Purpose

The purpose of this bulletin is to explain the extension of Military and Training Leave Benefits and Stipends, and OSC’s process for Military Recalculations effective 01/01/2020.

Affected Employees

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

Background

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between each of the parties listed above and New York State has extended the Military Leave Benefits through 12/31/2020 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.

Each MOU calls for a recalculation of Military Stipends on 01/01/2020.

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

Effective Date(s)

The extension of benefits is effective 01/01/2020 for all eligible employees.

OSC Actions

OSC will review all employees who are on Military Stipend Leave on 01/01/2020, with or without pay, and recalculate the bi-weekly stipend. If the employee had a salary change in calendar year 2019, the new bi-weekly wage will be used. The military wages on record for a pay period will be compared to the employee’s new bi-weekly 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).

Agencies will be notified on the NPAY776 Consolidated Correction Sheet of any bi-weekly stipend changes or employees who are now eligible to receive a bi-weekly stipend.

For any Military Leaves under this benefit that first occur after 01/01/2020, the salary at the time of the Leave will be used. The extension does not authorize a subsequent adjustment (after the 01/01/2020 recalculation or after an initial calculation for a Military Leave occurring after 01/01/2020) 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.

Questions

Questions concerning benefits may be directed to the Department of Civil Service.

Questions concerning this bulletin may be directed to the Military Stipends mailbox.