Assemblyman Scott Gray (R-Watertown) and his Assembly colleagues have penned a letter to the governor, urging her administration to issue a 48-hour stay on the termination notices recently distributed to more than 2,000 employees within the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS).

The request, signed on to by every member within the Assembly Minority Conference, comes amid growing concerns about the impact of these terminations on correctional officers, facility staff and public safety across New York state. In the letter, Gray and his colleagues accentuate the challenging conditions faced by correctional employees and the need for a brief window of leniency to allow those affected another opportunity to return to work.

“With our shared goal of public safety for all, and to protect our CO employment numbers from further decline, we ask that the administration issue a 48-hour stay on these terminations,” Gray wrote. “This step would serve as a significant demonstration of compassion and commitment to the dedicated members of our workforce.”

The letter emphasizes that while the brief extension would not alter the final outcome for those who ultimately choose not to return, it would provide an opportunity for reconsideration and help prevent further deterioration of the correctional system.

Read the letter to the governor here.