Purpose
The purpose of this bulletin is to provide the Division of State Police instructions for processing the 2021 Education Payment.
Affected Employees
Employees of the Division of State Police in the State Police Troopers Unit – BU07, the State Police Commissioned/Non-Commissioned Officers Unit (CO/NCO) – BU17, and the State Police Investigators Unit (BCI) – BU62 who meet the eligibility criteria are affected.
Background
Pursuant to Chapter 24 of the Laws of 2019, which implemented the Agreement between the State of New York and the Police Benevolent Association of the New York State Troopers, members of the State Police Troopers Unit, and the State Police Commissioned/Non-commissioned Officers Unit who possess or obtain a recognized degree from an accredited and recognized college or university shall receive recognized degree pay.
Pursuant to Chapter 337 of the Laws of 2019 which implemented the 2018-2023 Agreement between the State of New York and the New York State Police Investigators Association, members of the State Police Investigators Unit who possess or obtain a recognized degree from an accredited and recognized college or university shall receive recognized degree pay.
Effective Dates
Effective beginning Administration Pay Period 4L/5C, paychecks dated 06/09/2021.
Eligibility Criteria
Annual salaried employees of the Division of State Police in BU07, BU17, or BU62 who possess or obtain a recognized degree from an accredited and recognized college or university will receive a lump sum payment corresponding to the degree as follows:
| Associate’s Degree | $250 |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | $500 |
| Graduate Degree | $750 |
The payment will be made annually in June of each year and will be for one degree only. When the degree is obtained during the fiscal year, the payment will be made as soon as practicable after conferral of the degree.
Agency Actions and Overtime Calculations
To pay the 2021 Education Payment to eligible employees in BU07 or to eligible employees in BU62 who possess a degree, the agency must submit the following information on the Additional Pay page using Earnings Code EPA – Education Pymt-Inv/Trooper:
| Deptid 01060 | Deptid 01069 | |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings code: | EPA | EPA |
| Effective Date: | 05/13/2021 | 05/27/2021 |
| OT Eff Date: | 05/13/2021 | 05/27/2021 |
| Annual Addl Earnings: | Applicable Amount | Applicable Amount |
| End Date: | 05/11/2022 | 05/25/2022 |
| Goal Balance: | Leave Blank | Leave Blank |
To pay the 2021 Education Payment to eligible employees in BU17, the agency must submit the following information in the Time Entry page or the Time Entry Interface (NPAY502) using Earnings Code EDP – Education Payment-BU 17:
| Earnings Begin Date: | 05/13/2021 |
|---|---|
| Earnings End Date: | 05/13/2021 |
| Earn Code: | EDP |
| Amount: | Applicable amount |
To pay the 2021 Education Payment to eligible employees in BU62 who obtain a degree during the fiscal year, the agency must submit the following information on the Additional Pay page using Earnings Code EPI – Education Pymt – Investigator:
| Earnings Code: | EPI |
|---|---|
| Effective Date: | Eligibility date |
| OT Eff Date: | Same as Effective Date |
| Annual Add’l Earnings: | Applicable Amount |
| End Date: | 05/11/2022 (Deptid 01060) 05/25/2022 (Deptid 01069) |
| Goal Balance: | Leave blank |
Overtime Calculation
The 2021 Education Payment must be included in the calculation of overtime compensation for employees in BU07 and BU62. The 2021 Education Payment will be included in the calculation of overtime earned from the OT Eff Date through the End Date on the employees Additional Pay page for Earnings code EPA and EPI.
If an employee is appointed to a position which is not eligible to receive the 2021 Education Payment, the payment cannot be included in the compensation calculation of any overtime earned after the date of the appointment. Therefore, the agency must insert a row on the Additional Pay page at the Effective Date level of Earnings Code EPA or EPI and enter the following information:
| Effective Date: | Last date in eligible position (date prior to appointment) |
|---|---|
| OT Eff Date: | Same as original OT Eff Date |
| Annual Addl Earnings: | Same as original amount (populates automatically) |
| End Date: | Same as Effective Date |
| Goal Balance: | Same as Annual Add’l Earnings (to prevent making another payment) |
Employees to be Processed via File Load
The 2021 Education Payment will be processed via file load.
The agency must provide OSC with an Excel spreadsheet that includes the following information not later than 05/25/2021:
- Employee ID
- Employee Record
- Effective Date of Inserted Additional Pay Row
- NY OT Effective Date
- Payment Amount
- Earnings End Date
- Earnings Code
- Goal Amount
- NY Annual Earnings
Retirement and Deduction Information
The 2021 Education Payment is included as salary for retirement purposes for employees in BU07, BU17, and BU62.
Tax Information
The 2021 State Police Education Payments (Earnings Code “EPI”, “EPA”, or “EDP”) are supplemental taxable income, will be included in the employee’s taxable gross and are 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. Yonkers Flat Rate Withholding is 1.61135% for Yonkers residents and 0.50% for Yonkers non-residents.
Payroll Register and Employee’s Paycheck/Advice
The appropriate Earnings Code and the amount paid will be displayed on the Payroll Register. The appropriate Earnings Description and the amount paid will appear on the employee’s paycheck stub or direct deposit advice.
| EPA | Education Pymt-Inv/Trooper |
| EDP | Education Payment-BU 17 |
| EPI | Education Pymt - Investigator |
Questions
Questions regarding this bulleting may be directed to the Payroll Earnings mailbox.