Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Waiver

Dear Faculty & Staff,  

As you may know, legislation was enacted requiring public service employers, such as the City University of New York (CUNY), to complete and certify employment for employees seeking a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) waiver.  The program can award forgiveness of a remaining federal direct student loan/debt after ten years of eligible public service and 120 loan payments (ten years of monthly payments).  This waiver is set to expire by October 31, 2022.

The following are key points and requirements related to the PSLF, and the Temporary Expanded PSLF (TEPSLF):

1. The definition of a full-time employee, only for the purposes of employment certification for the Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program, will be 30 hours. This is a decrease in the hours required to certify an employee as full-time.
2. When certifying employment for CUNY staff who teach or lecture, CUNY must credit 3.35 hours worked for each hour of lecture or classroom time regardless of when the hours were worked. This includes hours worked prior to the effective date of the new legislation. The multiplier applies only to hours spent in lecture or the classroom. Non-teaching hours are treated as non-multiplied hours.
3. When determining whether an employee is considered a full-time employee, (i.e., 30 hours of work per week), the 3.35 multiplier must be applied to applicable hours. For example, if an adjunct lecturer has 9 contact hours per semester, CUNY must certify the employee as full time (3.35 x 9 = 30.15 Hours).
4. The Office of Human Resources (OHR) will provide, annually, a copy of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and Temporary Expanded PSLF (TEPSLF) Certification and Application (OMB No. 1845-0110) with the employer information and employment certification sections of the form already completed to:
   • An employee who requests a public service loan forgiveness form;
   • Any current employee for whom CUNY has previously certified employment and;
   • An employee who is ending their employment with CUNY
   • The partially completed form should reflect employment for the prior calendar year and may reflect longer periods of employment.
5. A public service employer shall not unreasonably delay in certifying employment.

CUNY Adjuncts, Lecturers, and full-time employees can obtain information by visiting the PSC-CUNY Union’s webpage: www.psc-cuny.org/issues/public-service-loan-forgiveness-program.  The webpage includes webinars and links on how to apply.   Adjuncts should ensure their federal student loans are being consolidated into the Direct Loan Program.

For additional PSLF resources, please click on the following links:

• PSLF.nyc Zoom Office Hours: Wednesday, October 26, 2022 at 2:30pm
• To determine eligibility:  Help Tool StudentAid.gov/PSLF  
• The Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program supports all NY State residents via webinars, email, phone, and 1:1 counseling. Edcapny.org or 888-614-5004

If you need a PSLF form, please visit https://studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/public-service-application-for-forgiveness.pdf.  Since the form asks for confidential information, please password protect the form when submitting it to OHR via e-mail at hr@gc.cuny.edu.  OHR will provide the employment verification.  Please note, a separate PSLF Employer Certification form should be sent to each government or non-profit employer where you worked.

Regards,

Office of Human Resources