State Agencies Bulletin No. 1241

Subject
April 2013 Retention Payment
Date Issued
March 15, 2013
Status
Revised
Status Date
March 15, 2013

Purpose

To inform agencies of a new earnings code and procedures for processing the April 2013 Retention Payment.

Affected Employees

Employees in the following bargaining units who meet the eligibility criteria:

Administrative Services BU02
Operational Services BU03
Institutional Services BU04
Division of Military and Naval Affairs BU47
Security Services BU01 and BU21
Agency Police Services BU31
Security Supervisors BU61 and BU91

Background

Pursuant to the following Chapter Laws, a retention payment of $775 will be paid to all eligible employees in April 2013.

Chapter 491 of the Laws of 2011 implemented the 2011-2016 Agreements between the State of New York and the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) for members of the Administrative Services Unit, the Operational Services Unit, the Institutional Services Unit and the Division of Military and Naval Affairs Unit.

Chapter 261 of the Laws of 2012 implemented the 2009-2016 Agreement between the State of New York and the NYS Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, Inc. (NYSCOPBA) for arbitration eligible members of the Security Services Unit (BU01).

Chapter 67 of the Laws of 2012 implemented the 2009-2016 Agreement between the State of New York and the NYSCOPBA for arbitration ineligible members of the Security Services Unit (BU21).

Chapter 15 of the Laws of 2012 implemented the 2005-2015 Agreement between the State of New York and the Police Benevolent Association of New York State, Inc (PBANYS) for members of the Agency Police Services Unit.

Chapter 257 of the Laws of 2012 implemented the 2009-2016 Agreement between the State of New York and the NYS Law Enforcement Officers’ Union, District Council 82 (Council 82) for arbitration eligible members (BU61) and arbitration ineligible members (BU91) of the Security Supervisors Unit.

Effective Date(s)

The April 2013 Retention Payment will be paid using the following effective dates and check dates:

Pay Cycle/Pay Period Type Payment Effective Date Check Date
Administration Lag 03/28/13 04/24/13
Institution Extra Lag 03/28/13 05/02/13
Institution Lag 04/04/13 05/02/13
Administration Extra Lag 04/04/13 05/08/13

Eligibility Criteria

Employees who meet ALL of the following criteria are eligible to receive the April 2013 Retention Payment.

Ratification Date Criteria

Employees must be in one of the following bargaining units on the respective ratification date with a Payroll Status of Active, Leave With Pay or Leave of Absence and a Pay Basis Code of ANN, HRY or BIW (only if the employee is on a Paid Military Stipend Leave). In addition, employees with a Payroll Status of Terminated who are on a preferred list are considered to meet the Ratification Date Criteria.

The first instance where the employee meets the Ratification Date Criteria becomes the employee’s ratification date.

Eligible Bargaining Unit Ratification Date
01 07/23/12
61, 91 05/03/12
21 03/02/12
31 01/31/12
02, 03, 04, 47 08/15/11

If an employee would have otherwise met the Ratification Date Criteria but transferred from an eligible bargaining unit prior to that bargaining unit’s ratification date and transferred into an eligible bargaining unit after that bargaining unit’s ratification date, the employee is considered to meet the Ratification Date Criteria. In this case, the ratification date closest to the original payment effective date becomes the employee’s ratification date.

Payment Effective Date Criteria

Employees must be in any of the above bargaining units with a Payroll Status of Active, Leave With Pay or Leave of Absence with an Action/Reason code of Leave of Absence/MLS (Mil Stip) and a Pay Basis Code of ANN, HRY or BIW (only if the employee is on a Paid Military Stipend Leave) on the employee’s payment effective date.

An employee who meets the Ratification Date Criteria and otherwise meets the Payment Effective Date Criteria but has a Payroll Status of Leave of Absence (except with an Action/Reason code of Leave of Absence/MLS), Terminated or Retired can receive the April 2013 Retention Payment if they return to the payroll during fiscal year 2013-2014 provided they have continuous service.

Continuous Service Criteria

Employees must have continuous service as defined by Section 130.3(c) of the Civil Service Law between the employee’s ratification date and payment effective date.

New Earnings Codes

OSC has created a new Additional Pay Earnings Code to process the retention payment.

Earnings Code Description
RTN Retention Pymnt-CSEA/Security

OSC has also created a new Time Entry Earnings Code to include the retention payment in the overtime compensation calculation of hourly and exception hourly employees.

Earnings Code Description
ROO Retention Overtime Override

In order to facilitate the calculation of the April 2014 Retention Payment, any retention payment monies that must be recouped cannot be returned using the traditional Q overpayment codes. Therefore, OSC has created a new Additional Pay Earnings Code to process retention payment overpayments.

Earnings Code Description
RTO Retention Payment Overpayments

OSC Actions

OSC will process the April 2013 Retention Payment for employees who meet the eligibility criteria with the following exceptions.

  • Employees with a Payroll Status of Terminated who are on a preferred list on the employee’s ratification date.
  • Employees with a Payroll Status of Leave of Absence (except with an Action/Reason code of Leave of Absence/MLS), Terminated or Retired on the payment effective date.

The Additional Pay page will be populated for eligible employees with the following information:

Earnings Code: RTN
Effective Date: 03/28/13 – Administration Lag & Institution Extra Lag
04/04/13 – Institution Lag & Administration Extra Lag
OT Eff Date: Same as Effective Date
Annual Addl Earnings: See Automatic Calculation of the Payment Amount
End Date: 03/26/14 – Administration Lag & Institution Extra Lag
04/02/14 – Institution Lag & Administration Extra Lag

Automatic Calculation of the Payment Amount

Full Payment Amount

The following employees receive the full payment amount of $775.

  • Employees with a Payroll Status of Active, whose Pay Basis Code is ANN and who is on a Voluntary Reduction in Work Schedule (VRWS) on the payment effective date. Agencies must verify that the Full/Part field on the Job Data/Job Information page is ‘Voluntary’.
  • Employees with a Payroll Status of Active or Leave With Pay, whose Pay Basis Code is ANN and Empl Work Percent on the Job Data/Job Information page is 1.0000 on the payment effective date.
  • Employees with a Payroll Status of Leave With Pay with an Action/Reason code of Paid Leave of Absence/SKL (Sick Lv), whose Pay Basis Code is ANN and Empl Work Percent on the Job Data/Job Information page is 0.5000 on the payment effective date.
  • Employees with a Payroll Status of Leave With Pay with an Action/Reason code of Paid Leave of Absence/MLS (Mil Stip), whose Pay Basis Code is BIW and Empl Work Percent on the Job Data/Job Information page is 1.0000 on the payment effective date.
  • Employees with a Payroll Status of Leave of Absence with an Action/Reason code of Leave of Absence/MLS (Mil Stip), whose Pay Basis Code is ANN and Empl Work Percent on the Job Data/Job Information page is 1.0000 on the payment effective date.
Prorated Payment Amount Based on FTE

The following employees receive a prorated amount determined by multiplying the full payment amount of $775 by the employee’s Empl Work Percent on the Job Data/Job Information page in effect on the payment effective date.

  • Employees with a Payroll Status of Leave With Pay with an Action/Reason code of Paid Leave of Absence/MLS (Mil Stip), whose Pay Basis Code is BIW and Empl Work Percent on the Job Data/Job Information page is less than 1.0000 on the payment effective date.
  • Employees with a Payroll Status of Leave of Absence with an Action/Reason code of Leave of Absence/MLS (Mil Stip), whose Pay Basis Code is ANN and Empl Work Percent on the Job Data/Job Information page is less than 1.0000 on the payment effective date.
Prorated Payment Amount Based on Hours

The following employees receive a prorated amount based on the number of hours worked as described below.

  • Employees with a Payroll Status of Active, whose Pay Basis Code is ANN and Empl Work Percent on the Job Data/Job Information page is less than 1.0000 on the payment effective date.
  • Employees with a Payroll Status of Leave With Pay with an Action/Reason code of Paid Leave of Absence/SKL (Sick Lv), whose Pay Basis Code is ANN and Empl Work Percent on the Job Data/Job Information page is less than 0.5000 on the payment effective date.
  • Employees with a Payroll Status of Leave With Pay (except with an Action/Reason code of Paid Leave of Absence/SKL), whose Pay Basis Code is ANN and Empl Work Percent on the Job Data/Job Information page is less than 1.0000 on the payment effective date.
  • Employees with a Payroll Status of Active or Leave With Pay, whose Pay Basis Code is HRY on the payment effective date.
Calculation of Prorated Payment Amount Based on Hours 
  1. The number of hours paid using the following earnings codes are used in the calculation.
    Earnings Code Description
    EXT Extra Time
    EXO Extra Time Override
    LT1 Lost Time
    LT2 Lost Time Teachers/SUNY/21P
    LT3 Lost Time Hourly
    LT4 Lost Time – Firefighter 24 Hr
    LT5 Lost Time – Firefighter 10 hr
    LT6 Lost Time for Biweekly’s
    LTO Lost Time Override
    OTB OT Straight Rate for Annuals
    OTC OT Straight Rte-CUNY/UCS 35 hr
    OTF OT at Straight w/shift for UCS
    RGH Regular Pay Hourly Employee
    RGS Regular Pay Salary Employee
  2. Using the chart below, those payments where the Earnings End Date is equal to or greater than the pay period begin date based on the employee’s pay cycle/pay period type following the employee’s ratification date (Hours Begin Date) and equal to or less than the pay period end date prior to the employee’s payment effective date (Hours End Date) are included in the calculation.
  3. The total number of hours is divided by the Full Time Hours.
  4. The result is rounded to four places; this is the proration percentage.
  5. The full payment amount of $775 is multiplied by the proration percentage and rounded to the nearest cent.
Employee’s Ratification Date Pay Cycle/Pay Period Type Hours Begin Date Hours End Date Full Time Hours
7/23/2012 Admin Lag 8/2/2012 3/27/2013 1360
Admin XLag 7/26/2012 4/3/2013 1440
Inst Lag 7/26/2012 4/3/2013 1440
Inst XLag 8/2/2012 3/27/2013 1360
5/3/2012 Admin Lag 5/10/2012 3/27/2013 1840
Admin XLag 5/3/2012 4/3/2013 1920
Inst Lag 5/3/2012 4/3/2013 1920
Inst XLag 5/10/2012 3/27/2013 1840
3/2/2012 Admin Lag 3/15/2012 3/27/2013 2160
Admin XLag 3/8/2012 4/3/2013 2240
nst Lag 3/8/2012 4/3/2013 2240
Inst XLag 3/15/2012 3/27/2013 2160
1/31/2012 Admin Lag 2/2/2012 3/27/2013 2400
Admin XLag 2/9/2012 4/3/2013 2400
Inst Lag 2/9/2012 4/3/2013 2400
Inst XLag 2/2/2012 3/27/2013 2400
8/15/2011 Admin Lag 8/18/2011 3/27/2013 3360
Admin XLag 8/25/2011 4/3/2013 3360
Inst Lag 8/25/2011 4/3/2013 3360
Inst XLag 8/18/2011 3/27/2013 3360

Agency Actions – Increasing the Automatic Payment

Original Payment Amount Prorated Based on Hours

Agencies must correct the payment amount for employees whose April 2013 Retention Payment was calculated based on hours and who received less than the full payment amount of $775 if any of the following apply:

  1. Earnings Code RGO (Regular Pay Override)
    Hours paid using Earnings Code RGO should be included in the calculation but hours do not exist in PayServ. Therefore, if an employee received the April 2013 Retention Payment and has RGO earnings in their record earned between the appropriate Hours Begin Date and Hours End Date, the agency must correct the retention payment amount. Divide these additional hours by the appropriate Full Time Hours, round the result to four places, multiply by the full payment amount of $775 and round to the nearest cent.
  2. Eligible Transactions Submitted Subsequent to the Automatic Payment
    If, subsequent to an employee receiving the April 2013 Retention Payment, a transaction is submitted on the Job Data page or for any of the eligible earnings code listed above plus Earnings Code RGO effective between the appropriate Hours Begin Date and Hours End Date that results in the employee receiving increased hours, the agency must correct the retention payment amount. Divide these additional hours by the appropriate Full Time Hours, round the result to four places, multiply by the full payment amount of $775 and round to the nearest cent.
  3. Action/Reason Code of Leave of Absence/MLS (Mil Stip)
    Hours do not exist in PayServ when an employee is on an Unpaid Military Stipend Leave. Therefore, if an employee received the April 2013 Retention Payment and was on an Unpaid Military Stipend Leave between the appropriate Hours Begin Date and Hours End Date, the agency must correct the retention payment amount. Divide the hours the employee would have received had the employee not been on an Unpaid Military Stipend Leave by the appropriate Full Time Hours, round the result to four places, multiply by the full payment amount of $775 and round to the nearest cent.
  4. Workers’ Compensation Leave (Reason Codes WDL, WPS or WSP)
    Hours do not exist in PayServ when an employee is on Workers’ Compensation Leave. Therefore, if an employee received the April 2013 Retention Payment and was on a Workers’ Compensation Leave between the appropriate Hours Begin Date and Hours End Date, the agency must correct the retention payment amount. Divide the hours the employee would have received had the employee not been on a Workers’ Compensation Leave by the appropriate Full Time Hours, round the result to four places, multiply by the full payment amount of $775 and round to the nearest cent.
  5. Action/Reason Code of Paid Leave of Absence/SKL (Sick Lv)
    Hours are prorated in PayServ when an employee is on a Paid Sick Leave. Therefore, if an employee received the April 2013 Retention Payment and was on a Paid Sick Leave between the appropriate Hours Begin Date and Hours End Date, the agency must correct the retention payment amount. Total the hours the employee would have received had the employee not been on a Paid Sick Leave and subtract the prorated hours appearing in PayServ for the same period. Divide these hours by the appropriate Full Time Hours, round the result to four places, multiply by the full payment amount of $775 and round to the nearest cent.
  6. Full Time Hourly and Exception Hourly Employees – 7 ½ Hour Day
    When determining the Full Time Hours used in the Automatic Calculation of the Payment Amount section, the number of pay periods between the Hours Begin Date and Hours End Date was multiplied by 80 hours. Therefore, if an hourly or exception hourly employee received the April 2013 Retention Payment and is considered full time by working a 7 ½ hour day, the agency must correct the retention payment amount. Determine the Full Time Hours based on a 7 ½ hour day by multiplying the number of pay periods between the applicable Hours Begin Date and Hours End Date by 75. Total those hours paid while the employee was working a full time 7 ½ hour day (or a portion of a 7 ½ hour day). Divide these hours by the new Full Time Hours based on a 7 ½ hour day, round the result to four places, multiply by the full payment amount of $775 and round to the nearest cent.

If all hours worked between the Hours Begin Date and Hours End Date should be based on a 7 ½ hour day, subtract from this total the retention payment amount the employee already received.

If a portion of the hours worked between the Hours Begin Date and Hours End Date should be based on a 7 ½ hour day and a portion should be based on an 8 hour day, also total those hours paid while the employee was working a full time 8 hour day (or portion of an 8 hour day). Divide these hours by the Full Time Hours based on an 8 hour day, round the result to four places, multiply by the full payment amount of $775 and round to the nearest cent. Add these monies to those calculated for the 7 ½ hour portion and subtract from this total the retention payment amount the employee already received.

Original Payment Amount Prorated Based on FTE

Agencies must increase the payment amount for employees whose April 2013 Retention Payment was calculated based on the Empl Work Percent on the Job Data/Job Information page in effect on the payment effective date if the percentage is retroactively increased. Multiply the full payment amount of $775 by the employee’s new percentage on the original payment effective date and subtract the retention payment amount the employee already received.

Change to Original Payment Methodology

Agencies must increase the payment amount if, as a result of a retroactive transaction on the Job Data page, an employee’s retention payment amount should have been calculated using a different methodology that would have resulted in the employee receiving a larger retention payment amount. Calculate the correct retention payment amount using the updated methodology and subtract from this total the retention payment amount the employee already received.

Submitting Payment Correction

If the employee has been underpaid, the agency must insert a row on the Additional Pay page at the Effective Date level of Earnings Code RTN and enter the following information.

Effective Date: The first date of the pay period being processed
OT Eff Date: Same as original OT Eff Date
Annual Addl Earnings: Retention Payment Amount that has been paid plus those monies calculated above
End Date: Same as original End Date
Goal Balance: Retention Payment Amount that has been paid

Note: The system will pay the difference between the Annual Addl Earnings and the Goal Balance.

Agency Actions – Reducing or Eliminating the Automatic Payment

Original Payment Amount Prorated Based on Hours

Agencies must reduce the payment amount for employees whose April 2013 Retention Payment was calculated based on hours if a transaction is submitted on the Job Data page or for any of the eligible earnings codes listed above plus Earnings Code RGO effective between the appropriate Hours Begin Date and Hours End Date that results in a reduction of hours. Divide these reduced hours by the appropriate Full Time Hours, round the result to four places, multiply by the full payment amount of $775 and round to the nearest cent.

Original Payment Amount Prorated Based on FTE

Agencies must reduce the payment amount for employees whose April 2013 Retention Payment was calculated based on the Empl Work Percent on the Job Data/Job Information page in effect on the payment effective date if the percentage is retroactively decreased. Multiply the full payment amount of $775 by the employee’s new percentage on the original payment effective date and subtract from the retention payment amount the employee already received.

Change to Original Payment Methodology

Agencies must reduce the payment amount if, as a result of a retroactive transaction on the Job Data page, an employee’s retention payment amount should have been calculated using a different methodology that would have resulted in the employee receiving a lesser retention payment amount. Calculate the correct retention payment amount using the updated methodology and subtract from the retention payment amount the employee already received.

Submitting Payment Correction

If, as a result of the transaction, the employee is no longer eligible to receive the April 2013 Retention Payment, the agency must return the monies using one of the following methods:

  1. Process an AC-230 (Report of Check Returned for Refund or Exchange)
    • Provide the reason the monies are being returned on the General Comments page.
    • Return the full payment amount on an AC-230.
    • OSC will update the End Date field on the Additional Pay page for Earnings Code RTN as appropriate.
  2. Create an overpayment record
    • Provide the reason the monies are being returned on the General Comments page.
    • Submit the following information on the Additional Pay page using Earnings Code RTO.
    • OSC will update the End Date field on the Additional Pay page for Earnings Code RTN as appropriate.
      Earnings Code: RTO
      Effective Date: The first date of the pay period being processed
      Annual Addl Earnings: Amount to be collected each pay period
      Goal Amount: Total amount of RTN payment the employee received

If, as a result of the transaction, the employee is entitled to a reduced April 2013 Retention Payment, the agency must return the monies using one of the following methods:

  1. Process an AC-230 (Report of Check Returned for Refund or Exchange)
    • Provide the reason the monies are being returned on the General Comments page.
    • Return a portion of the payment amount on an AC-230.
    • Insert a row on the Additional Pay page at the Effective Date level for Earnings Code RTN and enter the following information.
      Effective Date: The first date of the pay period being processed or the last date the employee was active if the employee is currently inactive
      OT Eff Date: Same as original OT Eff Date
      Annual Addl Earnings: Reduced Retention Payment Amount the employee is entitled to receive
      End Date: Same as original End Date
      Goal Balance: Same as the Annual Addl Earnings
  2. Create an overpayment record
    • Provide the reason the monies are being returned on the General Comments page.
    • Submit the following information on the Additional Pay page using Earnings Code RTO.
      Earnings Code: RTO
      Effective Date: The first date of the pay period being processed
      Annual Addl Earnings: Amount to be collected each pay period
      Goal Amount: Total amount of RTN payment the employee is not entitled to receive
    • Insert a row on the Additional Pay page at the Effective Date level for Earnings Code RTN and enter the following information.
      Effective Date: The first date of the pay period being processed or the last date the employee was active if the employee is currently inactive
      OT Eff Date: Same as original OT Eff Date
      Annual Addl Earnings: Reduced Retention Payment Amount the employee is entitled to receive
      End Date: Same as original End Date
      Goal Balance: Same as the Annual Addl Earnings

Agency Actions – Payments Not Processed Automatically

Agencies must submit transactions to make the April 2013 Retention Payment to the following employees:

  • Employees with a Payroll Status of Terminated who are on a preferred list on the employee’s ratification date but who meet the Payment Effective Date Criteria and Continuous Service Criteria.
  • Employees who transfer from an eligible bargaining unit prior to that bargaining unit’s ratification date and transfer into an eligible bargaining unit after that bargaining unit’s ratification date and as a result, are not in either bargaining unit on the respective ratification date but meet the remaining Ratification Date Criteria on each bargaining unit’s ratification date and who meet the Payment Effective Date Criteria and Continuous Service Criteria.
  • Employees who meet the Ratification Date Criteria and otherwise meet the Payment Effective Date Criteria but have a Payroll Status of Leave of Absence (except with an Action/Reason code of Leave of Absence/MLS), Terminated or Retired on the payment effective date and return to the payroll in fiscal year 2013-2014 provided they have continuous service from the employee’s ratification date to the return date.
Submitting Payment

To make the April 2013 Retention Payment to eligible employees who were not processed automatically, agencies must submit the following information on the Additional Pay page using the Earnings Code RTN.

Earnings Code: RTN
Effective Date: 03/28/13 – Administration Lag & Institution Extra Lag
04/04/13 – Institution Lag & Administration Extra Lag
Or the date the employee returns to the payroll
OT Eff Date Same as Effective Date
Annual Addl Earnings: Use the employee’s information on the Effective Date to determine if the employee receives the full payment amount or a prorated payment amount. If the prorated payment amount must be based on hours, follow the instructions in the Calculation of Prorated Payment Amount Based on Hours area. Adjust this amount accordingly if any of the items in the Agency Actions – Increasing the Automatic Payment section apply.
End Date: 03/26/14 – Administration Lag & Institution Extra Lag
04/02/14 – Institution Lag & Administration Extra Lag

Control-D Report Available After Processing

After the automatic processing of the April 2013 Retention Payment is completed, the following Control-D report will be available for agency use.

NPAY770 – One Time Payment Report

This report identifies all employees who received the retention payment in one of the above check dates.

Overtime Calculation and Retirement Information

The retention payment is included as salary for retirement purposes and must be included in the calculation of overtime compensation (refer to the Online Payroll Manual accessed from the PayServ Bulletin Board – Payroll Manual > Earnings Manual > Payments/Withholdings > Overtime Compensation).

Annual Employees

The April 2013 Retention Payment for annual employees will be included automatically in the calculation of overtime earned from the OT Eff Date through the End Date on the employee’s Additional Pay page for Earnings Code RTN.

Hourly and Exception Hourly Employees

The April 2013 Retention Payment for hourly and exception hourly employees will not be included automatically in the calculation of overtime; therefore, an overtime adjustment is required.

To pay the overtime adjustment to eligible hourly and exception hourly employees, agencies must submit the following information on the Time Entry page or the Time Entry Interface (NPAY502) using Earnings Code ROO.

Earnings Begin Date: The first overtime date to include RTN
Earnings End Date: The last overtime date to include RTN
Earn Code: ROO
Hours: The number of overtime hours to include RTN
Amount: Multiply the amount in the Annual Addl Earnings field on the employee’s Additional Pay page for Earnings Code RTN by .00075 and round to the nearest cent. Multiply this amount by the number of overtime hours that must include the retention payment.
Ending Overtime Eligibility

If an employee has received the retention payment and is appointed to a position that is not eligible to receive the retention payment, the retention payment cannot be included in the compensation calculation of any overtime earned after the date of the appointment. Therefore, agencies must insert a row on the Additional Pay page at the Effective Date level of Earnings Code RTN 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 Addl Earnings (to prevent making another payment)

Payroll Register and Employee’s Paycheck/Advice

The Earnings Code RTN and the amount paid will be displayed on the Payroll Register. The Earnings Description Retention Pymnt-CSEA/Security and the amount paid will appear on the employee’s paycheck stub or direct deposit advice.

Questions

Questions regarding eligibility and payment information may be directed to the Payroll Earnings mailbox.

Revised Sections

Eligibility Criteria

The Ratification Date Criteria has changed.

New Earnings Codes

A new earnings code (RTO) was created.

Agency Actions – Correcting the Automatic Payment

This section has been renamed Agency Actions – Increasing the Automatic Payment. In addition, items #2 and #6 have been updated and new information has been provided for payments prorated based on FTE or if a change is methodology is required.

Agency Actions – Reducing or Eliminating the Automatic Payment

This is a new section.

Agency Actions – Payments Not Processed Automatically

Identifies another group of employees that agencies must process.