Purpose

To inform agencies of OSC’s automatic processing of the new Pre-Shift Briefing calculation and the retroactive payment of Pre-Shift Briefing as a part of the 2016-2019 Retroactive Salary Increases and to provide instructions for payments not processed automatically

Affected Employees

Arbitration eligible employees in Bargaining Unit 01 and Non-Arbitration eligible employees in Bargaining Unit 21 represented by NYSCOPBA

Background

Chapter 24, of the Laws of 2019, which implements the negotiated 2016–2023 agreement between New York State and NYSCOPBA Security Services Units (Bargaining Units 01 and 21), provides for a change to the Overtime Calculation (See Payroll Bulletin 1741) and therefore a change to the calculation of Pre-Shift Briefing is necessary.

Per guidance from DOB and GOER, Pre-Shift Briefing will be calculated using the overtime factor of .00072 and is effective beginning in Pay Period 5L, effective dates 05/23/2019 (Institution) or 05/30/2019 (Administration).

Additionally, changes to the Pre-Shift Briefing program were made in order to correctly calculate the retroactive increases to the NYSCOPBA Pre-Shift Briefing payments as a part of the 2016-2019 NYSCOPBA Retroactive Salary Increases.

Effective Date(s)

The new Pre-Shift Briefing calculation and retroactive payments for Arbitration Eligible (BU01) and Non-Arbitration Eligible (BU21) employees that are eligible for Pre-Shift Briefing will be paid using the following effective dates and check dates:

Eligibility Criteria

Arbitration Eligible (BU01) and Non-Arbitration Eligible (BU21) employees who received Pre-Shift Briefing payments between 03/31/2016 and 06/19/2019 (Institution) and 04/07/2016 and 06/12/2019 (Administration) may be eligible for retroactive adjustments to Pre-Shift Briefing based on the 2016-2019 NYSCOPBA Retroactive Salary Increases.

OSC Actions

After payroll processing for Pay Period 6L (Administration) and 7L (Institution) is complete, OSC will automatically:

• Update the Pre-Shift Briefing calculation for Pre-Shift Briefing earnings on or after 05/23/2019 (Institution) or 05/30/2019 (Administration) from .00075 to .00072.
• Enter a PAY/PSP (Pay/Pre-Shift Program) row on the Job Data page effective 05/23/2019 (Institution) or 05/30/2019 (Administration)
• Process the retroactive Pre-Shift Briefing Payments for eligible employees from 03/31/2016 through 05/22/2019 (Institution) and 4/7/2016 through 05/29/2019 (Administration) using the overtime factor of .00075
• Process the retroactive Pre-Shift Briefing Payments for eligible employees from 05/23/2019 through 06/19/2019 (Institution) and 05/30/2019 through 06/12/2019 (Administration) using the overtime factor of .00072

Agency Actions

Employees paid at the guaranteed minimum rate of $80 for Arbitration Eligible (BU01) or $60 for Non-Arbitration Eligible (BU21) from 03/31/2016 through 06/19/2019 (Institution) or 04/07/2016 through 06/12/2019 (Administration) will not be updated automatically.

Agencies must determine if the following payments were accurate and submit changes as applicable to:

• Pre-Shift Briefing in Additional Pay (PS1) and corresponding Pre-Shift Briefing Adjustments (AP1)
• Prior Quarterly Adjust Pre-Shift Briefing (APB) in Time Entry

Agencies must enter a General Comment for all changes to prior Adjustment payments.

Deduction Information

All general deductions for employees whose status is Terminated, Retired or Deceased will be automatically cancelled by OSC with the exception of percentage based dues and the following:

Tax Information

The adjustments (AP1, APB and Retro (RXX)) are supplemental taxable income and will be included in the employee’s taxable gross subject to all employment and income taxes.

Federal, State and New York City income tax withholding will be calculated using the Aggregate method. Yonkers income tax withholding will be calculated using the Flat Rate method (1.61135% for Yonkers residents and 0.50% for Yonkers non-residents).

Undeliverable Checks

If the agency has made an effort to deliver the check to the employee but the check has been returned and is undeliverable, the agency must complete a Request for Payroll Check Stop Payment (Form AC 3340), and email it to the Annual Uncashed Payroll Check Outreach mailbox.  Please refer to Payroll Bulletin No. 1684 for instructions.

Checks issued to eligible employees who are now deceased should be returned with a completed Next of Kin Affidavit (Form AC 934-P), original death certificate, and a Report of Check Exchange (Form AC 1476-P).  If a Next of Kin Affidavit has been previously submitted for a deceased employee’s payroll check, OSC will accept a photocopy of this form along with a new Report of Check Exchange.

Payroll Register and Employee’s Paycheck/Advice

The Earnings Code RP1 and the amount paid will be displayed on the Payroll Register. The Earnings Description Retro PreShift Brief and the amount paid will appear on the employee’s paycheck stub or direct deposit advice.

Questions

Questions about this bulletin can be directed to the Payroll Earnings mailbox.