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

MEMORANDUM NO. 2006-20

June 8, 2006

TO THE HEADS OF ALL STATE AGENCIES

I. AUTHORITY

The interest arbitration award between the State of Connecticut and the Connecticut Employees Union Independent concerning the Maintenance and Service (NP-2) bargaining unit for the period July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2008, which was approved by the Legislature on May 3, 2006.

II. TRAINING (Article 10)

A. Tuition Reimbursement (Section 3a)

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

Tuition reimbursement for credit courses at accredited institutions of higher education will be one hundred percent (100 %)of the cost of tuition, laboratory fees and community college service fees up to a maximum of seventy-five percent (75%) of the per credit rate for undergraduate and graduate courses at the University of Connecticut at Storrs. Tuition reimbursement for non-credit courses at accredited institutions of higher education will be one hundred percent (100%) of the cost of tuition, laboratory fees and community college service fees up to a maximum of fifty percent (50%) of the per credit rate for undergraduate and graduate courses at the University of Connecticut at Storrs.

B. Professional Development (Section 3b)

The State will allocate the following in each contract year for the purpose of providing relevant education and training to employees in conjunction with the Department of Education or comparable programs including continuing education requirements.

C. Conference Fund (Section 3c)

For contract years 2005-2006 and 2006-2007, $25,000 will be allocated per year for attendance at workshops, seminars or conferences by employees. For contract year 2007-2008 the allocation will be increased to $30,000. A maximum of one thousand ($1,000) dollars will be allotted for any one attendance and no employee will attend more than two conferences, workshops or seminars per contract year. The funds will be used for fees and/or travel expenses including meals and lodging. Funds which are unexpended in one fiscal year will carry over into the next fiscal year. The conference fund will expire with the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement which is June 30, 2008. Requests which are submitted and approved within the final six months of the contract may be paid with any remaining available funds up to three months following expiration of the contract.

D. Unexpended Funds

Funds which are unexpended in one fiscal year will carry over into the next fiscal year and the balance of these funds will be available in addition to the new balances. The union will, upon request, be able to interchange funds between the Professional Development, Tuition Reimbursement, and Conference Funds.

III. COMPENSATION (Article 20)

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 in July or January during the term of this contract in accordance with existing practice except that annual increments will not be paid for contract year 2005-2006.

C. Lump Sum Payment for Maximum Step Employees (Section 2)

Effective July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2007, employees at the maximum step of the salary schedule as of the annual increment effective dates are eligible for a lump sum payment of five hundred ($500) dollars. Effective July 1, 2007 employees at their top step will receive a lump sum payment equal to two and one half percent (2.5%) of their base annual salary.

D. Safety Shoe Allowance (Section 3)

On or about July 15 of each contract year an employee required to wear safety shoes will receive the specified payment for the purchase of such shoes. The safety shoe allowance is extended to eligible employees who are hired after July 15 but before February 1 of any contract year. Payment will be made on or about February 15.

The safety shoe allowance is $110. Effective July 1, 2007 the safety shoe allowance will increase to $125.

IV. NIGHT SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL (Article 18-Sec. 18c)

Temporary Night Shift Differential (Department of Transportation only)

A shift premium of $2.00 per hour will be paid in lieu of any other shift or weekend differential to employees who are assigned to such temporary shifts for all such hours worked or on paid leave. This premium will also be paid for any eligible overtime hours worked on such established shifts, but the premium itself will not be paid at the one and one-half rate.

V. SAFETY (Article19-Section 7(b))

Premium pay for hazardous or unpleasant duty as specified by current regulations or Q-Items will continue. Premium pay for newly designated hazardous or unpleasant duty may be established at either one and one-half (1-1/2) or one and one-quarter (1-1/4) times the applicable hourly rate, depending on the degree of such hazard or unpleasantness, in relation to current regulation or Q-Item. Premium pay will be paid for all hours of such work or exposure.

VI. LONGEVITY (Article 22)

Employees will continue to be eligible for longevity payments in accordance with existing practice.

VII. SHIFT AND SALARY DIFFERENTIALS (Article 23)

A. Shift Differential

The shift differential is seventy-five ($.75) cents per hour. Effective July 1, 2006, the shift differential will increase to eighty ($.80) cents per hour. Effective July 1, 2007, the shift differential will increase to eighty-five ($.85) cents per hour.

B. Weekend Differential

The weekend differential will be fifty ($.50) cents per hour. Effective July 1, 2006, the weekend differential will increase to fifty-five ($.55) cents per hour. Effective July 1, 2007, the weekend differential will increase to sixty ($.60) cents per hour.

C. Differential for Supervising or Training Inmates

Employees, other than those employed by the Department of Transportation, who are required to supervise or train inmates and such is not a function within their job specification, will be paid a differential of seventy ($.70) cents per hour for each hour actually worked in such assignment.

D. Freezer Storage

The extra compensation for employees who work in freezer storage areas will be seventy ($.70) cents per hour.

E. Fire and Crash Standby

The extra compensation paid to DOT employees with fire and crash standby assignments at airports will be eighty ($.80) cents per hour.

VIII. SAFETY SHOES PERMANENT PART-TIME EMPLOYEES (Article 27 Sec. 2g)

Permanent part-time less than twenty (20) hours per week employees required to wear safety shoes will receive the amount specified in Article 20 for the purchase of such shoes at the time of hire and bi-annually thereafter on or about July 15.

IX. MEALS (Article 41)

During the life of this agreement, the rates charged to employees for meals will be as follows:

Employees whose jobs require they remain on duty on a regular basis during the lunch break will be entitled to an employer-provided meal at no cost, provided the employer has dining facilities. This applies to first, second, and third shift employees. These provisions do not apply to employees who may be eligible for meals under Article 42.

X. MEAL POLICY (Article 42 Section 2)

At all agencies possessing dining facilities, meals will be provided at no cost.

At agencies without dining facilities, the maximum meal allowances will be:

XI. HOUSING (Article 43)

Effective upon legislative approval of this agreement, the amount charged to employees occupying State-owned housing located on the grounds of State institutions will be seventy (70%) percent of the 2004 appraised fair market rental value. For other State-owned housing, the rental charge will be one hundred (100%) percent of the 2004 appraised fair market value.

XII. SNOW AND ICE PREMIUM PAY (Article 53)

Employees designated as having a snow and ice control or removal assignment will be paid a premium of $1.40 per hour for each hour actually worked on snow and ice control or removal, other than during the regular shift schedule. Effective July 1, 2006 the snow and ice premium payment will be increased to $1.50 per hour. Effective July 1, 2007 the snow and ice premium will be increased to $1.60 per hour. Premium pay will be authorized under the above conditions from November 1 through April 30 of each year for the life of the contract. This premium pay will not be used in computing overtime payment.

XIII. ON-CALL/STANDBY ASSIGNMENTS (Article 55 Section 6(d))

Employees of the University of Connecticut, University of Connecticut Health Center, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Department of Mental Retardation who are designated by job classification and function as on-call/standby status will compensated at the rate of $1.00 per hour for each hour so assigned. Notwithstanding the duration of any on-call/standby assignment, such compensation will not exceed $100.00 per work week.

XIV. EMPLOYEE EXPENSES (Article 57)

A. Mileage Reimbursement (Section 1)

Mileage reimbursement is at the U.S. General Services Administration rate (currently 44.5 cents per mile). The rate will be adjusted within thirty (30) days of readjustment by the General Services Administration.

B. Business Travel Reimbursement Rates (Section 2)

Reimbursement rates for business travel are the following:

*Applicable to out-of ?state travel or when authorized in accordance wit h the Standard State Travel Regulations

XV. LICENSE FEES (Article 60 Section 6)

The employer will reimburse employees in all classifications, including but not limited to barbers, hairdressers, ferry captains and electronic technicians for the cost of a license required by the employer as a condition of employment or otherwise necessary for execution of assigned duties, except that the cost of a Commercial Drivers License (CDL) will not be reimbursed. Requests for reimbursement will be processed upon presentation of a validated license and proof of payment.

XVI. RETROACTIVE PAYMENTS

A. Retroactive Lump Sum Payments for Maximum Step Employees

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).

B. Retroactive Safety Shoe Allowance

Agencies may have already paid this safety shoe allowance to employees. If this was not paid, please process payment as follows:

XVII. SCHEDULED PAYMENT DATES

A. General Wage Increase

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.

D. Safety Shoe Allowance

E. Safety Shoe Allowance for Employees Hired After July 15

XVIII. 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 Periods for General Wage Increases

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.

General Wage Increase effective July 1, 2007. The effective pay period is June 22, 2007 through July 5, 2007. Wages earned for the period June 22, 2007 through June 30, 2007 should be paid at the old rate. The wages earned for the period July 1, 2007 through July 5, 2007 should be paid at the new rate, effective July 1, 2007.

C. Payment of Retroactive Lump Sum(s)

1. On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XRTRA.

 

2. On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code RTR.

D. Payment of Lump Sum(s)

1. On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XMISP.

 

2. On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; 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).

E. Shoe Allowance

1. On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XSHUA.

 

2. On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code SHU.

F. 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.

 

2. On the Additional Pay Page: Hours or Amount; Earnings Code SD1 (Shift 1); Account 50180 or Hours or Amount; Earnings Code SD2 (Shift 2); Account 50180 or Amount; Earnings Code SD3 (Shift 3); Account 50180.

G. Differential for Supervising Inmates

1. On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Units; Time Reporting Code XINM1.

 

2. On the Additional Pay Page: Units; Earnings Code DI1.

H. Freezer Storage

1. On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Units; Time Reporting Code XFRZ1.

 

2. On the Additional Pay Page: Units; Earnings Code DF1.

I. Fire and Crash Standby

1. On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Units; Time Reporting Code XOCAH.

 

2. On the Additional Pay Page: Units; Earnings Code OCF.

J. Snow and Ice Premium Pay

1. On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Units; Time Reporting Code XHDIH.

 

2. On the Additional Pay Page: Units; Earnings Code SIR.

K. On-Call/Standby

1. On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Units; Time Reporting Code XOCBH.

 

2. On the Additional Pay Page: Units; Earnings Code OC1.

L. License Fees

1. On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XNRRA.

 

2. On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code NRR.

XIX. 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: Reimbursement 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.

XX. 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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