On May 24th, 2019 many transit workers learned that NYCT had appointed a new FMLA administrator. This new company, WorkPartners will take over many of the duties performed by the BSC. Once fully live, WorkPartners will handle the processing of all new and open FMLA applications, answering any FMLA related questions and handle all FMLA leave requests, employees will no longer call their work locations but, instead will call WorkPartners, who will then notify your work location.
The first phase of implementing this new FMLA administrator is scheduled to start on June 2nd, 2019 in the Department of Buses, specifically the Central Maintenance Facilities (Zerega and Grand Ave) and Grand Avenue Depot.
Not only will WorkPartners make us jump through additional hoops to exercise our right to FMLA leave, they’re going to be expensive! In June 2018, the MTA board ratified a 5 year contract with WorkPartners totaling $10.7 million ($10,791,074 to be exact). The funding for this has been approved to come out of the operating budget, the same budget that is used to fund the operation of our subways and buses and the same budget used to pay our wages.
It’s evident that this recent overtime “scandal” was the MTA’s way of distracting the public from what’s really going on, years of financial mismanagement at the expense of their workers and the riding public.
PROGRESSIVE ACTION MAGAZINE 