MEMORANDUM NO. 98-15

April 13, 1998

TO THE HEADS OF ALL STATE AGENCIES

I. AUTHORITY

The collective bargaining agreement between the State of Connecticut and the Engineering and Scientific (P-4) bargaining unit, for the period July 1, 1997 through June 30, 2001, which was approved by Legislature on April 9, 1998.

II. ARTICLE 10 - TRAINING AND TUITION

A. The State will allocate for training each contract year the following:

The unspent funds will carry over from one contract year to the succeeding contract year(s). The fund will automatically expire on June 30, 2001.

Each eligible employee will be entitled to a maximum of $400 per year from this fund. An employee may use the fund once in a two year period for an expenditure in excess of $400, but not greater than $800. Use of this fund for less than $400 in any two year period does not provide any carry over credit.

Agricultural Experiment Station employees eligible for expense reimbursement under Addendum Article 10 are not eligible to participate in the Workshop Conference Fund.

B. The State will allocate for tuition reimbursement each contract year the following:

There will be unlimited carryover of unused moneys in the fund from one contract year to the next. An employee can be reimbursed up to $115 per credit for an undergraduate course and $145 per credit for a graduate course.

No employee is eligible for reimbursement for more than twelve (12) credits in each year of the contract.

III. ARTICLE 19 - COMPENSATION

A. General Wage Increases will be effective as follows:

B. Annual Increments

Employees will continue to be eligible for and receive annual increments during the term of this contract in accordance with existing practice except the 1997-98 payment will be delayed by five months and paid accordingly in the pay period which includes December 1 and/or June 1. The 1998-99 payment will be delayed by three months and paid accordingly in the pay period which includes October 1 and/or April 1.

C. Lump Sum Payment for Maximum Step Employees

Employees at the maximum step of the salary schedule as of the annual increment effective dates will receive a 2.5 percent lump sum payment when the annual increment would have applied.

IV. ARTICLE 21 - TRAVEL

Employees required to travel on official State business will be reimbursed for lodging, mileage and/or meals in accordance with Standard State Travel Regulations. Construction personnel in the Department of Transportation (DOT) or Department of Public Works (DPW) who are presently assigned State vehicles may continue to use said vehicles or may shift to the use of his/her personal vehicle, at which time he/she will be entitled to all the benefits accruing to other employees who are using their personal vehicles.

Employees utilizing personally-owned vehicles on state business will be paid $4.25 per day vehicle use fees. This fee will be in addition to mileage reimbursement. (See contract for stipulations.)

Mileage reimbursement will be .31 cents per mile subject to readjustment with U.S. GSA rate.

V. ARTICLE 35 - EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING

The annual safety shoe allowance of $70 will continue to be payable on or about October 1 of each contract year. Employees hired on or after October 1, but before April 1, of any contract year, will also receive this allowance on or about April 1. Employees hired on or after April 1 will not be eligible for this allowance in that contract year.

VI. ARTICLE 55 - EMPLOYEE MEAL CHARGES

Increase charges for lunch and dinner at State agencies with employee dining facilities.

Please implement the increased rates for meals in the usual manner.

VII. RETROACTIVE PAYMENTS

For the pay period May 8, 1998 through May 21, 1998, check date June 5, 1998, agency staff must calculate and process the following retroactive payments manually. Checks dated June 5, 1998 should reflect updated additional compensation; e.g., shift differentials, overtime, etc., for the particular bi-weekly pay period.

Payments will be separately identified and subject to mandatory deductions only; i.e., federal withholding tax and state income tax annualized, social security tax, retirement contributions, and garnishments (if applicable).

A. Retroactive Annual Increments and Lump Sum Payment at Maximum Step

B. Retroactive General Wage Increase - (Effective January 2, 1998)

VIII. SCHEDULED PAYMENT DATES

A. Bi-Weekly Salary Payments

B. Annual Increments

Annual Increments will be entered centrally for agencies on the Automated Personnel System (APS) interface at the proper time as follows:

All Other Agencies

All other agencies must manually adjust their employees' masterfile record with the correct bi-weekly salary amount and rate of pay.

C. Lump Sum Payments for Maximum Step Employees

The agency must process these lump sum payments manually and follow the effective dates and pay periods of annual increments as indicated in Section VIII. A.

D. Shoe Allowance

The agency must process these lump sum payments manually:

IX. PAYROLL PROCEDURES

Agency staff must ensure that the employee's masterfile data (Pay Plan, Salary Group and Step, Hourly Rate and Bi-weekly Salary) are correctly coded.

A. Payment of Retroactive Salary Increases and Retroactive Annual Increments

1. On-Line: Screen 047 or 190; R1; Amount; D/OE Code 10.
2. Remote Job Entry: ZT Transaction; Same as above.

B. Implementation of General Wage Increase - Agencies with Automated Personnel System (APS) Interface

New pay plans will be implemented centrally with the new hourly rate and bi-weekly salary effective with the pay period May 8, 1998 through May 21, 1998 (check date June 5, 1998) at the proper time.

C. Implementation of General Wage Increase - All Other Agencies Entering New Salary Amounts on Bi-Weekly Payroll:

1. On-Line: Screen 160; Change Rate and Salary
2. Remote Job Entry: RA/NA Transaction; Same as above.

D. Payment of Retroactive Lump Sum(s)

1. On-Line: Screen 047 or 190; R1; Amount; D/OE Code 10.
2. Remote Job Entry: ZT Transaction; Same as above.

E. Payment of Lump Sum(s)

1. On-Line: Screen 047 or 190; R1; Amount; D/OE Code 18.
2. Remote Job Entry: ZT Transaction; Same as above.

F. Payment of Shoe Allowance

1. On-Line: Screen 047 or 190; R1; Amount; D/OE Code 1E.
2. Remote Job Entry: ZT Transaction; Same as above.

G. Auto Usage

1. On-Line: Screen 047 or 190; R1; Amount; D/OE 1L; Major/Minor is 01-2x (Refer to Comptroller's Memorandum 97-57 for details).
2. Remote Job Entry: ZT Transaction; Same as above.

X. ACCOUNTING PROCEDURES FOR PAYMENTS

A. Travel Reimbursements

Submit the following documentation to the Office of the State Comptroller for approval. A new Employee Voucher, CO-17XP, must be completed for the amount. Indicate on the CO-17XP, that this is a "Travel Reimbursement", from 1997/98 fiscal year. Note the year in red on the upper right hand corner. The processing of the "Travel Reimbursement" is contingent upon the availability of funds.

B. Tuition Reimbursements

Applications for tuition reimbursement for Summer 1997, Fall 1997, and Spring 1998, should have been forwarded to the Comptroller's Business Office. If not sent, please submit on a new and separate Expenditure Batch List. Include copies of prior payments received, and if this applies: "Write in the upper right hand corner of the Batch Header (CO-19) 1997/98."

Please 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 each contract year.

XI. GENERAL

Payroll staff should check with their Agency Personnel Officer to ascertain other possible wage increases. The Department of Administrative Services (DAS), Personnel Division, will be distributing revised salary schedules.

Questions may be directed as follows:

Salary Schedules: DAS-Personnel Division, (860) 566-3236;

Payroll Procedures: Office of the State Comptroller, Payroll Services Division, (860) 702-3463;

Remote Job Entry: Office of the State Comptroller, Payroll Services Division, (860) 702-3462;

Memorandum Interpretation: Office of the State Comptroller, Policy Services Division, (860) 702-3440.

NANCY WYMAN
STATE COMPTROLLER

NW:EL:jrs

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