Celebrating 50 Years of Advocacy and Service

NYSOMCE’s 50th Anniversary

NYSOMCE proudly celebrates 50 years of advocating for and supporting New York State’s Management/Confidential (M/C) employees.

Since our incorporation in July, 1976, NYSOMCE has remained committed to ensuring M/C employees have a strong voice on the issues that impact their careers, workplace, compensation, and professional recognition.

For five decades, our organization has been built by dedicated leaders, volunteers, and members who believed M/C employees deserved representation, advocacy, and a place at the table. Their commitment created the foundation that continues to guide NYSOMCE today.

As we celebrate this milestone, we look forward to the future — continuing to advocate, engage, and advance the interests of M/C employees across New York State.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of our journey. Here’s to 50 years of advocacy — and many more to come!

NYSOMCE — Celebrating 50 Years Strong Since 1976.

OMCE Committee Opportunities

Any OMCE member, active or retired, is welcome to serve on one or more OMCE committees. Committee participation is a great way to become more involved in the organization and help shape our advocacy efforts and member services.

Committees typically meet 3–4 times per year via Zoom, with most meetings lasting less than one hour.

The following committees are currently seeking member participation:

• Grievance & Legal Defense
• Legislative
• Membership
• Personnel & Finance
• By-Laws
• Strategic Planning

If you are interested in serving on a committee, please email omce@nysomce.org by Wednesday, July 8.

Update on Department of Civil Service Salary-related Applications

As OMCE members know from having followed our Members Only page, OMCE has been advocating to address salary compression between M/C titles and subordinate staff in various nursing, clinical and social work titles.  We have also selectively pursued changes in salary grade allocation where employees have provided evidence of structural inequities in compensation.  With only one exception, the Department of Civil Service has refused for almost 3 and one-half years to review OMCE applications.  We have included a letter from our legal firm to the Commissioner of the Department of Civil Service that addresses this travesty.  It can be found in the Members Only section.  It is incumbent upon the Department of Civil Service to react to and correct salary inequities.  Even if the Department does not agree with the requested applications, it is legally and morally bound to review them and issue determination.  To that end, we continue to push for responsible and timely action on the part of the Department of Civil Service on behalf of impacted M/C employees.

2026 OMCE Annual Meeting Recap 

The OMCE Annual Meeting was held on June 11, 2026. President Patricia Baugh opened the meeting with a moment of silence in remembrance of former Board member Caroline Westbrook. 

President Baugh introduced newly elected Board members Deb Paternoster, Rodney Young, and Joe Sano, who will begin their terms on July 1. 

Executive Director Heath Morris reported another strong year for OMCE, with six of seven organizational goals achieved, continued membership growth of 46% over the past three years, strong financial stability, and expanded statewide outreach and advocacy efforts. All 12 OMCE legislative proposals were introduced this session, with two priority bills advancing through committee. 

OMCE’s Grievance and Legal Defense Coordinator Joe Sano provided an update on OMCE’s grievance and legal defense work, currently managing an average of 100 active cases per month, and highlighted ongoing concerns with state-level disciplinary processes and workplace accommodation issues. 

Members continue to demonstrate strong engagement, generating thousands of advocacy letters and participating in statewide legislative outreach efforts. 

The meeting concluded with discussion on salary equity concerns. 

The meeting adjourned at 4:45 PM. 

The full Annual Meeting Summary is available in the Members-Only section.

2026 Legislative Session: Historic Progress, Disappointing Results

OMCE entered the 2026 legislative session with 10 active legislative proposals. Several of these bills, particularly those that had already been assigned bill numbers in the previous session, were automatically reintroduced.

It is important to keep our legislative efforts in perspective. More than 15,000 bills are introduced during a typical legislative session, and many never advance beyond the initial drafting stage. Against that backdrop, OMCE having 10 active bills in committee is a significant accomplishment. One OMCE-supported bill passed the Senate unanimously, while two fiscal bills advanced out of the Senate Civil Service and Pensions Committee and were referred to the Senate Finance Committee—an unprecedented achievement for OMCE.

This level of legislative progress is not common for most professional organizations, and it demonstrates that OMCE's advocacy efforts continue to gain recognition and credibility within the Legislature.

Unfortunately, the 2026 legislative session can best be described in one word: dreadful. The State Budget was enacted more than two months late, leaving the Legislature with less than a week to address thousands of pending bills before adjournment. Throughout the session, the Assembly was noticeably less active, which significantly hindered the advancement of OMCE's legislative priorities. Despite entering the session in a strong position, the delayed budget process effectively stalled momentum on several bills that otherwise appeared poised to move forward.

At the conclusion of each session, bills passed by both houses of the Legislature are sent to the Governor, who generally reviews and acts on them by category before the end-of-year deadline. Unfortunately, none of OMCE's priority bills were able to reach that stage this year.

Needless to say, I am disappointed and frustrated by the outcome of this session. While OMCE achieved several historic milestones and made measurable progress, the overall lack of legislative action is simply unacceptable. As we move forward, OMCE will continue to evaluate and refine our legislative strategy, with particular emphasis on strengthening support within the Assembly and finding new opportunities to advance our priority legislation.

Our members deserve action, and OMCE remains committed to ensuring their voices are heard.

Heath Morris – NYSOMCE Executive Director

Tier 6 Legislative Reform - Revised 6/8/26

Enacted by the State Legislature and signed by Governor Kathy Hochul, these changes focus on recruitment, retention, and pension fairness across state retirement systems.

· Lowered Employee Contribution Rates: Contribution rate structures have been reorganized into new, less aggressive salary bands across multiple retirement systems. The highest contribution rate decreased only slightly from 6% to 5.75%. 

· Increased Statutory Overtime Caps: Effective January 1, 2027, the baseline cap on the amount of overtime earnings that can be factored into a New York State and Local Employees' Retirement System Tier 6 member's final average salary calculation has been increased from $21,589 to $30,000, which will index upward by 3% annually. 

· Expanded Overtime Inclusion for First Responders: For New York State and Local Police and Fire Retirement System members, the cap on overtime earnings used to calculate benefits expands from 15% of annual wages to 25% for members effective January 1, 2027. 

· Exclusion of Overtime from Contribution Determinations: Overtime pay earned through 2028 is excluded from the definition of "base wages" when calculating what rate employees must contribute out of pocket. 

While OMCE supports improvements to Tier 6, we believe that this legislation failed to address the issue of a single employee contribution rate. Tiers 3, 4, and 5 have a single employee contribution rate of 3%. Tier 6 will now have graduated contribution rates ranging from 3% to 5.75%. OMCE finds this to be fundamentally unfair and punitive in nature. 

Finally, while we support changes to Tier 6, we do so with the understanding that improved pensions translate to increased spending on the part of State and local governments. If the State spends an estimated $200 million each year on their employer contributions to Tier 6, that means that the State can either spend less on programs and employee salaries and benefits or raise taxes and fees. This similarly impacts local governments which will likely pass on costs through higher property taxes.

Read More Here

General Salary Increase Update 

CSEA and the State of New York reached a contract settlement on May 29, 2026. Not to be outdone, PEF settled with the State of New York on June 5, 2026. Bills were introduced and passed in the State Legislature to fund general salary increases for CSEA-represented employees, PEF-represented employees, and M/C employees (Program Bill #41, Part B). Please note: membership of each union must ratify the approval of their respective contracts through a voting process. M/Cs do NOT have, by law, the ability to negotiate a contract, so our compensation and benefits are dictated through legislation. The contract ratification process will likely not be complete until the end of July or the beginning of August. At that point, the Division of the Budget (DOB) will issue directions, through Budget Bulletins, to the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) detailing the payment process. In turn, OSC will issue payroll instructions to agency payroll offices through its Payroll Bulletins. We anticipate that approval to pay General Salary Increases to M/C employees will follow. 

Please note that there is NO news to share regarding the payment of either Longevity Pay for employees in Grades 17 and below OR the adjustment of salaries through Performance Advances or “steps.” When that information is available, we will share it on our website. 

There are other details that will emerge as additional contract information becomes available. Our website will also share any new information. 

Generally, the legislation provides for: 

· General salary increases for five consecutive fiscal years: 2026—4.5%, 2027—4.0%, 2028—3.5%, 2029—3.0%, and 2030—3.0%. 

· Modest increases in each of the five consecutive years for Location Pay for the existing Downstate and Mid-Hudson areas. We note that Location Pay continues to be underfunded despite these nominal increases given the reality of cost-of-living factors in these regions. 

· Pay increase retroactivity to April 1, 2026. 

We will share additional updates and details as they become available.

M/C Pay Bill Introduced Following Tentative CSEA Agreement 

Following the announcement of the tentative CSEA/State of New York contract settlement on May 29, 2026, legislation was introduced to fund the proposed salary increases for both CSEA-represented employees and Management/Confidential (M/C) employees. 

Program Bill #41 includes: 

Part A – Funding for CSEA-represented employees Part B – Funding for M/C employees 

Key provisions include: 

· General salary increases over five fiscal years: 

2026: 4.5% 

2027: 4.0% 

2028: 3.5% 

2029: 3.0% 

2030: 3.0% 

· Retroactive implementation to April 1, 2026. 

· Annual increases to Downstate and Mid-Hudson Location Pay, although those increases remain modest relative to regional cost-of-living pressures. 

Please note that the tentative agreement must still be ratified by CSEA membership before it becomes effective. At this time, OMCE has not received any information regarding the release of the associated Budget Bulletin or Payroll Bulletin. 

OMCE will continue to monitor developments and will provide additional information and analysis once the contract is ratified and the Budget and Payroll Bulletins are issued. The M/C salary increase language begins on page 52 of Program Bill #41 for members who wish to review the proposed provisions directly.

CSEA & MC Pay Bill PDF

The Legislature completed voting on the FY 2027 New York State Budget last night

Yesterday the New York State Legislature gave final passage to the remaining FY 2027 New York State Budget bills, nearly two months after the April 1 deadline, and the latest state budget in 16 years. The approximately $268 billion budget includes several of Gov. Hochul’s priorities including reforms to lower auto insurance, addressing the rise in utility bills, comprehensive immigration protections, pension enhancements for the public workforce and a pied-a-terre tax program for New York City. As a result of New York State’s late budget, the end of session timeline will be especially condensed, with the last scheduled session day on June 4. OMCE will post a more detailed response following a comprehensive review in the coming days.

Click the link below to view highlights including significant changes to Tier 6.

2027 Enacted Budget

OMCE Calls for Immediate Release of State Compensation Study

In 2023, New York State announced plans to conduct a comprehensive study reviewing the total compensation of the State’s public employees. In 2025, the New York State Department of Civil Service contracted with Deloitte Consulting to conduct the study, with a tentative completion date of January 15, 2026.

OMCE, along with other employee organizations, provided extensive feedback and data to Deloitte concerning workforce compensation and benefits. OMCE specifically emphasized the urgent need to bring M/C compensation more in line with that of our union-represented co-workers.

We have now learned that the study results will not be available until July 15, 2026 — months after the beginning of the State’s 2026–27 fiscal year. This delay is deeply concerning. It is critical that the report, unedited and in its entirety, be released immediately so that its findings and recommendations can be objectively reviewed by all stakeholders, including OMCE, the Legislature, and the public.

Transparency and accountability are essential to ensuring a fair and equitable compensation system for New York State’s public workforce.

NYS OMCE Annual Meeting Announcement

In accordance with the By-Laws, the Annual Meeting is scheduled for June 11, 2026 at 4:00 PM.

To obtain the Zoom link for the meeting, please contact Kylie Washington at Kwashington@nysomce.org by June 10^th.

The Organization of Management/Confidential Employees (OMCE) proudly recognizes Management/Confidential (M/C) employees—and all public servants—for their essential role in delivering critical services to the residents and taxpayers of New York State.

Every day, your work touches the lives of millions of New Yorkers. Your dedication, professionalism, and commitment help keep our state running. We thank you for all that you do.

Kathy Hochul has expressed her appreciation for public service and the hard work of state employees. In that spirit, we urge the Governor to support legislation that ensures equal pay and benefits for M/C employees. This is a matter of fundamental fairness—M/C employees deserve to be treated no differently than their fellow public workers.

Key legislative priorities include:

• Sick Leave Accrual Parity (S.9253 / A.10358)
• Performance Advance Payment (S.7655 / A.8521)
• M/C Longevity Payment (S.1739 / A.2680)
• Salary Schedule Parity (S.1722 / A.2743)
• Higher Education Differential (S.7829)
• Final and Binding Hearing Officer Decisions for M/Cs (S.1540 / A.3332)

These bills—along with others in the OMCE legislative agenda—seek not only to ensure equitable compensation and benefits, but also to restore dignity and respect for employees who do not have the ability to collectively bargain.

This agenda represents the recognition that M/C employees need—and deserve.

Caroline Westbrook – Director

Caroline Westbrook, a dedicated public servant and advocate for workers’ rights, passed away after many years of service.

She served as a Human Resources Specialist with the New York State Department of Financial Services since 2005. Caroline was also a committed member of OMCE for 15 years and served on its Board of Directors for nine years, including many years as Board Secretary. She was deeply devoted to protecting the rights of Management/Confidential (M/C) employees and retirees.

Caroline will be remembered for her integrity, dedication, and lasting contributions to those she served.

Services will be held on May 9 at 2:00 PM at Christ the King School, 145-02 Farmers Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11434.

She will be greatly missed.

Information on Performance Advances for M/C Employees

While employees in union-represented positions in State government are now receiving their performance advances (also called “steps”), M/C employees are again made to wait. Performance advances (not to be confused with performance awards or longevity payments) are paid to eligible full-time and part-time annual salaried employees whose salary is below the job rate for his or her salary grade. They are eligible to receive a performance advance each year in the amount of one sixth of the salary range for the grade. Performance advances are generally effective after the rating period has ended unless the agency has taken steps to withhold it for performance reasons. 

CSEA and PEF employees are paid on a timely basis consistent with their respective contracts, typically in April. This year the payroll checks of April 22nd and April 30th included performance advance adjustments for eligible CSEA and PEF employees. In 2025, by contrast, M/C employees waited for payment until July 2nd and July 10th. 

M/C employees routinely receive their performance advancement adjustments well after their union counterparts do. But remember, these salary adjustments should be routinely made to ALL State employees as they advance within their salary grade. Such adjustments reflect an increase in pay commensurate with each employee’s greater experience on the job. At time of hire, there is an expectation that these incremental salary increases with be paid on a regular basis. Late or skipped performance advances are another example of the disparate treatment of M/C employees. For those of us with keen memories, our 2020 performance advances were delayed by over a full year until 2021! Such treatment is unfair and inexcusable. 

OMCE has proposed legislation (Senate 7655) to require timely payment of performance advances to M/C employees. We have an Action Line letter for you to sign and send. Remind your legislators that we are NOT second-class citizens and that we are NOT second-class employees. This bill corrects this problem by ensuring that M/C employees receive their Performance Advancement Adjustments on a timely basis on par with their union-represented colleagues.

OMCE Bills Advance Unanimously to Finance Committee, Marking Major Legislative Progress

Great news to share: OMCE bills S.1739/A.2680 (“Longevity at All Grades”) and S.1722/A.2743 (“Salary Schedule Parity”) have both been unanimously voted out of the Civil Service and Pension Committee and are now headed to the Finance Committee.

This is an encouraging step forward. Members are urged to continue showing support for these bills—and all OMCE initiatives—by submitting “action line” letters available on the Legislative Activities section of our website.

Two OMCE Bills Scheduled for Civil Service Committee Consideration

Update: OMCE bills S.1739/A.2680 and the Salary Schedule Parity bill (S.1722/A.2743) have both been placed on the Civil Service Committee agenda for April 21, 2026.

These pieces of legislation have been among the most widely supported Action Line efforts and were key focuses during recent meetings with legislators. As two of OMCE’s newly introduced bills, it is encouraging to see them gaining meaningful traction.

Members of the MC community are encouraged to once again show their support by participating in the Action Line and urging lawmakers to advance these important pieces of legislation.

OMCE is Hiring!

Click Here For Job Posting Information

In an effort to reduce lapses caused by unpaid invoices beginning July 1, 2026 MC Retirees who choose to pay their dues by check only will be required to pay for either a three-year or five-year membership period.  The 3 year membership period has a discount of $25 and a 5 year membership has a discount of $50.  MC Retirees who pay dues by credit card will still be able to pay yearly.  MC Retirees who pay by check will receive an invoice as usual when their membership is near expiration, at that time if the member chooses to renew by check, a 3 or 5 year membership will be required.

Dear Governor Kathy Hochul, 

As you prepare your annual Equal Pay Day proclamation, you have a meaningful opportunity to advance pay equity within New York State government by addressing compensation for Management and Confidential (M/C) employees. 

Approximately 58% of M/C employees are women, serving in administrative, paraprofessional, and professional roles across state agencies. Yet many are compensated less than union-represented employees performing comparable work due to lower salary caps and ineligibility for longevity payments and education differentials. These structural differences create disparities that can amount to thousands of dollars over the course of a career. 

Ensuring parity in compensation for the State’s approximately 11,000 M/C employees would be a concrete and measurable step toward closing the gender wage gap within state government itself. Aligning M/C compensation with that of comparable union-represented employees would demonstrate a clear commitment to fairness, equity, and respect for public servants. 

We also urge you to support and advance OMCE legislation that would strengthen protections and promote equitable treatment for Management and Confidential employees. 

Equal Pay Day should be more than a proclamation—it should reflect action. Addressing these inequities and supporting OMCE legislation would affirm your dedication to true pay equity within New York State government. 

We respectfully urge you to take meaningful steps this Equal Pay Day 2026 to ensure equitable compensation and protections for Management and Confidential employees. 

Respectfully, 

Heath Morris NYSOMCE Executive Director

OMCE’s Board Adopts OMCE’s Strategic Plan (2026–2030) 

The New York State Organization of Management Confidential Employees (NYSOMCE) serves as the unified voice for the Management/Confidential (M/C) workforce across New York State government. M/C employees play a critical role in administering state programs and services that support the citizens of New York. Despite these responsibilities, they often do not receive the same protections and benefits afforded to unionized employees. 

The NYSOMCE Strategic Plan (2026–2030) provides a focused roadmap to strengthen the organization’s ability to support, engage, and advocate for the M/C workforce. The plan centers on three key priorities: expanding membership recruitment and engagement, strengthening legislative and policy advocacy, and promoting leadership development and succession planning to ensure long-term organizational sustainability. 

Through these efforts, NYSOMCE will enhance its organizational capacity, increase visibility of M/C issues, and continue advancing fairness, equity, and professional growth for Management/Confidential employees throughout New York State government. 

This strategic plan was developed through collaboration with the Board of Directors and feedback from OMCE membership. It is intended to serve as a living document that will be reviewed and updated annually to reflect evolving priorities and the needs of the M/C workforce. 

The Strategic Plan can be viewed in the Members Only section.

Fix Tier Six — AND Fix M/C Employee Compensation 

At the Fix Tier Six Rally in Albany on March 8, 2025, Governor Kathy Hochul expressed support for additional improvements to Tier 6 of the New York State and Local Retirement System (NYSLRS). The Organization of Management/Confidential Employees (OMCE) agrees that further enhancements are needed to reduce the significant inequities between Tier 6 and earlier pension tiers. 

Some estimates place the cost of implementing every proposed Fix Tier Six reform at nearly $400 million annually for state and local governments. 

While we are encouraged that the Governor is willing to address inequities in the retirement system, we must emphasize that for a fraction of that cost, Governor Hochul could also fix M/C employee compensation and finally eliminate decades of inequitable treatment of Management/Confidential employees. 

How can this be done? 

• Correct M/C salary schedules so they align with those of comparable unionized employees

• Provide longevity payments equal to those received by unionized employees 

• Offer a Higher Education Differential to M/C employees, not just unionized staff

In just 12 months since launching our social media platforms, OMCE has reached an exciting milestone. With over 62,000 views and nearly 350 followers, it’s clear that MCs are interested in learning more about OMCE and the work we do. 

OMCE is a membership and advocacy organization dedicated to representing and protecting the interests of MCs. Our mission is to ensure members have access to strong representation, professional advocacy, and the support they need when facing workplace challenges. OMCE works to provide guidance on workplace issues, assist with grievances, and help ensure members have access to legal defense and representation when it matters most. 

Through our advocacy efforts, OMCE strives to promote fair treatment, transparency, and accountability while giving MCs a unified voice on the issues that impact their profession. 

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to take a moment to visit and follow our pages on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to stay informed about our work, updates, and important information affecting MCs. 

If you are an MC and not yet a member, we encourage you to consider joining OMCE. Membership helps strengthen our collective voice and ensures you have access to the representation, advocacy, and resources needed to protect your professional interests. 

Thank you to everyone who has supported and engaged with us—we look forward to continuing to grow and advocate on behalf of MCs.

Yesterday, OMCE’s Executive Director, Heath Morris delivered testimony at the Joint Legislative Public Hearing on the 2026 Executive Budget, highlighting ongoing salary inequities and retention challenges affecting Management/Confidential (MC) employees across New York State.

During his remarks, he emphasized the urgent need to address pay disparities, improve competitiveness, and implement meaningful reforms to retain experienced public servants who are critical to state operations.

You can watch the full testimony here. Executive Director Heath Morris starts at 3:45, and again at 4:32.