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

MEMORANDUM NO. 2002-11

April 18, 2002 

TO THE HEADS OF ALL STATE AGENCIES 

I. AUTHORITY

The Agreement ratified on April 7 between the State of Connecticut and the Correction (NP-4) bargaining unit for the period July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2004.

II. COMPENSATION (Article 17)

A. Increase in Salary Base Amount at Step 10 (Article 17.1a) 

Effective and retroactive to July 13, 2001, there will be a $500 increase applied to the base amount of step 10 of all CO pay groups before any other increase is provided.

B. General Wage Increases (Article 17.1a) 

General wage increases will be effective as follows:

C. Trainee Rate (Article 17.1b)

The hiring rate for Correction Officer Trainees, (Cadets) shall be ten (10%) percent below Step 1 of the salary grade for Correction Officer. In the first full pay period following completion of the tenth week of the initial probationary period such Trainee's salary will be adjusted to Step 1 of the salary grade for Correction Officer. 

D. Annual Increments (Article 17.2)

Employees will continue to be eligible for and receive annual increments during the term of this contract in accordance with the existing practice. All annual increments shall be on time.

E. Mileage Reimbursement (Article 17.5)

Mileage reimbursement is at General Services Administration (GSA) rate of 36.5 cents per mile as of February 21, 2002. Previously the rate was 34.5 cents.

F. Night Shift Differential (Article 17.6)

All employees who are in this bargaining unit and who are eligible to receive shift differentials in accordance with current practice and whose assigned work shift begins any time after 2:00 P.M. and before 6:00 A.M. shall receive a night shift differential of sixty-five ($.65) cents per hour.

1. Effective July 12, 2002, the night shift differential will increase to $.70 per hour.

2. Effective July 11, 2003, the night shift differential will increase to $.75 per hour.

Shift differentials shall be included for vacation, holiday, sick leave and personal leave days but not in pay for compensatory time taken in lieu of overtime payment. Shift differentials will only be paid when an employee is actually working.

G. Weekend Differential (Article 17.7 )

A weekend is defined as beginning with the start of the third shift on Friday and terminating with the end of the second shift on Sunday inclusive. The weekend differential shall be paid for working a minimum of six (6) hours on a shift. The weekend differential will only be paid when an employee is actually working.

The rate will be $.40 per hour. 

1. Effective July 12, 2002, the weekend differential will increase to $.45 per hour.

2. Effective July 11, 2003, the weekend differential will increase to $.50 per hour. 

H. Facility Meal Reimbursements (Article 17.9)

Employees who are transporting inmates or parolees outside of the institution shall receive the same reimbursement as if they were working inside the institution.

As new correctional facilities open during the term of this agreement, the employees at such facilities will also receive the same meal reimbursement as is in effect at current facilities.

I. Working Conditions Stipend (Article 17.10)

All members will receive a stipend for working conditions of $800 yearly payable in the first paycheck dated in December of each contract year.

III. STRESS MANAGEMENT (Article 29)

The State shall establish a fund of one hundred thousand ($100,000) dollars to be expended on stress management programs and/or procedures. Funds not expended during the life of this Agreement shall rollover.

IV. TUITION REIMBURSEMENT (Article 33.2 - 34.4a)

Funds committed for reimbursement in one fiscal year shall carry over into the next fiscal year in order to allow payment of tuition reimbursement claims for prior year courses.

For credit courses at accredited institutions of higher education, one hundred (100%) percent of the cost of tuition, laboratory fees and community college service fees up to a maximum of $90 per credit for undergraduate courses and $110 per credit for graduate courses.

For other courses or programs, there will be fifty (50%) percent tuition reimbursement to a maximum of $37.50 per credit for undergraduate courses and $45 per credit for graduate courses.

For external degree programs, the enrollment fee and the examination fee for up to six examinations per year shall be covered by tuition reimbursement.

V. BOARD OF PAROLE WORKWEEK (Article 35.12) NEW

Effective April 19, 2002, Board of Parole employees shall work a 40-hour unscheduled workweek consisting of 5 consecutive eight-hour days Monday through Friday except as modified by Article 35, Section 11 of the NP-4 contract. The workday must begin between 8am and 10am for Field Services Division and 7am and 9am for Hearings Division except that a supervisor may pre-approve an earlier or later start time. Employees may elect either a 30 or 45 minute lunch period.

VI. RETROACTIVE PAYMENTS

For the period June 29, 2001 through May 16, 2002, agency staff must calculate and process the following retroactive payments manually. Checks dated May 31, 2002 should reflect updated additional compensation; e.g., shift differentials, overtime, etc., for the particular bi-weekly pay periods.

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).

Effective to July 13, 2001, and included in the check dated May 31, 2002, a retroactive increase of $500 will be applied to the base amount of step 10 for all CO pay groups prior to the GWI increase. 

A. Retroactive General Wage Increase (GWI)

B. Retroactive Annual Increments

VII. SCHEDULED PAYMENT DATES

A. General Wage Increase

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 employee's masterfile record with the correct bi-weekly salary amount and rate of pay.

C. Working Condition Stipends

The working condition stipends will be paid as follows:

VIII. 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 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 for the appropriate pay period.

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: ZT Transaction; Same as above.

D. Annual Increments Payroll Procedures

Agencies with Automated Personnel System (APS) Interfaces

Annual increments will be entered centrally at the proper time for agencies on the Automated Personnel System (APS). All other agencies must manually adjust their employee's master file record with the correct bi-weekly salary amount and rate of pay.

E. Shift Differential

1. On-Line: Screen 047 or 190; R1; Amount (shift differential rate); Hours; D/OE 11; Major/Minor 108.
2. Remote Job Entry: ZT Transaction; Same as above.

F. Working Condition Stipend

1. On-Line: Screens 047 or 190; R1; Amount; D/OE 21, Major/Minor 0120.
2. Remote Job Entry: ZT Transaction; Same as above.

G. Meal Allowances

1. On-Line: Screens 047 or 190: Rl: Amount; D/OE 23
2. Remote Job Entry: ZT Transaction; Same as above.

IX. ACCOUNTING PROCEDURES FOR TUITION REIMBURSEMENT

Applications for tuition reimbursement for Summer 2001, Winter 2001 and Spring 2002 should have been forwarded to the Comptroller's Management Services Division - Support Services Unit. If not sent, please submit on a new and separate Expenditure Batch List.

Please note: Reimbursements cannot be made until the release of funding by the Office of Policy and Management. 

X. GENERAL

The Department of Administrative Services (DAS) Personnel Division will be distributing revised salary schedules.

Questions may be directed as follows:

NANCY WYMAN
STATE COMPTROLLER

NW:CG

Return to Index of 2002 Comptroller's Memoranda
Return to Index of Comptroller's Memoranda
Return to Comptroller's Home Page