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

MEMORANDUM NO. 2004-07

March 12, 2004

TO THE HEADS OF ALL STATE AGENCIES

I. AUTHORITY

The collective bargaining agreement between the State of Connecticut and the Administrative Clerical (NP-3) bargaining unit for the period July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2006, effective on March 8, 2004.

II. COMPENSATION (Article 26)

A. General Wage Increases (Article 26.1)

The following wage increases will be effective:

B. Annual Increments and Lump Sum Payments (Article 26.2)

1. There will be no payment of annual increments or the $500 lump sum for the 2002-2003 contract year.
2. The annual increments and $500 lump sum payment will be delayed by six months in the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 contract years and paid accordingly in the pay periods which include January 1 (for July increments) or July 1 (for January increments).

C. Longevity (Article 26.3)

Employees will continue to be eligible for longevity payments for the life of the contract in accordance with existing practice. The longevity schedule in effect on June 30, 2002 will remain unchanged for the life of the contract.

D. Pay Differential

Applicable changes will be made centrally at the proper time.

NEW

* Effective at the start of the first pay period following thirty days after legislative approval, the rate for night shift differential will increase to seventy cents ($ .70) per hour. Effective July 1, 2004, the rate for night shift differential will increase to seventy-five cents ($ .75) per hour.

** For certain designated job assignments or working conditions in specified agencies. (See Article 26, Section 10, of the contract.)

E. Annual Skill Premium (EMTs) (Article 26.8)

On or about December 1 of each contract year, the State will pay a $400 annual skill premium to each employee who is certified as an EMT and who has volunteered and been designated by the agency to provide such services at his/her work location during the prior contract year.

F. Travel Reimbursement (Article 26.11)

An employee who is required to use his/her personal vehicle in the performance of duty will be paid at the current rate of thirty-seven and one-half (37.5) cents per mile as of January 13, 2004 . The rate per mile will be readjusted within thirty (30) days of readjustment by the U.S. General Services Administration.

An employee required to use his/her personal vehicle for State business will be reimbursed no less than $2.00 per day.

An employee who is required to remain away from home overnight in order to perform the regular duties of his/her position will be reimbursed for meals, lodging and miscellaneous expenses authorized in accordance with the Standard State Travel Regulations.

The maximum meal reimbursement rates will be as follows:

NEW

Effective July 1, 2003, the maximum meal reimbursement rates will be as follows:

III. HOLIDAY PAY (Article 29)

Part-Time Employees (Article 29.6)

a. A part-time employee will be granted pro-rata holiday benefits based on the ratio of the part-time schedule to the full-time schedule, until the following provision becomes effective.

NEW

b. Effective at the start of the first pay period following thirty (30) days after legislative approval, a part-time employee will receive holiday pay when a holiday falls on his/her regular workday and he/she will be paid for the hours normally scheduled on that day, up to a maximum of eight (8) hours. (See contract for more on this provision.)

IV. TUITION AND CONFERENCE FUNDS (Article 11A)

A. Conference Fund (Article 11A.1)

The State will allocate to the conference fund the following:

A maximum of $200 will be allotted for any one attendance. The maximum will increase to $400, effective July 1, 2003. No employee will attend more than two (2) conferences, workshops or seminars per year of this contract.

Unexpended funds from one fiscal year will carry over to the next fiscal year except upon expiration of the contract. Requests approved within the final six months may be paid with remaining available funds for up to three months following expiration of the contract.

B. Special Programs Fund (Article 11A.2)

The State will allocate to the special programs fund the following:

Unexpended funds from one year may be carried over to the next fiscal year but not beyond June 30, 2006, or will be transferred to the tuition reimbursement account at the Union's request.

C. Tuition Reimbursement (Article 11A.3)

The State will allocate for tuition reimbursement the following:

There will be a maximum limit for tuition reimbursement per employee as follows:

The reimbursement per credit will be as follows:

1. $115 per credit for undergraduate courses.
2. $145 per credit for graduate courses.

Unexpended funds from one fiscal year will carry over to the next fiscal year except upon expiration of the contract. Tuition requests approved within the final six months may be paid with remaining available funds for up to three months following expiration of the contract.

Applications for tuition reimbursement beginning with Summer 2002 should be forwarded to:

Office of the State Comptroller

Policy Services Division - Tuition Unit

55 Elm Street, Room 219

Hartford, Connecticut 06106

Payments will be made once funding is available.

V. MISCELLANEOUS (Article 38)

A. Uniforms and Equipment (Article 38.3)

During the life of the agreement, the State will not increase the cost to employees for uniforms and equipment.

The employer will once a year reimburse hearing reporters for supplies, service and cleaning for personally-owned machines, up to a maximum of $50.00 per year.

B. Meals and Housing (Article 38.15)

1. The rates charged to employees for meals will be as follows:

2. Housing: Employees occupying State-owned housing will be charged a rental amount equal to the fair market rental value of the housing. 

VI. RETROACTIVE PAYMENTS

For the period July 1, 2002 through April 15, 2004 agency staff must calculate any retroactive payments for retroactive increases that have an effective date prior to the Core-CT implementation. Checks dated April 30, 2004 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).

A. Retroactive General Wage Increase (GWI)

B. Retroactive Annual Increments

C. Retroactive Annual Skill Premium (EMTs) - Only if the payments were not previously made.

VII. SCHEDULED PAYMENT DATES

A. General Wage Increases

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 and Lump Sum Payments

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

The agency must process lump sum payments manually and follow the effective dates and pay periods of annual increments.

C. Longevity

Separate memoranda will be issued at the proper time for the payment of longevity.

D. Annual Skill Premium (EMTs)

VIII. PAYROLL PROCEDURES

A. Retroactive Salary Increases and Retroactive Annual Increments and Retroactive Lump Sums

Amount; Time Reporting Code XRTRA or Earnings Code RTR.

B. Implementation of General Wage Increases

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. Payment of Lump Sum - (Maximum Step)

Amount; Time Reporting Code XMISA 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).

D. Split Pay Periods for Shift Differential

Night Shift differential increase effective July 1, 2004. The effective pay period is June 25, 2004 through July 8, 2004. Night shift differential for the period June 25, 2004 through June 30, 2004 should be paid at the old rate. Night shift differential for the period July 1, 2004 through July 8, 2004 should be paid at the new rate, effective July 1, 2004.

Amount or Hours; Earnings Code SD1; Account 50180.

E. Skill Premium (EMTs)

Amount; Earnings Code SKP.

F. Tuition Reimbursements

Tuition Reimbursement - 9916 Fund

All pre-approved tuition reimbursement requests must be submitted to the Comptroller's Office, Policy Services Division, Tuition Unit, on a PERT-1 Form, Application for Tuition Reimbursement. Attached to the PERT-1 form should be a receipt of payment and a copy of grades for courses taken.

Tuition reimbursement requests without proper back-up documentation will be returned.

Please see Memorandum No. 2003-27 dated June 27, 2003 and Memorandum No. 2003-47 dated October 15, 2003 for additional procedures.

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.

G. Conference Funds

Conference Reimbursement - 9916 Fund

Employees must complete Travel Authorization (CO-112) Form and submit to appropriate agency personnel for processing. Prior Union approval must accompany the CO-112. The authorized CO-112 and back-up materials must be sent to the Comptroller's Office, Policy Services Division, Travel Unit, for review and approval.

After attending the conference, the employee must submit the reimbursement request on an Employee Payroll Reimbursement Form, CO-17XP-PR to the Comptroller's Office, Travel Unit. Appropriate receipts must be attached to the CO-17XP-PR.

Agencies may now submit any pre-approved reimbursement request, for conferences approved and attended between July 1, 2002 and the present. Submit these requests on the CO-17XP-PR, with back-up material to the Comptroller's Office, Policy Services Division, Travel Unit.

H. Housing Payments

Existing payroll procedures will apply.

I. Holiday Pay - Part-Time Employees

Amount; Earnings Code HPR.

IX. GENERAL

Questions may be directed as follows:

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

Contract Interpretation: Agency Personnel Officers;

Tuition and Professional Development: Office of the State Comptroller, Policy Services Division, Tuition Unit, (860) 702-3344;

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

NANCY WYMAN
STATE COMPTROLLER

NW:JRS:jrs 

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