Purpose
To provide the agency with information and procedures regarding the processing of Vacation Exchange payments.
Eligible Employees
Management/Confidential employees in Bargaining Units 06, 13, 18, 40, 46, 52, 66, 96, and those employees in Bargaining Unit 79 whose agency has elected to participate in the Vacation Exchange Program.
Officers and employees whose salaries are prescribed by Section 169 of the Executive Law or whose salaries were prescribed prior to the enactment of Chapter 55 of the laws of 1979 are ineligible for the payment.
Effective Date(s)
Vacation Exchange payments will be made in a separate check dated November 27 2002 for employees in Institution agencies and December 4, 2002 for employees in Administration agencies.
Specifics
Chapter 74 of Laws of 2000 provides for a cash payment for employees in any of the above named bargaining units who earn and accumulate vacation credits and elect to exchange such credits in units of full days up to a maximum of 5 days, provided that at the time of such election the credits total 35 days or more.
The election of the vacation exchange must have been made by the last day of the payroll period in which July 1, 2002 fell (7/3/02 for Administration agencies and 7/10/02 for Institution agencies).
Eligible employees who were part-time during the filing period and had the appropriate number of pro-rated vacation credits may have requested to exchange a pro-rated number of vacation credits, based on the percentage of time worked, in exchange for a Vacation Exchange lump sum payment.
- Example: An employee who was 50% during the filing period and had at least 17 days of vacation credits is eligible for a maximum of 2.5 full days of Vacation Exchange.
Eligible employees who were on Voluntary Reduction at the time the request was filed are eligible for a maximum of 5 full days of Vacation Exchange.
Calculation of Paymment
The Vacation Exchange payment is based on the salary (including additional salary factors) in effect on 10/1/02 provided the employee is active on the payroll (including employees who are on a paid leave of absence) and in an M/C Bargaining Unit on 10/1/02.
If an employee is inactive, on a leave without pay, or in a Bargaining Unit that is other than M/C on 10/1/02, the Vacation Exchange payment is based on the salary (including additional salary factors) in effect on the last day prior to 10/1/02 that the employee was last paid from an M/C position.
Agency Actions
Effective pay period 16L, 17C for Institution and 17L, 18C for Administration, the agency must use the following procedures when reporting the Vacation Exchange earn codes. The payment is to be submitted by the agency in which the employee is active in a M/C position on 10/1/02, with the exception of an employee who had met the eligibility criteria in July and had since left the M/C position. In that instance, the payment is to be submitted by the agency where the employee earned eligibility. The effective date is the last date in the M/C position.
Salaried Employees
| Earn Code: | VEX (Vacation Exchange) |
| Earn Begin Date: | 10/1/02 (employees who are active on the payroll in an M/C position on 10/1/02)For employees who on 10/1/02 are inactive, on leave without pay, or in a Bargaining Unit other than M/C, enter the date in which the employee was last paid from an M/C position that is prior to 10/1/02. |
| Earn End Date: | Enter the same date as the Earn Begin Date. |
| Days: | Enter the number of days of Vacation Exchange. |
The system will automatically calculate the amount of the Vacation Exchange payment using the salary and additional salary factors in effect on the date entered in the Earn Begin Date field.
Hourly Employees and Daily Employees Paid as FEE
| Earn Code: | VXO (Vacation Exchange Override) |
| Earn Begin Date: | 10/1/02 (employees who are active on the payroll in an M/C position on 10/1/02)For employees who on 10/1/02 are inactive, on leave without pay, or in a Bargaining Unit other than M/C, enter the date in which the employee was last paid from an M/C position that is prior to 10/1/02. |
| Earn End Date: | Enter the same date as the Earn Begin Date. |
| Days: | Enter the number of days of Vacation Exchange. |
| Amount: | Enter the total amount of the Vacation Exchange payment. |
Miscellaneous Payment Information
The Vacation Exchange payment is taxable, but non-pensionable, and will be made in a separate check, regardless of whether the earnings is submitted timely or at a later date.
There is no direct deposit for this payment.
If an employee's existing tax record in PaySR reflects an additional tax amount, the additional amount will be withheld from both the regular check and the Vacation Exchange check. In order to avoid an over-withholding of tax in the payroll period the Vacation Exchange payment is processed, agencies may want to review the tax panels of active and inactive M/C employees to determine if an additional tax amount currently on the record requires follow-up action.
Check/Advise Information
The earn code VEX or VXO will appear on the payroll register. The earn code description Vacation Exchange or Vacation Exchange Override will appear on the employee's check stub.
Questions
Questions regarding this payment may be directed to the payroll auditor.