STATE OF CONNECTICUT
NANCY WYMAN COMPTROLLER	OFFICE OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER 55 ELM STREET HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 06106-1775	MARK OJAKIAN DEPUTY COMPTROLLER

MEMORANDUM NO. 2005-20

June 6, 2005

TO THE HEADS OF ALL STATE AGENCIES

I. AUTHORITY

The arbitration award between the State of Connecticut and the New England Health Care Employees Union, District 1199, P-1 and NP-6 bargaining units, for the period July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2009, became effective on May 23, 2005.

II. COMPENSATION (Article 9)

B.    Annual Increments

There will be no annual increments for the 2005-2006 contract year. Annual increments will be paid in either July or January of the second, third and fourth years of the agreement, in accordance with existing practice.

Employees will continue to be eligible for longevity payments for the life of this contract in accordance with existing practice. The longevity schedule in effect on June 30, 2001, will remain unchanged in dollar amounts for the life of this agreement. All periods of state service will count towards the determination of an employee's longevity entitlement.

For those eligible, the amount is $16.00 for each full shift worked in the capacity of "in charge" in either P-1 or NP-6 bargaining unit.

Effective with the pay period that includes July 1, 2005, staff, other than physicians who are assigned to be readily available to return to work or perform other work as required by the agency's standby program, will be paid $1.50 per hour for the period of the standby assignment. Employees on a standby assignment where the beginning shift falls on a holiday will be paid $3.00 per hour for the period of the standby assignment. Effective with the pay period that includes July 1, 2006, the rate will increase to $1.65 per hour and $3.50 per hour for holidays.

F. On-Call Rate - UCHC (Article 9.8d) (New)

On-call rate will be $3.00 effective July 1, 2006 and $4.00 effective July 1, 2007 for Respiratory Therapy Technicians, Surgical Technologists and Operating Room/Anesthesia Technicians at UCHC.

G. Additional Steps to Pay Scale - Compensation for Dentists (Article 9.22) (New)

Effective October 30, 2005, an eighth and ninth step will be added to the pay scales for Dentists and Lead Dentists.

For each salary grade the eighth and ninth step will be established at the same percentage above the former highest step.

H. Physicians

1. Hours of Work

All full-time Physicians will work a 40-hour standard workweek. Part-time Physicians will be paid on a scale that is 5% below the ranges for the Staff and/or Principal Physician.

2. Night Duty and Standby Night Duty (Article 9.10A)

The existing practices for the assignment of physicians to perform night duty or standby night duty, from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 a.m., in addition to their regular daytime work schedule will remain in effect. The following rates apply:

Or $25.00 per hour multiplied by the number of hours worked in off-site standby status.

I.  Recruitment and Retention Stipend for Clinical Nurse Coordinator and Nurse Clinician     (Article 9.12) (New)

Beginning with the pay period that includes October 30, 2005, a recruitment and retention stipend of $2,000 will be paid annually to employees in the classification of Clinical Nurse Coordinator and Nurse Clinician.

Qualified Mental Retardation Professionals (QMRP) who are below the salary group of the class of QMRP and who have QMRP responsibilities for a caseload of 15 or more clients for the previous year will receive a yearly $1000 stipend lump sum payment. Such payment will be prorated in the event that the employee did not meet the above criteria for a full year.

Emergency Medical Technicians who are regularly assigned EMT duties will receive a stipend of $400.

A stipend of $1000 annually will be paid to an employee where it is required for the employee to be bilingual. The stipend will be paid quarterly in the amount of $250.

Each Veterinarian will receive a $30.00 safety shoe allowance. The laundry allowance will continue at $.75 per day actually worked.

Employees required to wear uniforms not provided by the Employer will receive a $100 annual uniform allowance. Payment will be made on or about July 15 of each year.

Effective with the pay period that includes July 1, 2005 each Registered Nurse permanently assigned to the second or third shift will receive a yearly bonus of $2,500. Effective with the pay period that includes July 1, 2007, the bonus will be increased to $3,000. This bonus will be paid in two installments in July and December.

Effective with the pay period that includes July 1, 2005 each Licensed Practical Nurse permanently assigned to the second or third shift will receive a yearly bonus of $550. Effective the pay period that includes July 1, 2007 the bonus will increase to $600. This bonus will be paid in two installments in July and December.

Q.  P-1 Annual Bonus Payments (Article 9.15)

Physicians who, on October 1 of each year, are Board Certified in their area of practice will receive a bonus of $1,000.

Effective October 1, all physicians employed by the Department of Children and Families who are Board Certified as Child Psychiatrist will receive a $1,000 bonus.

R. Voluntary 37.5/40 Hour Work Week (Article 9.23) (New)

Employees in the following job classifications will have the option to voluntarily increase their hours of work to thirty-seven and one-half (37.5) hours per week effective October 30, 2005. Employees in those job classes who are working a thirty-seven and one-half (37.5) hour work week will have the option of electing to work a forty (40) hour work week effective October 30, 2006.

S. Cellular Telephone Stipend (Article 9.24) (New)

Effective with the pay period that includes October 30, 2005, the State will provide Drug Control Agents and Principal Drug Control Agents within the Department of Consumer Protection a monthly stipend of $20 per month for use of the employee's personal cellular telephone. The employer may require the employee to surrender the state-issued beeper as a condition to becoming eligible for the stipend. The employee may elect to retain the state-issued beeper, not use a personal cellular telephone and not receive the stipend.

T. DOT Safety Shoes (MOU)

The Department of Transportation will continue its existing practice of providing payment for safety shoes to employees it requires to wear safety shoes.

U. Correctional Meal Allowance (MOU)

The meal reimbursement for employees working in correctional facilities will be $8.00 per meal for each shift actually worked.

V. Registered Nurse Classifications Consolidations (MOU)

Effective with the pay period that includes October 30, 2005, 13 Nurse classifications will be consolidated into 8 classifications with most having a one pay grade upgrade. See Memorandum of Understanding for details. All RN classes will be eligible for overtime and shift differential.

An employee whose job requires a professional license or certification, as a condition of employment, and who uses the license or certification exclusively or primarily for State business will be reimbursed for the cost associated with the maintenance of such license or certification.

III. SHIFT ASSIGNMENTS AND DIFFERENTIALS (Article 19)

A. Shift Differential (Article 19.1)
Employees who work a shift where the majority of hours fall after 3:00 p.m. and before 7:00 a.m. will be entitled to shift differential. Payment will be made for all hours worked during the shift.

B. Differential Amount (Article 19.3)
Shift and weekend differential for all eligible employees, including part-time employees under 20 hours, will be 5% of Step 2 of the appropriate salary group.

Shift differential for eligible LPNs and Registered Nurses, including part-time employees under 20 hours, will be 15% of Step 2 of the appropriate salary group.

C. Eligibility for Shift and Weekend Differential (Article 19.4)

2. Notwithstanding the above, Section 4(f) of the State Coalition Agreement on Pay Equity will govern in determining whether a classification is eligible for shift and/or weekend differential payment.

IV. MILITARY LEAVE (Article 26)

A full-time permanent employee who is a member of the armed forces of the State or any reserve component of the armed forces of the United States shall be entitled to military leave with pay for required field training provided such leave does not exceed three (3) calendar weeks in a calendar year, in addition to up to seven (7) days of military leave for weekend drills.

Additionally, any such employee who is ordered to active duty as a result of an unscheduled emergency (natural disaster or civil disorder) shall be entitled to military leave with pay not to exceed thirty (30) calendar days in a calendar year. During such leave the employee's position shall be held and the employee shall be credited with such time for seniority purposes.

Other requests for military leave may be approved without pay. The employee will be advised that the leave is without pay.

V. TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT (Article 31)

A. Meal Rates (Article 31.1)

An employee who is required to travel on employer business will be reimbursed for meals at the following rate:

Employees transporting patient/client during the lunch period and required to stop for lunch with the patient/client will be reimbursed up to $7.00 for lunch.

B. Vehicle Use (Article 31.2)

An employee who is required to use his/her personal vehicle in the performance of duty will be reimbursed at the current GSA mileage rate, which is currently 40.5 cents per mile. Employees required to use their personally owned vehicles to transport patients/clients in excess of two days in a workweek will be paid $4.50 per day for vehicle use fee. The fee will be paid for each day that the employee is required to use his/her vehicle in the performance of State business.

C. Payment of Reimbursement (Article 31.3) (New)

Employee travel reimbursements will be paid no later than sixty days after the employee has submitted the required paperwork for reimbursements and it has been approved by the appointing authority.

VI. TRAINING AND TUITION REIMBURSEMENT

A. NP-6/P-1 Training and Tuition Fund (Article 35.3b)

The training and tuition funds for NP-6 and P-1 will be a joint fund. The $5,000 fund formerly set aside for part-time employees will be merged into a joint P-1/NP-6 fund for a total fund of $555,000 appropriated on or about July 1 of each contract year. Funds that are not expended in one contract year will carry over into the next contract year. The tuition funds will expire on June 30, 2009. Applications for tuition reimbursement that are submitted and approved within the final six (6) months of the agreement may be paid with the remaining available funds up to three (3) months following expiration of the agreement.

B. Tuition Reimbursement (Article 35.3g)

Full tuition reimbursement equal to 75% of the per credit rate for undergraduate and graduate courses at the University of Connecticut, Storrs. However, such reimbursement will not exceed the actual cost of each course. Courses need not be health related.

Part-time employees, under twenty (20) hours, who have at least 4 years of continuous service will be entitled to participate in the tuition reimbursement program, except that the amount of reimbursement will be fifty (50) percent of the amount specified in this article.

C. Combined Education and Training Fund (Article 35.4a)

A combined education and training fund of $382,000 per contract year will be allocated. Funds not expended during the contract period that expires June 30, 2005 will be rolled over into the new contract.

D. Career Mobility Fund (Article 35.4a)

This fund will fund a bank of leave hours for employees who are pursuing a higher education degree. The cost of such leave hours to be deducted from the Combined Education and Training Fund will be $20.00.

E. Conference and Workshop Fund (Article 35.6a)

There will be $380,000 appropriated July 1 of each contract year for bargaining unit employees with six (6) or more months of service for attendance at professional seminars, workshops, or conferences. These funds will be combined for P-1/NP-6 employees.

Each employee will be entitled to be reimbursed to a maximum of $1,000 per contract year toward the cost of fees, travel, food and lodging related to attendance at such events. Conference/Workshop Funds of $1,000 per year can be combined once in any two years. The combining of funds can occur by combining the annual allotment from the current contract year with any unused annual allotment from the previous year or by combining the annual allotment from the next contract year. Reimbursement for travel, food and lodging will be consistent with the Travel Reimbursement article of the agreement and applicable State travel regulations. Funds not reserved for seminars, workshops or conferences by March 1 of each year may be transferred to the joint tuition reimbursement fund upon request of the union. Funds committed for workshops/conferences in one fiscal year will carry over to the next fiscal year.

Part-time employees under twenty (20) hours who have at least one (1) year of continuous service will be entitled to participate in the Conference and Workshop Fund. The amount of annual entitlement will be $175.00 and employees will attend such programs on their own time.

VII. SCHEDULED PAYMENT DATES

A. Bi-weekly Salary Payments

 B. Annual Increments

C. Recruitment and Retention Stipend for Clinical Nurse Coordinator
     and Nurse Clinician

D. QMRP Stipend

E. EMT Stipend

 F. Bilingual Stipend

Annual stipend of $1000 will be paid in quarterly installments for each contract year. Payments of $250 will be made during the pay period including October 1, January 1, April 1, and July 1 for each year of the contract beginning July 1, 2005.

G. Veterinarian Shoe Allowance

H. Uniform Allowance

I. Recruitment and Retention Stipend for RN's and LPN's

J. P-1 Annual Bonus Payments

K. RN Pay Grade Upgrade

VIII. PAYROLL PROCEDURES

A. Implementation of General Wage Increase

New pay plans will be implemented centrally with the new hourly rate and bi-weekly salary effective with the pay period, at the proper time.

B. Split Pay Period For General Wage Increase

General Wage Increase effective July 1, 2006. The effective pay period is June 23, 2006 through July 6, 2006. Wages earned for the period June 23, 2006 through June 30, 2006 should be paid at the old rate. The wages earned for the period July 1, 2006 through July 6, 2006 should be paid at the new rate, effective July 1, 2006.

C. Annual Increments

Annual increments will be entered centrally at the proper time for agencies.

A separate OSC memorandum will be issued at the time longevity payments are to be issued.

E. In Charge Pay

1. On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XINCA.
2. On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code INC.

F. Night Duty Payment

1. On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XMISA. 
2.On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code MIS.

G. Retention Stipend

1. On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XRTSA.
2. On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code RTS.

H. QMRP Stipend

1. On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XMERA.
2. On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code MER.

I. EMT Stipend

1. On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XSKPA.
2. On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code SKP.

J. Bilingual Stipend Payments

1. On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XMERA.
2. On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code MER.

K. Shoe Allowance

1. On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XSHUA.
2. On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code SHU.

L. Uniform Allowance

1. On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XUNFA.
2. On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code UNF.

M. Annual Bonus Payments

1. On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XMERA.
2. On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code MER.

N. Shift Differential 

1. On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Hours; Shift 1; Account 50180 or Hours; Shift 2 (Time and a Half);     Account 50180 or Amount; Shift 3; Account 50180.

 O. Travel Reimbursement - Union Funds

Employees must complete Travel Authorization (CO-112) Form and submit to appropriate agency personnel for processing. The authorized CO-112 and back up materials must be sent to the Comptroller's Office, Fiscal Policy Division, Travel Unit for review and approval. See procedures at: http://www.osc.state.ct.us/manuals/TravelProc/index.html

P. Tuition Reimbursement - Union Funds 

All pre-approved tuition reimbursements requests must be submitted to the Comptroller's Office, Fiscal Policy Division, Tuition and Travel Unit, on a PERT-1 Form, Application for Tuition Reimbursement. A receipt of payment and a copy of grades for courses taken should be attached to the PERT-1 form. Tuition reimbursement requests without proper back-up documentation will be returned. 

Note: Reimbursements cannot be made until the release of funding by the Office of Policy and Management. In the past, this funding was not made available to coincide with the implementation date of the contract provision. Please expect delays in reimbursements at the beginning of contract years.

 IX. GENERAL

Payroll staff should consult with their Agency Personnel Officer to ascertain other possible wage increases. The Office of Labor Relations will be distributing revised salary schedules.

You may direct requests for assistance as follows:

NW:CH 

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