Media Alert:
For immediate release
February 2, 2023
Contact:
Elisa Diller: 302-369-6756
John Kowalko: 302-547-9351
Karen Peterson: 302-999-7522
RISE Delaware Urges Current State Employees to Participate in New Benefits Survey
State employees need to speak up to keep your healthcare benefits!
RISE Delaware is encouraging current state agency and school district employees to pay close attention to a survey being sent out about employee benefits. Elisa Diller, RISE co-founder said, “This survey is being made available to current employees from February 1-17, 2023. We are encouraging current employees to weigh in on the need to retain present healthcare benefits for future retirees. Benefit choice is often just code for benefit reduction. We want current employees to receive the benefits that they worked for over the years.”
“We found out the hard way over the summer that promises made may not be promises that are kept,” said retired State Senator Karen Peterson. “Our fight to keep our Medicare Supplemental Plan is a warning to current employees that because healthcare benefits cost money, they will be on the chopping block. Do not be naïve and trust that your best interests will be taken into account. You need to stand up and tell the officials making decisions that you are watching what is happening and that you want your medical benefits to be there when you need them.”
Retired State Representative and RISE co-founder John Kowalko stated, “We refuse to have the Governor and his administration try to pit current employees against retirees. From the very beginning, RISE Delaware has stated that it is concerned about maintaining benefits for both current and retired workers. The divide and conquer rhetoric won’t work with us, and we refuse to let a scalpel be taken to employee healthcare either.
“State employees have been underpaid and underappreciated and deserve better than a thinly veiled attempt to cut their healthcare benefits,” Kowalko said. “We also urge all retired and current employees affected by possible changes to their healthcare benefits to join us and get on our mailing list by going to www.risede.com and clicking ‘join’ on our homepage.”
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RISE Delaware
Retirees Investing in Social Equity Delaware
“State of Delaware Public Service Retirees who care not just about their benefits, but your benefits too!”