Purpose
The purpose of this bulletin is to provide agencies instructions for processing the retroactive Special Assignment to Duty Pay (SAD) payments for 2020 and 2021 for PEF employees, for calendar years 2019 and 2020.
Affected Employees
Employees of the Department of Transportation and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in the following bargaining units who meet the eligibility criteria are affected:
PEF
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services Unit BU05
Background
Due to the expiration of the previous contract, the 2020 and 2021 Special Assignment to Duty Pay payments, for calendar years 2019 and 2020, were not paid timely to PEF employees. Pursuant to the side letter contained in the 2019-2023 Agreement between the State of New York and the Public Employees Federation (PEF), employees whose assignment constitutes an exposure to inherent danger by virtue of unavoidable proximity to live vehicular traffic within the highway Rights-of-Way are eligible for Special Assignment to Duty Pay for these years.
Effective Dates
Effective Administration Pay Period 3L, paychecks dated 05/25/2022.
Eligibility Criteria
Full-time employees in BU05 in the Department of Transportation (Department ID 17XXX) or the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (Department ID 49XXX) who routinely work on Interstate Routes within New York State (NYS), on NYS highway routes, or on NYS parkway systems at least one-third or more of the time actually worked in the previous calendar year are eligible for an annual lump sum payment of $500.
Agency Actions
To pay the 2020 Special Assignment to Duty Pay to eligible employees, agencies must submit the following information on the Time Entry page or the Time Entry Interface (NPAY502) using Earnings Code SAD:
| Earnings Begin Date: | 03/19/2020 |
|---|---|
| Earnings End Date: | 04/01/2020 |
| Earn Code: | SAD |
| Units: | 1 |
To pay the 2021 Special Assignment to Duty Pay to eligible employees, agencies must submit the following information on the Time Entry page or the Time Entry Interface (NPAY502) using Earnings Code SAD:
| Earnings Begin Date: | 03/18/2021 |
|---|---|
| Earnings End Date: | 03/31/2021 |
| Earn Code: | SAD |
| Units: | 1 |
Payroll Register and Employee’s Paycheck/Advice
The Earnings Code SAD and the amount paid will be displayed on the Payroll Register. The Earnings Description Special Assignment to Duty and the amount paid will appear on the employee’s paycheck stub or direct deposit advice.
Retirement information
The Special Assignment to Duty Pay is pensionable but is not included in the calculation of overtime.
Tax Information
The 2020 and 2021 Special Assignment to Duty Pay payments are supplemental taxable income, will be included in the employee’s taxable gross, and are subject to all employment taxes 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. Yonkers Flat Rate Withholding is 1.95975% for Yonkers residents and 0.50% for Yonkers non-residents.
Questions
Questions regarding this bulletin may be directed to the Payroll Earnings mailbox.