Purpose

The purpose of this bulletin is to provide agency instructions for processing the Recruitment and Retention Payments.

Affected Employees

Employees in the State University Graduate Student Negotiating Unit (GSNU) – BU28 who meet the eligibility criteria are affected.

Background

Chapter 337 of the Laws of 2019, which implemented the 2019-2023 Agreement between the State of New York and the Communications Workers of America/Graduate Student Employees Union, provides for recruitment and retention payments.

Each doctoral degree granting campus is allocated a portion of the Doctoral Program Recruitment and Retention Enhancement Fund based on the number of employees in BU28 to facilitate the recruitment and retention of new and existing doctoral students in selected programs.

Certain comprehensive colleges are allocated a portion of the Comprehensive College Graduate Program Recruitment and Retention Fund based on the number of employees in BU28 to fund graduate program recruitment and retention initiatives.

Effective Dates

There will be two recruitment and retention payments as follows:

Eligibility Criteria

Employees who meet the following criteria on or after 07/02/2019 AND on the Pay End Date associated with the Pay Period the payment is processed (see above) are eligible to receive Recruitment or Retention Payments.

• Bargaining Unit = 28
• Salary Grade = 980
• Comp Rate Code = BIW, FEE
• Payroll Status = Active or Leave with Pay

Eligible employees at a doctoral degree granting campus receive the recruitment and retention payment at the discretion of the Dean of the Graduate Student Department.

Agency Actions

Prior to processing, agencies must complete a roster identifying employees who will receive a recruitment or a retention payment as part of either the Doctoral Program Fund or the Comprehensive College Graduate Program Fund and must include the earnings code and payment amount. The roster must be forwarded to SUNY System Administration. A copy of this roster will be provided to OSC in an Excel format.

To pay the Recruitment and Retention Payments to eligible employees appearing on the approved roster, agencies must submit the following information on the Time Entry page or the Time Entry Interface (NPAY502) using Earnings Code GRC (or the appropriate non-resident alien earnings code – XRC, YRC, ZRC) for the recruitment payment or Earnings Code GRT (or the appropriate non-resident alien earnings code – XRT, YRT, ZRT) for the retention payment.

Miscellaneous Payment information

The Recruitment and Retention Payments are pensionable but are not included in the calculation of overtime.

Tax Information

The Recruitment and Retention Payment is supplemental taxable income, will be included in the employee’s taxable gross and is subject to all employment taxes and income taxes. 

Federal, State and New York City income tax withholding will be calculated using the Aggregate method, based on the employee’s current Tax Marital Status and Withholding Allowances on the Employee Tax Data page in PayServ. Yonkers income tax withholding will be calculated using the Flat Rate method. Yonkers Flat Rate withholding is 1.95975% for Yonkers residents and 0.50% for Yonkers non-residents.

Please see Bulletin 1575 Supplemental Wages for more information.

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.

Recruitment Payment

Retention Payment

Questions

Questions regarding eligibility for this payment should be directed to the SUNY System Administration.

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

Questions regarding taxes may be directed to the Tax and Compliance mailbox.