Beginning in Pay Period 15L (Administration and Institution), agencies must submit transactions through the Job Action Request page using the Action/Reason code of PAY/MST (Pay Rate Change/Merit Step), the effective date of the payment, and the employee’s current increment code and anniversary date for all eligible employees, including:
- Employees on Workers’ Compensation Leave
- Employees on a Paid Leave of Absence (except Military Stipend)
- Employees whose current salary is at or above the merit step to indicate the employee meets all eligibility criteria but is not entitled to any additional monies
- Eligible employees not appearing on the NPAY779
- Employees in a reallocated position who also require an updated increment code to reflect the increment code in effect prior to the reallocation
Employees on Leave of Absence on the Payment Effective Date
Employees on a Leave of Absence (except Workers’ Compensation Leave) on the payment effective date who subsequently return to Active status must have a Job Action Request submitted using the Action/Reason code of PAY/MST (Pay Rate Change/Merit Step), the effective date of the return and the appropriate increment code and anniversary date.
Note: Agencies must use the Action/Reason code of PAY/CSL (Pay Rate Change/Correct Salary) when submitting transactions for employees with Increment Code 2222 representing composite salaries.
BU05 Employees
The requested salary should reflect the appropriate merit step for employees whose current salary is equal to or greater than Job Rate and less than the merit step for the employee’s grade. If an employee’s current salary is equal to or greater than the merit step, a PAY/MST transaction must be submitted using the employee’s current salary.
BU67 Employees
The requested salary should reflect the appropriate merit step based on the number of longevities the employee is holding. If an employee’s current salary is equal to or greater than the merit step the employee is currently eligible to receive, a PAY/MST transaction must be submitted using the employee’s current salary.
Agencies must submit requests to update the salary of subsequent rows using the Action/Reason code of PAY/CSL (Pay Rate Change/Correct Salary), if applicable.
Change in Eligibility
If an agency does not submit a Merit Step payment because an employee is deemed ineligible and later determines that the employee met all eligibility requirements as of the effective date (due to a change in Performance Evaluation, NOD or training), the agency must submit the Merit Step payment through the Job Action Request page retroactive to the effective date of payment.
Example:
An employee received an Unsatisfactory Rating (USP) for 6/29/09 that was rescinded after the effective date of the payment.
If a Merit Step payment is submitted for an employee and the agency subsequently determines the employee is not eligible, a transaction must be submitted through the Job Action Request page using the Action/Reason code of PAY/RMT (Pay Rate Change/Rescind Merit Step). The transaction must be effective on the original date of the Merit Step payment and must reflect the salary in effect prior to the Merit Step payment. In addition, agencies must submit requests to update the salary on subsequent rows using the Action/Reason code of PAY/CSL (Pay Rate Change/Correct Salary), if applicable. The Status Reason section of the Job Action Request page and General Comments must include the reason for rescinding the Merit Step payment and a statement that the overpayment is non-recoverable.
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