Message from Thomas Whitney, Executive Director Hello Everyone, I hope you are all doing well. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Administration, and myself, I want to thank all of you for the commitment, resiliency and dedication you have exhibited over the last two years during this global pandemic. You are to be commended for your perseverance in providing for some of the most vulnerable, our consumers, while navigating through the unknown. I am proud to be your co worker. As some of you may be aware, the NYS Office of Mental Health has included Recruitment and Retention Funds in our Fiscal year '22 budget. They are being paid to Stel through our Medicaid Reimbursable Services Funding. We will finally have received enough to give a bonus to our staff as a thank you for your hard work. In the payroll of February 24th, all full time staff will receive a bonus of $250. In addition, all full time staff who have been fully vaccinated, will receive another $250 bonus, for a total of $500. Fully vaccinated means that you have received the single dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, or two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines. If you have not been vaccinated or haven't been fully vaccinated, you will have until May 31st, 2022, in order to get vaccinated and qualify for the $250 bonus. Please provide the vaccination information to the accounting department if you get it subsequent to the bonus distribution date. The Office of Mental Health is urging people to get vaccinated and is following the CDC guidance. I am not a proponent of forcing people to be vaccinated, but if you have been vaccinated, or are thinking about getting vaccinated, you will receive the extra $250 bonus. Part time staff are included as well. All staff who worked 832 or more hours between January 1st, 2021 and Jan.31st, 2022 will receive the $250 bonus. For staff who didn't work a minimum of 832 hours, they will receive $.30 per hour up to 831 hours. They will also be entitled to the full vaccination bonus. Furthermore, I will be announcing good news about agency wide raises in the next couple weeks. Once again, this is a thank you for all of your hard work and continued efforts. Best wishes, Tom -- Thomas Whitney Executive Director |
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