STATE OF CONNECTICUT
	OFFICE OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER
Kevin Lembo State Comptroller	55 ELM STREET HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 06106-1775	Martha Carlson Deputy Comptroller

INTERDEPARTMENTAL MEMORANDUM

June 29, 2012

I. AUTHORITY

The memorandum of understanding between the State of Connecticut and the Connecticut State Employees Association for the P-3A bargaining unit

II. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION (Article 11)

The State will provide $500,000 for fiscal years 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 for the purpose of implementing the Merit Evaluation Program. There will be unlimited carryover of unused funds from one fiscal year to the succeeding fiscal years.

 

A lump sum merit pay supplement will be paid based on performance evaluation. Lump sum payments to eligible employees will be made in the last paycheck preceding June 30th of each contract year.

III. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (Article 17)

Tuition Reimbursement (Section 5)

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

The maximum reimbursement rate shall be 75% of the credit of the per credit rate inclusive of fees for undergraduate and graduate courses at the University of Connecticut at Storrs. No employee is eligible for more than twelve (12) credits per fiscal year.

 

There shall be unlimited carryover of funds from one fiscal year to succeeding fiscal years.

 

The State shall reimburse to a maximum of three (3) graduate credits per semester, fees associated with continuing registration for doctoral dissertations.

 

Unexpended tuition funds at the end of each fiscal year shall be divided among eligible bargaining unit members who have taken graduate courses during the fiscal year up to a maximum of 100% of the per credit graduate rate at the University of Connecticut.

 

Job sharing employees are eligible for tuition reimbursement at the same rate as full-time employees.

 

Distance learning courses may qualify for tuition reimbursement provided that such course work is offered by an institution that is fully accredited as an undergraduate/graduate institution and would otherwise qualify under the program were the member in physical attendance.

 

BESB (Section 8)
Fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) in each remaining year of the contract shall be allocated to the Board of Education and Services for the Blind (BESB) for the purpose of sending bargaining unit employees in BESB to the yearly regional convention of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

 

After the allocation for bargaining unit employees to attend the yearly regional convention of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the parties may by mutual agreement expend any unused money.

IV. COMPENSATION (Article 27)

A. General Wages (Section 1)
There shall be no other general wage increase paid to any P-3A unit employee for the 2011-12 and the 2012-13 contract years.

 

Effective on the date (August 26, 2013) that is four pay periods after July 1, 2013, the base annual salary for all P-3A bargaining unit employees shall be increased by three percent (3%). Affected employees shall also receive a lump sum payment to be made whole for the difference in percentage between the July 2011 increase received, and the wage increase that would have been effective July 2013.

 

Effective July 1, 2014, the base annual salary for all P-3A bargaining unit employees shall be increased by three percent (3%).

 

Effective July 1, 2015, the base annual salary for all P-3A bargaining unit employees shall be increased by three percent (3%).

General Wage Increases will be effective as follows:

B. Annual Increments (Section 2)
Notwithstanding the prior provision, there will be no annual increment made for contract years 2011-2012 and 2012-2013.

 

Employees will continue to be eligible for and receive annual increments during the term of this contract in accordance with existing practice for contract years 2013- 2014, 2014-2015 and 2015-2016, except as specifically varied by the contract.

 

C. Longevity (Section 3)
Employees will continue to be eligible for longevity payments for the life of the contract in accordance with existing practice, except as provided otherwise in this agreement. The longevity schedule in effect on June 30, 1979 shall remain unchanged in dollar amounts for the life of the Agreement and is appended hereto.

 

a. No longevity payment in October, 2011. Employees hired prior to July 1, 2011 shall continue to be eligible for longevity payments for the life of the contract in accordance with existing practice, except there shall be no longevity payment in October 2011. The longevity schedule in effect on June 30, 1979 shall remain unchanged in dollar amounts for the life of this agreement.

 

b. Service toward longevity. No service shall count toward longevity for the two (2) year period beginning July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2013. Effective July 1, 2013, any service accrued during that period shall be added to the service calculation for the purpose of determining eligibility and level of longevity entitlement if it would have counted when performed.

 

c. Employees hired on or after July 1, 2011. No employee first hired on or after July 1, 2011 shall be entitled to a longevity payment; provided, however, any individual hired on or after said date who shall have military service which would count toward longevity under current rules shall be entitled to longevity if they obtain the requisite service in the future.
 

D. Travel Reimbursement (Section 4)
When authorized in accordance with the Standard State Travel regulations, any employee who is required to travel on employer business will be reimbursed at the following rates:

*Applicable to out-of-state travel or when authorized in accordance with the Standard
State Travel Regulations.

1. Taxes on meals will be fully reimbursed.
2. Gratuities will be reimbursed to a maximum of 15% of the allowable maximum.

Mileage reimbursement will be paid at the GSA rate subject to readjustment with the U.S. GSA rate.

 

Employees required to utilize a personal vehicle for State business for 50% of the assigned monthly work days (which must be at least nine work days) will be paid a daily auto usage fee of $4.50 for each day of required usage, in addition to mileage reimbursement.

 

An employee who is required to remain away from home overnight in order to perform the regular duties of his /her position may be reimbursed for lodging expenses in accordance with the Standard State Travel Regulations issued by the Commissioner of Administrative Services.

 

E. Unit Coordinator Stipend (Section 5)
Unit Coordinators will receive an annual stipend of one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500).

V. JOB SECURITY

From July 1, 2011 and through June 30, 2015 there shall be no loss of employment for P-3A bargaining unit employees hired prior to July 1, 2011, including loss of employment due to programmatic changes, subject to the following conditions:

 

a. Protection from loss of employment is for permanent employees and does not apply to:

i. Employees in the initial working test period;
ii. Those who leave at the natural expiration of a fixed appointment term, including expiration of any employment with an end date;
iii. Expiration of a temporary, durational or special appointment;
iv. Non-renewal of a non-tenured employee (except in units where non-tenured have permanent status prior to achieving tenure);
v. Termination of grant or other outside funding specified for a particular position;
vi. Part-time employees who are not eligible for health insurance benefits.
 

b. This protection from loss of employment does not prevent the State from restructuring and/or eliminating positions provided those affected bump or transfer to another comparable job in accordance with the terms of the attached implementation agreement. An employee who is laid off under the rules of the implementation provisions below because of the refusal of an offered position will not be considered a layoff for purposes of this Agreement.

 

c. The State is not precluded from noticing layoff in order to accomplish any of the above, or for layoffs outside July 1, 2011-June 30, 2015 time period. The Office of Policy and Management and the Office of Labor Relations commit to continuing the effectiveness of the placement and training process during and beyond the biennium to facilitate the carrying out of its purposes. The State shall continue to utilize the funds previously established for carrying out the State's commitments under this Agreement and to facilitate the placement and training process.

VI. SCHEDULED PAYMENT DATES

A. General Wage Increase

B. Annual Increments

Lump Sum Payments for Employees to be Made Whole

C. Performance Evaluation Payments

D. Unit Coordinator Stipend

VII. PAYROLL PROCEDURES

A. Split Pay Period for General Wage Increase
General wage increase effective August 26, 2013. The effective pay period is August 23, 2013 through September 5, 2013. Wages earned for August 23, 2013 through August 25, 2013 should be paid at the old rate. The wages earned for the period August 26, 2013 through September 5, 2013 should be paid at the new rate.

 

General wage increase effective July 1, 2014. The effective pay period is June 27, 2014 through July 10, 2014. Wages earned for the period June 27, 2014 through June 30, 2014 should be paid at the old rate. The wages earned for the period July 1, 2014 through July 10, 2014 should be paid at the new rate.

 

General wage increase effective July 1, 2015. The effective pay period is June 26, 2015 through July 9, 2015. Wages earned for the period June 26, 2015 through June 30, 2015 should be paid at the old rate. The wages earned for the period July 1, 2015 through July 9, 2015 should be paid at the new rate.

 

B. Implementation of the 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.

 

C. Annual Increments
Annual Increments will be entered centrally at the proper time as follows:

 

D. Longevity
Core-Ct will provide notification at the proper time for the payment of longevity.
 

E. Payment of the Unit Coordinator Stipend and the Percentage Payout for the Performance Evaluation Program
Lump sum payments are subject to mandatory deductions; i.e., Federal withholding tax and state income tax annualized, social security tax and retirement contributions, and (if applicable) garnishments. These payments on the bi-weekly payroll will be separately identified as:

 

1. Unit Coordinator Stipend
On the Timesheet Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XSKPA
On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code SKP

 

2. Merit Evaluation Payout
On the Timesheet Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XMERA
On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code MER

 

3. Auto Usage
On the Timesheet Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XAUTA
On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code AUT

VII. GENERAL

Questions may be directed as follows:

Contract Issues: Agency Human Resources Officers;

Memorandum Interpretation: Office of the State Comptroller, Budget and Financial Analysis Division, (860) 702-3440;

Payroll Procedures: Office of the State Comptroller, Payroll Services Division, (860) 702-3447;

Tuition Reimbursement: Office of the State Comptroller, Management Services Division, (860) 702-3334.

KEVIN LEMBO
STATE COMPTROLLER

KL:SJ

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