State Agencies Bulletin No. 963

Subject
Extension of Military and Training Leave Benefits and Stipends
Date Issued
January 5, 2010

Purpose

To explain the extension of Military and Training Leave Benefits and Stipends and OSC’s process for the Military Stipend recalculation effective January 1, 2010.

Affected Employees

All salaried (full and part-time), hourly, and per diem employees in CSEA, PEF, DC-37, Council 82, NYSCOPBA, UUP, GSEU, PBA and NYSPIA, and those employees designated Management/Confidential

Effective Date(s)

The extension of benefits is effective 1/1/2010 for all eligible employees

These recalculations will be entered by OSC in Pay Period 21L (Administration) and 22L (Institution)

Background

A Memorandum of Understanding between each of the parties listed above and New York State has extended the Military Leave Benefits through December 31, 2010 in response to the continuing need for New York State employees in the National Guard and Reserves to be activated federally or by the Governor for military service related to the war on terror.

The MOU’s also call for a recalculation of Military Stipends on January 1, 2010.

For information regarding Military Leave benefits agencies may refer to the applicable bargaining unit’s MOU.

OSC Actions - Recalculation of Military Stipends

OSC will review all employees who are on Military Stipend on 1/1/10, with or without pay, and recalculate the biweekly stipend. If the employee had a salary change in calendar year 2009, the new biweekly wage amount will be used. The military wages on record for a pay period will be compared to the employee’s new biweekly State salary. If an increased amount for the Military Stipend is due or an employee now becomes eligible to receive a stipend, OSC will update the employee’s record to reflect the increase.

Any new salary not reflected in the employee’s history will be entered in the General Comments page.

The new stipend amount will be entered on the Job Data page using the Action/Reason code of Pay Rt Chg/MSC (Pay Rate Change/Military Stipend Change).

These recalculations will be entered by OSC in Pay Period 21L (Administration) and 22L (Institution).

Agencies will be notified by an electronic Correction Sheet of any biweekly stipend changes or employees who are now eligible to receive a biweekly stipend.

For any Military Leaves under this benefit that first occur after 1/1/2010, the salary at the time of the Leave will be used. The extension does not authorize a subsequent adjustment (after the 1/1/10 recalculation or after an initial calculation for a Military Leave occurring after 1/1/10) to be made to the Military Stipend to reflect raises, Longevity Pay, or other types of pay that might otherwise apply to the employee's salary. Those changes will be reflected in the employee's salary upon return to State service.

Refer to Payroll Bulletin No. 276 for information regarding procedures for processing Military Stipend leaves and payments.

Questions

Questions about the benefit may be directed to the Department of Civil Service.

Questions about this bulletin may be e-mailed to the Military Stipends mailbox.