INTERDEPARTMENTAL MEMORANDUM An Interest Arbitration Award between the State of Connecticut and the Connecticut State Employees Association (CSEA) NP-8 Bargaining Unit Effective July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2008
COMPTROLLER'S SEAL STATE OF CONNECTICUT

STATE OF CONNECTICUT

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

INTERDEPARTMENTAL MEMORANDUM

June 14, 2006

The Honorable Theresa C. Lantz, Commissioner
Department of Correction
24 Wolcott Hill Road
Wethersfield, Connecticut 06109

Subject:   An Interest Arbitration Award between the State of Connecticut and the Connecticut State Employees Association (CSEA) NP-8 Bargaining Unit Effective July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2008

I. AUTHORITY

The interest arbitration award between the State of Connecticut and the Connecticut State Employees Association (CSEA) NP-8 bargaining unit for the period July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2008, which was approved by the Legislature on April 25, 2006.

II. COMPENSATION (Articles 21 and 27)

A. General Wage Increases

General Wage Increases will be effective as follows:

Effective Date    Increase
July 1, 2005    0%
July 7, 2006    3% of Base Salary
July 6, 2007    3% of Base Salary

B. Increase in Maximum Pay Scale

Effective July 1, 2006, the maximum salary for each job classification in the bargaining unit will be increased by three percent (3%).

C. Annual Increments

An employee's annual increment date will be the date that an employee receives a salary advancement in the salary range. The value of the salary advancement in the salary range on the employee's annual increment or anniversary date will be three percent (3%).

All employees who become members of the bargaining unit after December 3, 2001 will keep the annual increment date they had while a member of the Correctional bargaining unit (NP-4).

There will be no payment of annual increments for the 2005-2006 contract year. For the second year of the agreement (2006-2007) annual increments will be delayed six months and paid accordingly in the pay periods which include January 1, 2007 or July 1, 2007. For the third year of the agreement (2007-2008) annual increments will be delayed three months and paid accordingly in the pay periods which include October 1, 2007 or April 1, 2008.

Contract Year    Payable
2006-2007    January 2007/July 2007
2007-2008    October 2007/April 2008

D. Longevity

Employees will be eligible for longevity payments for the life of this contract.

Employees in the bargaining unit who were in the classifications of Correctional Lieutenant (MP 56) or Correctional Training Officer (MP 58) on or before December 3, 2001, will be eligible for longevity payments in accordance with the longevity schedule of the classified service Management Pay Plan. The classifications will be considered in their MP designation as noted above.

Any employee promoted to the classification of Correctional Lieutenant on or after December 4, 2001 will receive longevity in accordance with the following schedule:

Years    Amount
10    $141.50
15    $283.00
20    $424.50
25+    $566.00

E. Lump Sum Payment for Maximum Step Employees

Effective June 28, 2002 and thereafter, those employees at the maximum rate of the salary schedule and those employees who will exceed the maximum rate of Interdepartmental Memorandum -3- June 14, 2006 the salary schedule because of the receipt of an annual increment, will receive a salary adjustment, which exceeds the salary maximum, in the form of a lump sum payment. Lump sum payments will be effective on the employee's annual increment or anniversary date. The value of the lump sum payment will be two and one half percent (2.5%) of the employee's annual salary.

There will be no payment of the maximum rate lump sum payments for the 2005-2006 contract year. For the second year of this agreement (2006-2007) the 2.5% lump sum payment to employees at the maximum step will be delayed six months. For the third year of this agreement (2007-2008) the 2.5% lump sum payment to employees at the maximum step will be delayed three months.

F. Night Shift Differential

All employees whose assigned work shift begins anytime after 2:00 p.m. and before 6:00 a.m. will be eligible to receive shift differential. Night shift differential is seventy-five ($.75) cents per hour. Effective June 23, 2006, the shift differential will be eighty ($.80) cents per hour. Effective July 6, 2007, the shift differential will be eighty-five ($.85) cents per hour. Shift differential will only be paid when an employee is actually working.

G. Weekend Differential

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. Weekend differential will be paid for working a minimum of six hours on a shift as defined above.

Weekend differential is fifty ($.50) cents per hour. Effective June 23, 2006, the weekend differential will be fifty-five ($.55) cents per hour. Effective July 6, 2007, the weekend differential will be sixty ($.60) cents per hour. The weekend differential will only be paid when an employee is actually working.

H. Hours of Work - On-Call Pay

Employees who are required by the appointing authority to be "on standby" or " on call" in order to ensure "after hours" coverage must receive a written notification of this status. Pay for such status will be $1.00 per hour for all days on-call except for holidays. Holiday on-call payment will be $2.50 per hour.

I. Hours of Work - Call Back

Call Back - Definition:

Employees who have left work after their regularly scheduled shift and are called back to work.

Employees called back to duty after the completion of a regular shift will receive a minimum of four hours pay at the applicable overtime rate. This provision does not apply to employees who are called in prior to their regular starting time and work through a regular shift.

J. Shift Commander Pay

The acting shift commander will be compensated as if promoted to the classification of the shift commander. Bargaining unit members in the Lieutenant or Training Officer classifications who are required to serve as shift commanders will be paid a stipend at the rate of $26.00 per shift worked as a shift commander in addition to their daily pay rate. Effective at the start of the pay period following July 1, 2007, the rate will be increased to $26.40 per shift.

K. Facility Meal Reimbursement

The meal reimbursement rate will be $7.00 for each shift actually worked. Effective June 23, 2006, the per meal rate will be the rate provided to the majority of correctional employees and will be adjusted in accordance with the rate provided to the majority of correctional employees. Based on this provision, the meal rate will increase to $8.00 effective June 23, 2006.

L. Educational Stipend

On or about September 1, 2006, permanent employees in the classifications of Correctional Lieutenant or Correctional Training Officer who have achieved a Bachelors degree in a job-related discipline from an accredited institution of higher learning and submitted adequate documentation of the degree will receive a five hundred dollar ($500) lump sum payment. Lieutenants or Training Officers who complete a qualifying Bachelors degree and satisfy the above criteria after September 1, 2006 will be eligible for the five hundred dollar ($500) payment within 60 days of the agency?s receipt of the required documentation.

M. Equipment and Clothing

The Department shall issue to all employees standard uniforms and all necessary equipment to carry out the performance of duties.

N. Reimbursement for Commercial Drivers License

The state shall reimburse employees who are required to hold Commercial Drivers licenses for purposes of employment with the Department of Correction.

III. TUITION REIMBURSEMENT (Article 11)

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

2005-2006    $20,000
2006-2007    $20,000
2007-2008    $20,000

Funds that are unexpended in one fiscal year will carry over into the next fiscal year provided however that the tuition reimbursement fund will expire on June 30, 2008.

Applications for tuition reimbursement that 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 the expiration of the contract.

The maximum reimbursement for credit courses at accredited institutions of higher education, including distance learning courses offered by such institutions, will be 75% of the per credit rate, including fees, for undergraduate and graduate courses at the University of Connecticut at Storrs. For other courses or programs, maximum tuition reimbursement is 50% of the per credit rate for undergraduate and graduate courses at the University of Connecticut at Storrs.

IV. TRAINING - WORKSHOP AND CONFERENCE FUND (Article 12)

The State will allocate for attendance by NP-8 employees at the workshops or conferences the following:

2005-2006    $5,000
2006-2007    $5,000
2007-2008    $5,000

Funds that are unexpended in one fiscal year will carry over into the next fiscal year provided, however, that the fund will expire on June 30, 2008.

Each eligible employee will be entitled to a maximum of $600 reimbursement per contract year toward the cost of fees, travel, food and/or lodging related to attendance at such events. Reimbursement will be consistent with standard state travel regulations.

V. TRAVEL (Article 25)

Any employee who is required to travel on official State business will be reimbursed for lodging, mileage and/or meals in accordance with the terms outlined in the Standard State Travel Regulations, in existence on June 30, 2005, subject to such modifications and exceptions as provided in the contract.

An employee will only use his/her own vehicle in extraordinary circumstances when mileage payments have been authorized.

Effective July 1, 2002, an employee who is required to travel on employer business will be reimbursed for meals at the following rates:

Breakfast    $ 8.00    *Lunch    $ 10.00    Dinner    $ 20.00

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

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.

The mileage reimbursement rate shall be the U. S. General Services Administration (GSA) rate, currently 44.5 cents per mile. Such rate will be readjusted within 30 days of any adjustment by the GSA.

VI. SCHEDULED PAYMENT DATES

A. General Wage Increase

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.

Effective Date    Pay Period    Check Date
July 7, 2006    07/07/06 - 07/20/06    08/04/06
July 6, 2007    07/06/07 - 07/19/07    08/03/07

B. Annual Increments

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

Effective Date    Pay Period    Check Date
January 2007    12/22/06 - 01/04/07    01/19/07
July 2007    06/22/07 - 07/05/07    07/20/07
October 2007    09/28/07 - 10/11/07    10/26/07
April 2008    03/28/08 - 04/10/08    04/25/08

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.

VII. 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)

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

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).

C. Shift Differentials

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.

On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code SD1 (Shift1); Account 50180 or

Amount; Earnings Code SD2 (Shift 2); Account 50180 or

Amount; Earnings Code SD3 (Shift 3); Account 50180.

Applicable changes will be made centrally at proper time.

D. On-Call Pay

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

On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code OCA.

E. Call Back

On the Weekly Elapsed Time Page: Hours: Time Reporting Code XCBPH.

On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code CBP.

VIII. PROCESSING OF TUITION REIMBURSEMENTS AND WORKSHOP AND CONFERENCE FUNDS

All pre-approved applications for tuition reimbursement for Summer 2005, Fall 2005, and Spring 2006 should have been forwarded to the Comptroller?s Fiscal Policy Division - Tuition Unit. If not already sent, please submit as soon as possible.

Travel Authorizations (CO-112) and Conference and Workshop reimbursement requests, during contract year 2005-2006, should have been forwarded to the Comptroller?s Fiscal Policy Division - Travel Unit. If not already sent, please submit as soon as possible.

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.

IX. GENERAL

Questions may be directed as follows:

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

Contract Issues: Agency Personnel Officers;

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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