Q&A
WorkWell NYC and employee assistance programs for city workers
1:04:01
·
89 sec
Daniel Pollak from the Office of Labor Relations explains the WorkWell NYC program and other initiatives designed to support employee wellness and mental health. Council Member De La Rosa pushes for more proactive approaches to address employee well-being, especially for workers in critical roles.
- WorkWell NYC offers various programs and services for city employees' health and mental well-being.
- The Employee Assistance Program provides counseling and connects employees with mental health providers.
- OLR doesn't specifically monitor overtime spending or agency overtime budgets.
- Council Member De La Rosa suggests a more proactive approach to providing wellness and retention efforts, especially for critical workers like 911 operators.
- Pollak agrees to take the suggestion back for further discussion with OLR staff.
Daniel Pollak
1:04:01
Sorry.
1:04:02
Mhmm.
1:04:02
So just building off deputy commissioner Porter's, reference to WorkWell.
1:04:06
OLR, just in terms of supporting employees, has multiple programs including WorkWell NYC, which supports employee wellness, which with, have numerous forms of programming for employee health and and mental well-being, and we also have the employee assistance program, which assists employees who are going through mental health issues, by counseling and also connecting them with providers.
1:04:28
We don't have any any specific, relationship to employees working excessive overtime, except for, you know, when it's raised by a a union.
1:04:36
We will see if we can try to work with them to to help improve the situation, but we don't specifically monitor overtime spending or, agency overtime budgets.
Carmen De La Rosa
1:04:46
Mhmm.
1:04:47
And so can there be like, is there a world where there could be, like, that proactive conversation?
1:04:54
Because we already know, like, just having this one session where we heard, DC 37, for example, testify around what is happening to 911 operators, understanding that the safety of the public in New York City is in the hands of these operators.
1:05:08
Can there be a proactive approach in providing some wellness and, retention efforts for, you know, quality of life, really, for these workers?
Daniel Pollak
1:05:18
I can certainly take that back.
1:05:19
You know, we all we are always looking for places to kind of, target our programming.
1:05:24
So I will take that back with and discuss it with our staff.
Carmen De La Rosa
1:05:27
Thank you.
1:05:29
I'll pass it over to chair Rutherford.
