Background
The payment of April 1, 1999 service and longevity increments to employees who occupy graded positions will be processed in Payroll Period 1L, April 1-14, 1999, checks dated April 28, 1999 for all bargaining units.
General Rules for Service Increment Eligibility
General Rules are described in the Salary Manual for the Unified Court System, Part 1, Pages 11-12.
Payment of the Increment and Longevity Step Salaries
OSC will automatically apply the service and longevity increments, if due, from the October 1, 1998 Salary Schedule, based on the increment code in the record. The definitions for the UCS increment codes are shown on the attachment.
NOTE: Starting with 1995 and each subsequent year, employees who reach maximum salary will have an increment code of that corresponding year. OSC is in the process of updating these increment codes. Agencies should begin using these codes immediately.
Eligibility for Longevity Bonuses
Employees represented by all bargaining units are entitled to the following longevity bonus, if their service date falls in one of the categories below:
| 20-24 years of service in the UCS | (Service Date 03/31/1975-1979) | $ 750.00 |
| 25-29 years of service in the UCS | (Service Date 03/31/1970-1974) | $1000.00 |
| 30 or more years of service in the UCS | (Service Date 03/31/1943-1969) | $1200.00 |
Employees in Bargaining Units SY, SR, SG, F8, G9, DR are entitled to receive the following if their service date falls in the category below:
| 20 or more years of continuous service in their current position in the UCS and salary at or above the Longevity Step of the position. | (Service date 03/31/1930) | $1500.00 |
Employees in Bargaining Unit S9 are entitled to receive the following if their service date falls in the category below:
| 20 or more years of continuous service in the UCS, 15 of which must be continuous in bargaining unit S9 | (Service date 03/31/1930) | $1500.00 |
The Longevity Bonus payment is prorated for employees, who at the time of payment, work less than full time.
The Longevity Bonus payment is included in the calculation of overtime. The 1999 Longevity Bonus payment will be used in the overtime calculation for the period April 1, 1999 through March 29, 2000.
OSC Processing
OSC will automatically insert the increment row for eligible employees receiving an automatic increment and will update the Additional Pay Panel with the earn code JLO for employees receiving the Longevity Bonus. The updates to the employees’ records will be done after the agency on line-line cut off for Period 1L. The cut off date for Period 1L is 4/7/99. A listing identifying employees who received the increment payment automatically, and a separate listing of employees who receive the Longevity Bonus will be sent to the agencies after Period 1L is processed.
A listing of employees who did not receive an automatic payment (i.e. increment code missing) will also be produced. ONE copy of each listing will be sent to the agencies.
Period 1L Processing
In preparing the Payroll for Period 1L:
- For Position or Pay Changes resulting in a change in annual salary effective the first day of Period 1 Lag or prior, agencies should NOT manually process the Increment/ Longevity payments. The Increment code entered should be the "Current" Increment Code for 1999. The salary and increment code should be submitted so OSC applies an automatic payment.
- For Position or Pay Changes resulting in a change in annual salary effective AFTER the first day of Period 1 Lag , agencies must include the automatic increment payment in the reported salary to OSC. Report the projected increment code for the year 2000.
- In Period 1 Lag ,OSC will correct the salary on rows submitted by agencies on the Job Data Panels with an effective date after the first day of Period 1L.
Time Entry Panel
To report earnings (i.e. overtime) in Period 1 Lag, it is necessary to enter multiple rows if the earning dates overlap the effective date of the increment. The first row must be inserted with the inclusive dates PRIOR to the effective date of the action on the Job Panel (Increment, Factor Chg etc.)
The second row must be inserted with the inclusive dates EQUAL TO AND AFTER the effective date of the Increment or Factor Change.
Note: The agencies will not see the automatic salary increase row in the employees job records when submitting Period 1L. The row will be inserted after the agency cut off for Period 1L.
Payment of the Increment After the Automatic Payment
To process an increment for an employee after Period 1L is processed, submit the transaction in the Job Request Panel with an action of Pay Rate Change and a reason of INC (Increment). It is not necessary to submit an adjustment transaction as the retro adjustment will be calculated automatically, based on the effective date entered in the Job Panel.
Refer to the Factor Change Bulletin (Number 85) for further instructions on processing transactions after Period 1L.
Payment of the Longevity Bonus After the Automatic Payment
To process a Longevity Bonus after Period 1L for an employee who did not receive an automatic payment, process the transaction through the Additional Pay Panel.
| Earnings Code | JLO |
| Effective Date | 04011999* |
| OT Effective Date | Same as Effective Date |
| Annual Additional Earnings | Payment Amount |
| Earnings End Date | 03292000 |
*If an employee was eligible and on the payroll April 1, 1999, enter 04011999. If an employee was off the payroll and did not receive an automatic payment, enter the "return to payroll date".
The earnings code JLO will print on the salary register and the employee’s check or direct deposit advice.
Rules and Eligibility for the April 1, 1999 Lump Sum Bonus
Employees in Bargaining Units SY, SR, SG, F8, G9, DR, S9 are entitled to receive a one-time Lump Sum Bonus of up to $750, if the following requirements are met:
- Effective April 1, 1999, employees who were not promoted, or did not receive a longevity since April 1, 1995 and did not receive a full increment but did receive a partial increment on April 1,1996 which was less than $750, shall receive a Lump Sum Bonus which represents the difference between the partial increment and $750.
OR - Effective April 1, 1999, employees who since April 1, 1995 were not promoted, did not receive a Longevity Bonus, and did not receive an increment shall receive a Lump Sum Bonus of $750.
The Lump Sum Bonus is included in the calculation of overtime. This Lump Sum Bonus will be used in the overtime calculation for the period April 1, 1999 through March 29, 2000.
UCS is currently reviewing and preparing listings of employees eligible for the Lump Sum Bonus and will be distributing the listings to the payroll agencies. Agencies can begin submission of the payment upon receipt of this listing.
- Note: An eligible employee, not on the payroll April 1, 1999, who returns to active status prior to April 1, 2000, is entitled to receive the Lump Sum Bonus.
Bargaining Units Payment of the Lump Sum Bonus
The Lump Sum Payment for Bargaining Units SY, SR, SG, F8, G9, DR, and S9 must be processed through the Additional Pay Panel.
| Earnings Code | JLS |
| Effective Date | 04011999* |
| OT Effective Date | Same as Effective Date |
| Annual Additional Earnings | Payment Amount |
| Earnings End Date | 03292000 |
*If an employee was eligible and on the payroll April 1, 1999, enter 04011999. If an employee was off the payroll, enter the "return to payroll date".
The earnings code JLS will print on the salary register and the employee’s check or direct deposit advice.
Questions on this bulletin should be directed to the Salary Determination Unit at (518) 474-3512.
ATTACHMENT
UCS INCREMENT CODES
| 0001 | An employee whose salary is below the maximum salary of his or her grade, who by March 31 has rendered 120 full days of service in his or her grade during the fiscal year and is entitled to an increment, not to exceed the maximum salary rate for the grade. |
| 0003 | An employee whose salary is below the maximum salary of his or her grade, who by March 31 has not rendered sufficient increment earning service in his or her grade during the fiscal year and is not entitled to an increment the following April 1. OR An employee whose salary is equal to or above the longevity step for his or her grade. |
| 0004 | (w/FIS SALARY) An employee whose salary was equal to the maximum salary, but below the longevity salary of his or her former grade, who subsequently received a one grade promotion and is entitled to an adjusted salary. On the April 1 that the employee’s salary would otherwise have been advanced to the longevity step of his or her former grade (if he or she had not been promoted), the employee’s salary in the promoted grade is recalculated as if the promotion had occurred on the longevity salary (rather than the maximum) of the lower grade. |
| 0006 | (w/FIS SALARY) An employee whose salary is below the maximum salary of his or her grade, who was promoted and does not have 120 full work days of service in the promoted grade, but has 120 full work days of service in both grades and is entitled to the difference between the sum of two increments of the promoted grade and the amount received upon promotion, not to exceed the maximum salary rate for the grade. |
| 1995 | An employee whose salary is equal to or above the maximum salary of his or her grade, but below the longevity salary, who has completed four increment earning years of service credit at the maximum salary level and is entitled to a longevity increment April 1, 1999, not to exceed the longevity salary for the grade. |