State Agencies Bulletin No. 85

Subject
Factor Change for 1999-2000
Date Issued
March 24, 1999

Since February 29, 2000 falls within the 1999-2000 fiscal year, the biweekly salary factor will change to that based on 366 days. Effective in Institution Payroll Periods 1-Current (checks dated April 8, 1999) and 1-Lag (checks dated April 22, 1999), and in Administration Payroll Periods 1-Current (checks dated April 14, 1999) and 1-Lag (checks dated April 28, 1999), the following factor will be used:

  • Pay Basis Codes Factor

  • ANN and CAL .038251

  • (except for CAL grade 980)

  • NOTE: The factor for State University employees (Grade 980s) with pay basis codes CAL and CYF will not change until September 1, 1999.

Because salaries will be calculated based on 366 days in the year instead of 365 days, these calculations will result in a slight decrease in biweekly earnings. Payments for services rendered in the prior fiscal year will be computed at the 365 days factor (.038356).

Processing of Factor Change in Period 1

Job Data Panels

After the agency cutoff for Institution and Administration 1 Current, OSC will insert a factor change row for employees paid on the Current cycle.

After OSC has approved all actions submitted by the agency for Period 1-Lag, a Factor Change row will automatically be inserted into employees’ Job Data records for employees paid on the Lag cycle. The action code for the inserted row will be Pay Rate Change (PAY RT CHG) and the reason code will be Factor Adjustment (FAC). The effective date on the inserted row will be March 25, 1999 for Institution agencies and April 1, 1999 for Administration agencies.

OSC will not insert a Factor Change row if the employee has an action in his/her Job Data Record (i.e. Pay Rate Change for Increment, Longevity) that has an effective date of March 25, 1999 (Institution) or April 1, 1999 (Administration) since the March 25 or April 1 row will reflect the leap year comp rate. Also, there will not be a factor change row for employees on Worker’s Comp without pay.

Additional Pay Panel

A row will also be inserted in the Additional Pay Panel, effective March 25, 1999 for Institution and April 1, 1999 for Administration, for each Earn Code reported as an annual amount that is included in an employee’s biweekly paycheck. This row will result in the correct calculation of the biweekly Additional Pay Amount (the correct factor will be used). OSC will not insert a Factor Change row in the Additional Pay Panel if the Earn Code in the Additional Pay Panel has an existing row dated March 25, 1999 (institution) or April 1, 1999 (Administration). The March 25 or April 1 row will effectuate the change to the leap year rate.

  • NOTE: For an inactive employee returned to the payroll after the effective date of the factor change, who has a row on the Additional Pay Panel, not end dated by the agency at the time of the removal (including leave without pay), enter a new row on the Additional Pay Panel upon return to the payroll.
     
  • If the above procedure is not followed, the Additional Pay will be calculated at the wrong factor.
Time Entry Panel

Since PaySR cannot calculate earnings if the earnings dates overlap a change on the employee’s Job Record, the agency must breakdown the earnings that are automatically calculated by the system (i.e. overtime) by inserting effective dated rows corresponding to the Job Action (i.e. factor change).

Note: any action on the employee’s Job Record is considered to be a Job Change in PaySR, even actions that don’t relate to a change in the employee’s annual salary (i.e. Factor Change row).

To report overtime earnings in period 1 it is necessary to enter multiple rows if the overtime dates being reported overlap the effective date of the factor change. The first row must be entered with the inclusive dates PRIOR to the effective date of the factor change.

The second row must be inserted with the inclusive dates equal to and AFTER the effective date of the factor change.

  • Note: The agencies will not see the factor change row in the employees’ records when entering transactions for period 1. OSC will insert the row after the agency cut off date for Period 1.
Override Codes

If the agency must use an override code that is calculated using the employee’s daily rate, remember to use the correct factor to calculate the earnings.

RGS

Use the leap year factor when reporting RGS for dates on or after March 25, 1999 (Institution) and April 1, 1999 (Administration).

Procedures for Submitting Retroactive Actions After Period 1 is Processed

Due to the change to the leap year factor, service and longevity increments, and performance advances in Period 1, agencies must adhere to the following procedures when submitting requests or actions that have an effective date that is prior to March 25, 1999 (Institution) or April 1, 1999 (Administration):

  • NOTE: IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER AT ALL TIMES THAT IF AN AGENCY MUST PROCESS A CHANGE TO AN EMPLOYEE’S RECORD THAT HAS AN EFFECTIVE DATE THAT IS PRIOR TO THE "CURRENT" ROW ON THE EMPLOYEE’S JOB RECORD, THE CHANGE REQUESTED WILL NOT CHANGE THE DATA ON THE "CURRENT" ROW OR ANY "HISTORY" ROW THAT HAS AN EFFECTIVE DATE THAT IS SUBSEQUENT TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE RETROACTIVE CHANGE. THEREFORE, THE AGENCY MUST REVIEW THE EMPLOYEE’S JOB RECORD EACH TIME A RETROACTIVE ACTION MUST BE REQUESTED ON THE JOB ACTION REQUEST PANEL OR ENTERED ON JOB DATA TO DETERMINE ALL SUBSEQUENT ROWS THAT NEED TO BE CORRECTED OR DELETED. IT IS THE AGENCY’S RESPONSIBILITY TO CORRECT ALL "HISTORY" ROWS BY REQUESTING ACTIONS (POSITION CHANGES, PAY RATE CHANGES, AND DATA CHANGES) FOR EACH ROW ON THE JOB DATA RECORD THAT IS SUBSEQUENT TO THE DATE OF THE RETROACTIVE CHANGE.

The following procedures will help agencies to determine what action to take if the retroactive action is prior to the factor change or increment row processed in Period 1.

Hires, Rehires and Concurrent Hires
  1. Enter the Action of Hire, Rehire or Concurrent Hire on the appropriate panel. The effective date is the date of hire.
  2. Select the Action of Pay Change on the Job Action Request Panel. The effective date should be the same as the hire date. Insert a row on the Job Action Request Panel and select the action of Pay Change.
  3. Select an additional Action of Pay Change on the Job Action Request Panel, Reason of Factor Adjustment (FAC) effective March 25, 1999 (Institution) or April 1, 1999 (Administration).

If the employee is eligible for an Additional Annual Salary Factor before the effective date of the factor change, it is necessary for the agency to insert two rows on the Additional Pay Panel. The first row should be effective dated based on the original Hire, Rehire or Concurrent Hire and the second row should be effective dated based on the effective date of the factor change.

Return From Leave Without Pay

Enter the action of Return from Leave on the Job Data Panel effective the date the employee returned from leave.Select the Action of Pay Change on the Job Action Request Panel, Reason of Factor Adjustment (FAC) effective March 25, 1999 for Institution or April 1, 1999 for Administration. Note: if the employee was due an increment, longevity, or performance advance in Period 1, use the appropriate reason code; do not use Factor Adjustment.

If the employee is eligible for an Additional Annual Salary Factor before the effective date of the factor change, it is necessary for the agency to insert two rows on the Additional Pay Panel. The first row should be effective dated based on the return from leave date and the second row should be effective dated based on the effective date of the factor change.

Return From Leave with Pay

To report a retroactive leave with pay that cannot be entered directly on the Job Data Record, the agency must request an action of Data Change, Reason of Cor Hist, effective the date of the leave with pay. In the Status Reason block, the agency must request that OSC insert a row in the employee’s Job Data Record to place the employee on Leave with Pay on the effective date of the leave and on the effective date of March 25 (Institution) or April 1 (Administration).

Position Changes

Select the action of New Position on the Job Action Request Panel effective the date of the Position Change. If the Position Change results in a change in salary, remember to change the Pay Rate also.

Insert a row and select an additional Action of New Position effective March 25, 1999 (Institution) or April 1, 1999 (Administration) to change the position on the original March 25 or April 1 row. Remember to change the Pay Rate, if applicable, and use the next higher sequence number for the march 25 or April 1 effective date.

Pay Rate Changes

Select the action of Pay Change on the Job Action Request Panel, effective the date of the Pay Rate Change. Insert a row and select an additional action of Pay Change on the Job Action Request Panel effective March 25, 1999 (Institution) or April 1 1999 (Administration) to correct the original March 25 or April 1 row. Remember to use the next higher sequence number for the March 25 or April 1 effective date.

Data Changes Requested on the Job Action Request Panel

If an employee has a Data Change that is prior to the effective date of the last action on his/her Job Data Record (i.e. factor change row), the agency must process the Data Change on the Job Action Request Panel using the appropriate reason code and the effective date of the data change.

The agency must insert a row and select an additional Data Change action on the Job Action Request Panel, effective Mach 25, 1999 (Institution) and April 1, 1999 (Administration), to change the data on the already existing March 25 or April 1 row in the employee’s Job Data Record.

Terms, Retires, Leave of Absence, Leave with Pay

The agency will be unable to enter a Term, Retire, Leave of Absence, or Leave with Pay on an employee’s Job Record if the effective date of the removal or leave is prior to the effective date of the last row on the employee’s job Data Record.

To report a retroactive Term, Retire, Leave or Absence, or Leave with Pay that cannot be entered directly on the Job Data Record, the agency must select the action of Data Change on the Job Action Request Panel. Select the Reason Code of Correct History. In the Status Reason block, request that OSC enter the action of Term, Retire, Leave of Absence, or Leave with pay on Job Data. The agency must also notify OSC to delete subsequent rows in the employee’s record that are no longer applicable. OSC will deny the action on the request panel, but will make the necessary corrections to the employee’s Job Data Record.

  • Note: The agency should also inform OSC in the Status Reason block of how any overpayment will be recovered.

Questions

If you have audit questions on this bulletin, call the Audit Section at (518) 474-2368.

Questions on Salary entitlement should be directed to the Salary Determination Unit at (518) 486-3088.