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

MEMORANDUM NO. 2012-12

May 17, 2012

TO THE HEADS OF ALL STATE AGENCIES

I. AUTHORITY

The memorandum of understanding between the State of Connecticut and the Social and Human Services (P-2) bargaining unit which extends the collective bargaining agreement through June 30, 2016.

II. COMPENSATION (Article 31)

A. General Wage Increases (Section 1)
Effective on the date (August 26, 2013) that is four periods after July 1, 2013, the annual base salary for all employees will be increased by three (3.0%). Affected employees will 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-2 bargaining unit employees will be increased by three percent (3.0%).

 

Effective July 1, 2015, the base annual salary for all P-2 bargaining unit employees will be increased by three percent (3.0%).

B. Annual Increments and Lump Sum Payments (Section 2)
There will be no increase in the amount of the lump sum payment over the life of this contract. Employees will continue to be eligible for and receive annual increments except as provided otherwise in this agreement.

 

Employees at the maximum step of the salary schedule, who receive no annual increment, will receive a lump sum payment of $750, except as provided otherwise in this agreement. Lump sum payments will be paid on the date when the annual increment would have applied.

Employees will continue to be eligible for and receive annual increments and lump sum payments during the term of this contract in accordance with existing practice for contract years 2013-2014, 2014-2015, and 2015-2016.

 

C. Longevity (Section 3)

 

a. Employees will continue to be eligible for longevity payments for the life of this contract in accordance with existing practice, except as provided otherwise in this agreement. The longevity schedule(s) in effect on June 30, 1985 will remain unchanged in dollar amounts for the life of this agreement and is appended hereto.

 

b. No longevity payment in October 2011
Employees hired prior to July 1, 2011 will continue to be eligible for longevity payments for the life of the contract in accordance with existing practice, except there will be no longevity payment in October 2011.

 

c. Service toward longevity
No service will 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 will be added to the service calculation for the purpose of determining eligibility and level of longevity entitlement if it would have counted when performed.

 

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

 

D. Night Shift Differential (Section 4)
The night shift differential will remain at eighty cents ($.80) per hour.

 

E. Weekend Differential (Section 5)
The weekend differential will remain at fifty-five cents ($.55) per hour.

 

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, will 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 will 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. Advanced approval is not necessary in emergency situations.

 

Mileage reimbursement will be at the U. S. General Services Administration rate. 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 will 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, will 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, 2016. 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 will 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 with more than six (6) months of service 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 is necessary to ensure after hours coverage. See contract for specific details.

 

A Home and Office premium annual payment of $500 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.

 

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. JOB SECURITY

From July 1, 2011 and through June 30, 2015, there will be no loss of employment for P-2 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 the 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 will continue to utilize the funds previously establishes for carrying out the State's commitments under this Agreement and to facilitate the placement and training process.

IX. SCHEDULED PAYMENT DATES

A. General Wage Increase
The general wage increase will be made centrally at the proper time.

Lump Sum Payments for Employees to be Made Whole

B. Annual Increments and Lump Sum Payments for Maximum Step Employees
Annual increments will be entered centrally at the proper time as follows:

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

X. 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 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 for agencies.

 

D. Payment of Lump Sum(s)
On the Timesheet Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XMISP
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. Night Shift Differential
On the Timesheet 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: 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

 

F. Weekend Differential
On the Timesheet 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: 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. Daily Auto Usage Fee
On the Timesheet Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XAUTA
On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code AUT

 

H. Home and Office Premium
On the Timesheet Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XHOMA
On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code HOM

 

I. Standby
On the Timesheet Page: Amount; Time Reporting Code XOCXA
On the Additional Pay Page: Amount; Earnings Code OSA
On the Timesheet Page: Units; Time Reporting Code XOCCH
On the Additional Pay Page: Units; Earnings Code OC2
On the Timesheet Page: Units; Time Reporting Code XOCDH
On the Additional Pay Page: Units; Earnings Code OC3

 

J. In Charge Pay Amount
On the Timesheet Page: Time Reporting Code XINCA
On the Additional Pay Page: Amount Earnings Code, INC

XI. GENERAL

Questions may be directed as follows:

 

Contract Issues: Agency Human Resource Officers;

 

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

 

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

 

Tuition Reimbursement: Office of the State Comptroller, Management Services Division (860) 702-3344.

KEVIN LEMBO
STATE COMPTROLLER

KL:ED

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