Former state correction officers who were terminated as a result of the wildcat strike that ended on March 10 will now be eligible for hire in local government positions on or after April 10.
New York Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray issued letters to state and local officials last week about the lift on a temporary hiring ban.
Individuals who participated in the unlawful strike and were let go, were separated from the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision for cause because the strike violated the state law known as the Taylor Law and the workers also ignored a court order issued by a state Supreme Court judge.
Bray said the striking officers willfully disregarded their responsibility to protect the public, their colleagues, and those who are incarcerated.
As a result of their conduct, terminated correction officers were reported to the Department of Criminal Justice Services to decertify their peace officer training certificate. It is a standard operating procedure for any state employee separated from employment for cause.
Some counties in the Southern Tier have openings for corrections staff. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Executive Order 43.7 would have prevented local governments from hiring any of the terminated officers connected to the wildcat strike.
Earlier this month, Steuben County officials sent a letter to the governor urging her to rescind the executive order. The county has multiple vacancies at the Steuben County Jail.
According to a press release on the Chemung County website, officials said they filed a lawsuit on March 14 against the governor and Commissioner Rossana Rosado of the Division of Criminal Justice Services citing that the executive order “unlawfully interferes with local hiring authority, exacerbates staffing shortages at the Chemung County Jail, and imposes an unconstitutional blacklist on affected workers.”
WSKG reached out to Chemung County officials for comment and did not hear back in time for this report.
The temporary hiring ban for local governments will sunset on April 10. Bray’s letters instructed any municipality hiring decertified peace officers that they will be responsible for the successful completion of the state-mandated basic training. The training must also be completed within one year of employment with the county.
Commissioner Bray encouraged officials to “put appropriate screening processes in place” due to the reason for their termination.
Letters were sent to leadership with the New York Conference of Mayors, New York Association of Towns and the New York Association of Counties.
Correction officers who participated in the illegal strike and were terminated are prohibited from New York state employment indefinitely.