Purpose

The purpose of this bulletin is to inform the Division of Housing and Community Renewal of the new procedure for calculating promotions for RRSU employees who have earned Longevity Lump Sum (LLS) payments.

Affected Employees

Employees in RRSU who are promoted effective 04/01/2020 and after are affected.

Background

Article 7.12(a) of the collective bargaining agreement between the State of New York and DC-37 and Chapter 76 of the Laws of 2018 provide for a new procedure for calculating promotions for RRSU employees.

Employees promoted or otherwise advanced to a higher salary grade on April 1, 2020 and after will be paid at the Hiring Rate of the higher grade or will receive a percentage increase in base pay determined as indicated below, whichever results in a higher salary.

For the purpose of this section, “base pay” shall now include any Longevity Lump Sum (LLS) payments received during the 12-month period immediately preceding the promotion.

Effective Date(s)

The new procedure for calculating promotions for RRSU employees is effective 04/01/2020.

Eligibility Criteria

This provision applies to any eligible RRSU employee who is promoted to another RRSU position or to a position represented by any other bargaining unit that is subject to Section 130 and Section 131.2a of Civil Service Law.

Agency Actions - Procedure for Calculating Salary Upon Promotion

To calculate the salary of a RRSU employee upon promotion, the agency must:

1. Combine any LLS that the employee may have received during the 12-month period prior to the promotion with the employee’s salary. The result is the employee’s base pay for promotion purposes.
2. Apply the appropriate percentage increase for the promotion to the base pay.

   Promotion Grade Range	Promotion Percentage
   One Grade	3.0%
   Two grades	4.5%
   Three grades	6.0%
   Four grades	7.5%
   Five grades	9.0%

3. Compare the resulting salary to the Hiring Rate of the new grade to determine the higher salary.
4. The employee is entitled to the higher salary.

Note: Per Section 130.7 of the Civil Service Law, for employees eligible to receive a Geographic Differential (GEO) whose promotion salary exceeds job rate, the amount of GEO Pay the employee is eligible to receive is reduced by the amount the salary exceeds the job rate of the grade. Agencies must review to determine the amount of GEO Pay due and update the employee’s Additional Pay record, as appropriate.

Agency Action Beginning Pay Period 26L (Administration)

The new procedure for calculating promotional salaries for eligible RRSU employees goes into effect during Pay Period 26L (Administration). Agencies must not use the new calculation when processing promotion transactions effective within the above referenced pay periods where the effective date is prior to 04/01/2020.

Agencies must use the new procedure for promotion transactions with an effective date of 04/01/2020 or after.

Questions

Questions regarding this bulletin may be directed to the Payroll Earnings mailbox.