State Police Bulletin No. SP-176

Subject
2017 State Police Education Payment
Date Issued
March 3, 2017
Status
REVISED
Status Date
May 25, 2017

Purpose

To provide the Division of State Police instructions for processing the 2017 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

Background

Pursuant to Chapter 234 and 235 of the Laws of 2015 which implemented the 2011-2018 Agreements 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 234 of the Laws of 2016 which implemented the 2011-2018 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 Date(s)

Administration Pay Period 4L/5C; paychecks dated 06/14/2017

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 2017 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: 05/18/17 06/01/17
OT Eff Date: 05/18/17 06/01/17
Annual Addl Earnings: Applicable Amount Applicable Amount
End Date: 05/16/18 05/30/18
Goal Balance: Leave Blank Leave Blank

To pay the 2017 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: 05/18/17
Earnings End Date: 05/18/17
Earn Code: EDP
Amount: Applicable amount

To pay the 2017 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: 05/16/18 (Deptid 01060)
05/30/18 (Deptid 01069)
Goal Balance: Leave blank
Overtime Calculation

The Education Payment must be included in the calculation of overtime compensation for employees in BU07 and BU62.  The 2017 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 2017 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)

Retirement and Deduction Information

The Education Payment is included as salary for retirement purposes for employees in BU07, BU17 and BU62.

Tax Information

The State Police Education Payments(Earnings Code “EPI”, “EPA”, or “EDP”) are taxable income subject to employment and income taxes.

Federal and State tax withholding will be calculated using the Supplemental Aggregate method. Local tax withholding will be calculated using the Supplemental Flat-rate method (4.25%).

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 bulletin may be directed to the Payroll Earnings mailbox.