Purpose:
The purpose of this bulletin is to provide agencies with instructions for processing the 2025 CUNY Nurses Health Specialty Differential.
Affected Employees:
CUNY employees in the following titles are affected:
- Staff Nurse (Full-time)
- Staff Nurse (Hourly)
- Nurse Practitioner (Full-time only)
Background:
The 2025 CUNY Nurses Health Specialty Differential payment for employees in the classified staff titles of Staff Nurse and Nurse Practitioner is made in accordance with the 2022-2027 agreement between CUNY and the New York State Nurses Association (Bargaining Unit TE).
Eligibility criteria for this payment is outlined in the memorandum dated 11/25/2025 from Carmelo Batista, Jr., University Executive Director of Classified Staff Labor Relations.
Effective Dates:
Payment will be made in a separate check dated February 19, 2026. There is no direct deposit for this payment.
Eligibility Criteria:
Employees who meet the following criteria as outlined in the memorandum referenced in the Background section above, are eligible to receive the CUNY Nurses Health Specialty Differential payment:
- Full-time Staff Nurses or Nurse Practitioners who are Active or on a Leave With Pay on December 15, 2025 receive $891.18.
- Hourly Staff Nurses who work 950 hours or more during the calendar year, January 1 through December 31, 2025, receive $544.84.
- Hourly Staff Nurses who work less than 950 hours during the calendar year, January 1 through December 31, 2025, receive $324.44.
Agency Actions:
To pay the 2025 CUNY Nurses Health Specialty Differential to eligible employees, agencies must enter the following information on the Time Entry Interface (NPAY502) or the Time Entry page using Earnings Code HSD:
| Earnings Begin Date: | Pay Basis Code ANN – 12/15/2025 Pay Basis Code HRY – 12/31/2025 or, if the employee is inactive, the last date the employee was active and met the eligibility criteria. |
|---|---|
| Earnings End Date: | Pay Basis Code ANN – 12/15/2025 Pay Basis Code HRY – 12/31/2025 or, if the employee is inactive, the last date the employee was active and met the eligibility criteria. |
| Earns Code: | HSD |
| Amount: | Applicable amount |
This payment will be made in a separate check mailed directly to the employee. Therefore, agencies should ensure eligible employee addresses are up-to-date in the PayServ system. Refer to Payroll Bulletin No. 1016.1 for assistance with employee address maintenance.
Tax Information:
The 2025 CUNY Nurses Health Specialty Differential is supplemental taxable income, will be included in the employee’s taxable gross, and is subject to all employment and income taxes.
Federal, State, and New York City income tax withholding will be calculated using the Aggregate method. Yonkers Flat Rate Withholding is (1.95975% for Yonkers residents and 0.50% for Yonkers non-residents).
Payroll Register and Employee’s Paycheck/Advice:
The Earnings Code HSD and the amount paid will be displayed on the Payroll Register. The Earnings Description Health Specialty Differential and the amount paid will appear on the employee’s paycheck.
Undeliverable Checks:
When a valid payroll check is undeliverable due to the agency’s inability to locate the employee, the agency should follow the Agency Actions identified in Payroll Bulletin No. 1786 – Non-Negotiated and/or Undeliverable New York State Payroll Checks.
Checks issued to eligible employees who are now deceased should be submitted as a stop payment request with a reason of Exchange in PayServ. The Report of Check Exchange (AC 1476-P), Next of Kin Affidavit (AC 934-P) and original death certificate should be submitted to the Payroll Reversal and Exchange mailbox at the same time as the stop payment request. If a Next of Kin Affidavit has been previously submitted for a deceased employee’s payroll check, OSC will accept a photocopy of this form along with a new Report of Check Exchange.
Questions:
Questions regarding eligibility for this payment may be directed to the University Payroll Manager, OHRM.
Questions regarding this bulletin may be directed to the Payroll Earnings mailbox.