA) are permitted a 2 1⁄2 month grace period (Jan. 1-March 15, 2021) to use remaining 2020 funds to pay for 2021 dependent care expenses.
FSA participants with any questions should outreach to Wage Works/Health Equity. WageWorks/ Health Equity is the Administrator of New York State’s Flexible Spending Accounts and can be contacted at 1-800-358-7202.
Retiring soon?
Join the Retirees!
As a retiree, you can still help our union stay strong and help us protect your hard-earned pension and retirement benefits! Join a CSEA Retiree Local and enjoy many member-only benefits, including:
• Money-saving member benefits
• Representation to protect your pension and retirement
benefits
• Access to insurance plans at CSEA’s low group rates
• Discounted dental and vision care programs
• Personal legal services referral network
• CSEA Retiree News
Spouses, domestic partners and retired CSEA staff are eligible to join a CSEA Retiree Local, too!
To learn more and join, visit https://cseany.org/retirees or call 800-342-4146
March 2021
The Work Force 17