Forget, for a moment, that there are still thousands of New Yorkers without power, and even 
more who are have no heat or hot water in housing developments. Forget that the governor is starting a commission to go after the power companies for criminal neglect. Forget that the MTA has told people who rely on them for transportation on a monthly level that they will see no extension or refunds for the time the system was shut down. If you can, ignore the fact that there are still thousands of New Yorkers without basic needs for life, dependent on the good will of others.
Below is an actual e-mail sent to anyone who works in the law division for NYC. All non-exempt NYC employees who couldn’t get to work or a shelter during the Hurricane now have to use vacation days for those days, or they get docked pay. The city is being _generous_ enough to advance people future vacation, in the case that they do not have one.
The Mayor’s signature is not on that email, but he is the one making this decision, ultimately. It is unconscionable to ask hard working New Yorkers who couldn’t get to work or a shelter due to weather AND an MTA shutdown that they should be giving their time back to the city.
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From: Higgins, Malachy [mailto:mhiggins@law.nyc.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 12:46 PM
Cc: *ALL SUPPORT MANAGERS
Subject: Timesheet for the week ending 11/03/2012 – Hurricane Sandy – Handscan/Webclock Users ONLY
To All Support Users ONLY,
This email is regarding how to record your time and leave information for the week ending 11/03/2012.
Please use your annual leave for the week of 10/29/12 to 11/03/12 in the following instances:
- If you were unable to:
- report to work at either your permanent location or one of our other locations or,
- to a shelter in your community or,
- reported to a shelter but were turned away and returned home.
- The reason for this Annual Leave is Other Usage, this leave is located on the left side navigation bar and requires two levels of approval – your approver and Timekeeping.
- If you do not have annual leave and would like to have annual leave advanced for Hurricane Sandy event ONLY, please send an email requesting an advance of your annual leave to Kathy Bryan via email, copying your Division Chief .
- However, if you were pre-scheduled for annual leave during the week of 11/03/12, you must use your annual leave. If you were also sick during this time, please record accordingly.
Recording Volunteer hours for week ending 11/03/12 and onward
For all employees who reported to a shelter and were able to volunteer, the hours will be noted on your timesheet. You would have received an orange colored timecard – “NYC City of New York Emergency Response Staff (ERS)” from the shelter to record the hours. Make a copy of the timecard and send the original to Timekeeping via email, fax or interoffice. Timekeeping will make the change to your schedule for the day/s that you volunteered.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kathy Bryan and Timekeeping via email.