Purpose

To inform Agencies of OSC's automatic processing of the LLS and to provide instructions for payments not processed automatically.

Affected Employees

Longevity-eligible employees in BU 05 with an Increment Code of 1976-1998.

Effective Date(s)

Payment will be processed in a separate check dated April 15, 2004 (Institution), and April 21, 2004 (Administration). There will be no direct deposit for this payment.

Background

An agreement between the State and the Public Employees Federation (PEF) provides for a Longevity Lump Sum (LLS) payment of $1,250 or $2,500.

The agreement states that employees who were eligible for a LLS payment in April 2003 and who still meet the eligibility requirements shall remain eligible for subsequent LLS payments in each succeeding April, at the same rate received in April 2003, until a successor agreement is negotiated. Payments will be made to such employees in April 2004.

The agreement further states that any employee who becomes eligible for a LLS Payment for the first time on or after March 31, 2004 shall not receive the payment until a successor agreement is negotiated.

Eligible PEF Employees

Employees in graded positions (Grades 001-037) and NS (Grade 600) positions which are equated to grade are eligible for the payment if they:

1. Are on the payroll on March 31, 2004 (Active or on Leave with Partial Pay or on Workers' Compensation Leave), in a position in the PS&T Bargaining Unit;
   • And
2. As of March 31, 2003, have five (5) or more and ten (10) or more of continuous years of service at a salary equal to or above the job rate or maximum of the grade of their position;
   • And
3. Did not receive an "Unsatisfactory" rating during the rating period ending between January 1 and December 31, 2003. Employees who were not rated during the period will receive the payment.

Continuous service, as used in determining eligibility for the Longevity Lump Sum payment, is paid service (including part-time annual-salaried service and Sick Leave at half pay) or time on Workers' Compensation Leave or Military Leave.

The following are eligible for the LLS payment upon processing of Performance Advances in Pay Period 1L, 2004:

An employee occupying a position that has been reallocated in recent years and whose salary was equal to or above the job rate of the lower grade, and whose salary upon application of the April 1, 2004 Performance Advance, reaches the job rate of the reallocated grade, is entitled to the job rate credit of the lower grade. Such an employee has Increment Code 0001 and OSC will automatically update the Increment Code to 2004. The employee will not receive an automatic payment; therefore, the Agency must submit a transaction in Pay Period 2L to make the payment and update the increment code. For instructions, see the section below entitled "Agency Actions - Payments to Employees Not Paid Automatically."

The following employees are eligible for the LLS payment during 2004-2005:

1. An employee who otherwise qualifies, but who is on an approved Leave of Absence Without Pay or on Military Stipend or on a preferred list on March 31, 2004 and who returns from such leave between April 1, 2004 and March 31, 2005, is eligible for the payment. There is no minimum service requirement following the employee's return to active payroll status.
2. Demotion after March 31, 2004 - An employee who is not eligible for the payment becomes eligible if he/she returns to a lower graded position between April 1, 2004 and March 31, 2005, provided the employee would otherwise have been eligible, if the employee had been in the lower graded position on March 31, 2004 and remains in the lower graded position for at least six (6) Payroll Periods;
   • And

• The promotion was temporary and the employee has been reinstated to his or her previous position or appointed to another lower graded qualifying position;
  • Or
• The promotion was permanent, but the demotion occurred:
  1. in lieu of layoff; or,
  2. voluntarily during the probationary period; or,
  3. as a result of failure of a probationary period.

The Agency should request the LLS payment after the completion of six (6) full Pay Periods in the lower grade.

An employee demoted as a result of a disciplinary action or who takes a voluntary demotion from a permanent position after the completion of a probationary period in the higher grade is not eligible for a Longevity Payment in the lower grade.

OSC Actions - Automatic Processing

OSC will automatically insert a row on the Additional Pay page to make the payment using the Earn Code LLS. The Longevity Payment is $1,250 for six (6) years at the job rate and $2,500 for eleven (11) years at the job rate or a pro-rated amount, as described below:

1. Employees who are full-time on March 31, 2004, or full-time employees who are on Leave with Partial Pay or Workers' Compensation Leave, or on a Voluntary Reduction in Work Schedule (VRWS) receive the full payment.   NOTE: For employees under the Voluntary Reduction Program, the Agency must verify that the Full/Part Time Indicator on the Job Data-Job Information page is "Voluntary."
2. Employees who are part-time on March 31, 2004 receive a pro-rated payment based upon their part-time percentage on March 31.
3. Part-time employees who are on Leave with Partial Pay or Workers' Compensation Leave on March 31, 2004 receive a pro-rated payment based upon their regular part-time percentage prior to the leave.

The LLS is a one-time, lump sum payment which is included as salary for retirement purposes and in the calculation of overtime compensation (refer to OVERTIME COMPENSATION, Part III, Page 1 of the OSC Salary Manual). The 2004 Longevity Lump Sum Payment is included in the calculation of overtime earned from April 1, 2004 through March 31, 2005 for all Agencies.

The Additional Pay Page will be populated for eligible employees with the following:

Agency Actions - Payments to Employees Not Paid Automatically

To pay an employee after the automatic payment has been processed, use the Additional Pay Page as follows:

*If an Institution Agency enters a transaction in Pay Period 2L for an employee who returned to the payroll on April 15, 2004, the effective date should be 04152004. If an Administration Agency enters a transaction in Pay Period 2L for an employee who returned to the payroll on April 8, 2004, the date should be 04082004.

To Correct an Increment Code

If the employee did not receive an automatic LLS payment because the increment code was incorrect, the Agency must, in addition to submitting the LLS earnings, request the Action/Reason of DTA/CIC(Data Change/ Correct Increment Code) on the Job Action Request page. The appropriate increment code must be entered in the increment code field.

Control D Report and Preparation for Payment

Prior to the automatic processing, Control D Report NPAY756, PS&T Longevity Eligibility Listing, will be available for Agency review on March 15, 2004. This report is a preliminary listing of employees eligible for the LLS as of March 15, 2004.

Agencies should review this listing carefully, paying particular attention to employees who are ineligible due to an "Unsatisfactory" rating between January 1 and December 31, 2003.

Corrections to the preliminary listing should be submitted on the Correction Sheet, which is attached to this Bulletin. (The form may be duplicated if additional copies are needed.) This form must be used to add employees who do not appear on the listing, to delete employees who should not appear on the listing, and to change incorrect information pertaining to an employee appearing on the listing. The Agency must not add employees whose eligibility will change due to a transaction that will be processed prior to Pay Period 2, 2004.

This form should also be used to add eligible employees in NS positions that are equated to grades. If the equated grade is not listed on the Budget Certificate, Agencies must submit documentation of the salary equation along with the Correction Sheet.

Corrections should be submitted as soon as possible and must be received no later than March 24, 2004. Please fax corrections to the Salary Determination Unit, at (518) 486-3089.

After the automatic processing, Control D Report NHRP703, Mass Additional Pay Report, will identify all employees receiving the automatic payment.

Deductions & Withholding Taxes

Deductions will be taken for Federal, State, New York City and Yonkers City taxes, Social Security/Medicare, retirement normal contributions, garnishments and Federal levies. There will be no special tax calculations. For employees receiving the payment who have an additional tax amount in their record, the additional tax will also be included in the tax calculation for this payment.

Payroll Register and Employee's Paycheck

The Earnings Code LLS and the amount will be displayed on the payroll register. The earnings description PS&T Longevity LSP and the amount will be printed on the employee's paycheck.

Separate Check

This payment will be made in a separate check, regardless of when paid. There will be no direct deposit for this payment. The separate check will be issued along with the employee's regular check or direct deposit advice for the check date submitted.

Questions

Questions regarding this bulletin may be directed to the Salary Determination mailbox.

• Attachment - Correction Sheet