Purpose
To provide agencies with information and procedures regarding the processing of M/C Vacation Exchange payments.
Affected Employees
M/C employees in Negotiating Unit Codes 06, 13, 18, 40, 46, 52, 66, 96, and also M/C employees in Negotiating Unit Code 79 whose agencies have elected to participate in the Vacation Exchange Program.
Officers and employees whose salaries are prescribed by Section 169 of the Executive Law or whose salaries were prescribed prior to the enactment of Chapter 55 of the Laws of 1979 are ineligible for the Vacation Exchange payment.
Background
Chapter 103, Section 20 of the Laws of 2004 provides for a cash payment to employees in any of the above named negotiating unit codes who earn and accumulate vacation credits and elect to exchange such credits in units of full days up to a maximum of five (5) days. At the time of such election, the credits must total thirty-five (35) or more days.
The election of the Vacation Exchange Program must have been made by the last day of the pay period in which July 1, 2006 fell (7/5/06 for Institution agencies and 7/12/06 for Administration agencies).
Eligible employees who were part-time during the filing period and had the appropriate number of prorated vacation credits may have requested to exchange a prorated number of vacation credits, based on the percentage of time worked, in exchange for a Vacation Exchange lump sum payment.
| Example: | An employee who was 50% during the filing period and who had at least 17.5 days of vacation credits may request a maximum of 2.5 days of Vacation Exchange. |
Eligible employees who were on Voluntary Reduction at the time the request was filed are eligible for a maximum of five (5) full days of Vacation Exchange.
Effective Date(s)
Vacation Exchange payments will be made in a separate check dated November 29, 2006 for employees in Administration agencies and December 7, 2006 for employees in Institution agencies.
Calculation of Payment
The Vacation Exchange payment is based on the salary (including additional salary factors) in effect on 10/1/06 provided the employee is Active on the payroll (including employees who are on a Paid Leave of Absence) and in an M/C negotiating unit code on 10/1/06.
If an employee is Inactive, on Leave Without Pay, or in a bargaining unit (not M/C) on 10/1/06, the Vacation Exchange payment is based on the salary (including additional salary factors) in effect on the last day prior to 10/1/06 that the employee was last paid from an M/C position.
Agency Actions
Effective Pay Period 16L (Administration) and 17L (Institution), the agency must use the following procedures when reporting the Vacation Exchange payments. The payment is to be submitted by the agency in which the employee is Active in an M/C position on 10/1/06. However, if an employee met the eligibility criteria in July and has since left the M/C position, the payment must be submitted by the agency where the employee earned eligibility. The effective date is the last date in the M/C position.
The agency must use the following procedures when reporting the Vacation Exchange on the Time Entry page:
Salaried Employees
| Earn Code: | VEX (Vacation Exchange) |
| Earnings Begin Date: | For employees who are Active on the payroll in an M/C position on 10/1/06, enter 10/1/06. For employees who on 10/1/06 are Inactive, on Leave Without Pay, or in a bargaining unit (not M/C), enter the date prior to 10/1/06 on which the employee was last paid from an M/C position. |
| Earnings End Date: | Enter the same date as the Earnings Begin Date. |
| Days: | Enter the number of days of Vacation Exchange. |
The system will automatically calculate the amount of the Vacation
Exchange payment using the salary and additional salary factors
in effect on the date entered in the Earnings Begin Date field.
Hourly Employees and Daily Employees Paid as FEE
| Earn Code: | VXO (Vacation Exchange Override) |
| Earnings Begin Date: | For employees who are Active on the payroll in an M/C position on 10/1/06, enter 10/1/06. For employees who on 10/1/06 are Inactive, on Leave Without Pay, or in a bargaining unit (not M/C), enter the date prior to 10/1/06 on which the employee was last paid from an M/C position. |
| Earnings End Date: | Enter the same date as the Earnings Begin Date. |
| Days: | Enter the number of days of Vacation Exchange. |
| Amount: | Enter the total amount of the Vacation Exchange payrment. |
Miscellaneous Payment Information
The Vacation Exchange payment is taxable but not pensionable, and will be made in a separate check, regardless of whether the earnings are submitted timely or at a later date.
There is no direct deposit for this payment.
If an employee’s existing tax record in PayServ reflects an additional tax amount, the additional amount will be withheld from both the regular paycheck and the Vacation Exchange payment check. In order to avoid an over-withholding of taxes in the pay period the Vacation Exchange payment is processed, agencies should review the Tax pages of Active and Inactive M/C employees to determine whether an additional tax amount currently on the record requires follow-up action.
Payroll Register and Employee’s Paycheck/Advice
The Earn Codes VEX or VXO will appear on the payroll register. The Earn Code description “Vacation Exchange” or “Vacation Exchange Override” will appear on the employee’s paycheck stub.
Questions
Questions regarding this bulletin may be directed to the Payroll Audit mailbox.