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

MEMORANDUM NO. 2006 - 10

May 1, 2006

TO THE HEADS OF ALL STATE AGENCIES

I. AUTHORITY

The collective bargaining agreement between the State of Connecticut and the Social and Human Services (P-2) bargaining unit for the period July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2009 was ratified by the Legislature on May 1, 2006.

II. COMPENSATION (Article 31)

A. General Wage Increases (Section 1)

General wage increases will be effective as follows:

B. Annual Increments (Section 2)

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

Effective July 1, 2006, employees on the maximum step of the salary schedule, who receive no annual increment, will receive a lump sum payment of $750. Lump sum payments will be paid when the annual increment would have been applied.

C. Longevity (Section 3)

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, 1985 will remain unchanged in dollar amounts for the life of the contract.

D. Night Shift Differential (Section 4)

The night shift differential will be seventy-five cents ($.75) per hour. Effective June 22, 2007, the night shift differential will increase to eighty cents ($.80) per hour. Applicable changes will be made centrally at the proper time.

E. Weekend Differential (Section 5)

The weekend differential will be fifty cents ($.50) per hour. Effective June 20, 2008, the weekend differential will increase to fifty-five cents ($.55) per hour. Applicable changes will be made centrally at the proper time.

F. In Charge Premium (Section 5)

Any bargaining unit employee at Connecticut Juvenile Training School, who is assigned to work in the capacity of Duty Officer, or at the Central Operations Post, on a holiday or a weekend, shall receive an "in charge" premium of ten percent (10%) of his/her hourly rate of pay for all hours worked on such assignments.

G. Commission on Deaf and Hearing Impaired

Refer to Supplemental Letter of Agreement for information regarding certified part-time permanent interpreters of the Commission on the Deaf and Hearing Impaired.

III. TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENTS (Article 39)

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

*An employee who is involved in transporting a client/resident during the lunch period and who must stop for lunch with the client resident will be reimbursed according to the above rates for the cost of his /her lunch. Otherwise, lunch reimbursement is applicable only to out-of-state travel or when authorized in accordance with the Standard State Travel Regulations issued by the Commissioner of Administrative Services.

Taxes on meals will be fully reimbursed. Gratuities shall be reimbursed to a maximum of fifteen percent (15%) of the allowable meal maximum.

An employee who is required to remain away from home overnight in order to perform the duties of his/her position, will be reimbursed for lodging expenses above the specified rate if lodging cannot be obtained at the lower rate and advanced approval is obtained.

Mileage reimbursement will be at the U. S. General Services Administration rate, currently 44.5 cents per mile. Such rate will be adjusted upward or downward within 30 days of any adjustment made by the GSA.

Employees required to utilize a personal vehicle for fifty percent (50%) of the assigned monthly workdays will be paid a daily auto usage fee of $4.50 for each day of required usage. This fee will be in addition to the mileage reimbursement.

IV. CLIENT FRAUD SECURITY FUND (Article 41 Section 7)

The State shall reimburse each employee for the cost of the Client Fraud Security Fund.

V. TUITION REIMBURSEMENT (Article 45)

Any employee who has completed six months of service and is continuing his/her education in a job related area, or in an area that will assist the employee in upward mobility or promotional opportunities, shall be eligible for reimbursement of a maximum of eighteen (18) credits or the equivalent per year.

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

Unexpended funds from one contract year will carry over into the following contract year. The tuition reimbursement fund will expire on June 30, 2009. Applications for tuition reimbursement that are submitted and approved within the final six months of the agreement may be paid with any remaining available funds up to three months following the expiration of the agreement.

The maximum reimbursement rate for credit courses at accredited institutions is $135 per credit hour for undergraduate courses and $220 per credit hour for graduate courses. For other courses or programs there is a fifty percent (50%) tuition reimbursement to a maximum of $57.50 per credit for undergraduate courses and $72.50 per credit for graduate courses.

Tuition reimbursement for external degree programs and for courses offered at non-accredited institutions or non-credit courses shall be subject to prior approval by the Personnel Development section of the Department of Administrative Services. Non-credit courses will be converted to an equivalent number of credits for the purpose of computing reimbursement. For example, six to fifteen hours of non-credit classroom time will be considered the equivalent of one credit. For external degree programs, the enrollment fee and the examination fee for up to six examinations per year will be covered by tuition reimbursement.

VI. CONFERENCE AND WORKSHOP FUNDS (Article 46)

The State will allocate for attendance by P-2 employees at professional seminars, workshops or conferences the following:

Each employee with more than six months of service will be entitled to a maximum of $500 reimbursement per contract year from this fund toward the cost of fees, travel, food and lodging related to attendance at such events. This entitlement may be combined once in any two year period.

An employee may use a previous year's unused entitlement for $1,000 provided prior year funds were rolled over and available.

Funds not reserved for seminars, workshops or conferences by March 1 of each year may be transferred to the P-2 tuition reimbursement program upon request of the Union. Funds committed for workshops/conferences in one contract year will carry over to the next contract year.

VII. STANDBY PROGRAM (Article 47)

The Standby Program is within the Department of Children and Families.

A Home and Office premium annual payment of $500.00 will be paid to those workers assigned to the full time primary standby function and who have performed such function for a full year. Individuals who have completed less than a full year of primary standby work will be entitled to a pro-rata payment based on the number of months of service. The premium will be paid on a semi-annual basis of $250.00.

Compensation for backup standby workers will be at the rate of $1.50 per hour for hours of standby assignment when the regional office is closed during the week, on weekends and on non-premium holidays. Compensation for backup standby workers will be at the rate of $3.00 per hour for the twenty-four hour shift where the beginning of the shift falls on New Year's Day (January 1), Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving or Christmas (December 25).

Refer to the contract for additional on-call/standby status for P-2 employees.

VIII. SCHEDULED PAYMENT DATES

The general wage increase will be made centrally at the proper time. Agency staff must review the Salary Change Mass Update by Plan/Pay Group Report and the Inactive and Transferred Employees Report.

B. Annual Increments

Annual increments will be entered centrally at the proper time as follows:

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.

IX. 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. Payment of Lump Sum(s)

Amount; Time Reporting Code XMISP or Earnings Code MPS.

These lump sum payments are subject to mandatory deductions; i.e., federal withholding and state income tax annualized, social security tax, retirement contributions, and garnishments (if applicable).

C. Shift Differential

Amount or Hours; Earnings Code SD1 or Shift 1; Account 50180 or
Amount or Hours; Earnings Code SD2 (Time and a Half) or Shift 2; Account 50180 or
Amount; Earnings Code SD3 or Shift 3; Account 50180.

D. Daily Auto Usage Fee

Amount; Time Reporting Code XAUTA or Earnings Code AUT.

E. Home and Office Premium

Amount; Time Reporting Code XHOMA or Earnings Code HOM.

F. Standby

Amount; Time Reporting Code XOCXA or Earnings Code OCA.
Units; Time Reporting Code XOCCH, Earnings Code OC2 or Time Reporting 
Code XOCDH, Earnings Code OC3.

X. TUITION REIMBURSEMENT

Tuition Reimbursement ? Union Funds

All pre-approved tuition reimbursement 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.

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 reimbursements at the beginning of contract years.

XI. GENERAL

Questions may be directed as follows:

Contract Issues: Agency Personnel Officers;

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

Tuition Reimbursement: Office of the State Comptroller, Fiscal Policy Division, (860) 702-3344;

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

NANCY WYMAN
STATE COMPTROLLER

NW:CH

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