Purpose

The purpose of this bulletin is to inform agencies of OSC’s automatic processing of the June 2020 Uniform Allowance and Uniform Blazer Allowance Payments and provide instructions for payments not processed automatically.

Affected Employees

NYS Unified Court System (UCS) employees in Negotiating Units SY, SR, S9, DR, F8, G9, 86, and 87 who meet the eligibility criteria are affected.

Background

Chapter 164 of the Laws of 2017 as amended by Chapter 288 of the Laws of 2019 and the 2020-2021 agreement between the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) and the Unified Court System of the State of New York provide for a uniform and equipment allowance or maintenance allowance to all eligible members in June and December. In addition, consistent with prior practice, the negotiated changes detailed in the Labor Relations Memorandum are extended to Management and Confidential Employees (NU86).

Pursuant to Chapter 71 of the Laws of 2018 which implemented the 2011-2021 Agreements between the UCS and the unions representing Negotiating Units SY and SR, and the 2019-2021 Agreements between the UCS and the unions representing Negotiating Units DR, F8, and G9, a uniform and equipment allowance or maintenance allowance must be paid to all eligible employees in June and December.

Further, Chapter 72 of the Laws of 2018 provides that Uniform Blazer allowance is pensionable for Negotiating Unit S9.  This provision has been extended to all negotiating units who pay a Uniform Blazer allowance via side letters.  These include DR, F8, G9, and 87.

In addition, the bi-annual Uniform and Uniform Blazer Allowance memorandum dated 05/11/2020, issued by the Office of Court Administration (OCA) Payroll Operations, authorizes the June 2020 payment.

Effective Date(s)

The June 2020 Uniform Allowance Payment and Uniform Blazer Allowance Payment will be processed in a separate check dated 06/24/2020.

There is no direct deposit for these payments.

Eligibility Criteria

An employee must meet the following criteria on 05/31/2020 to be eligible for a June 2020 Uniform Allowance or Uniform Blazer Allowance Payment:

• Be in Negotiating Unit S9, G9 (Blazer Allowance Payment only); or SY, SR, 86 (Uniform Allowance Payment only); or DR, F8, 87 (Uniform or Blazer Allowance Payment); and
• Be in an eligible title (refer to the OCA memorandum for a list of eligible titles); and
• Have a Payroll Status of Active, Leave With Pay, or Leave of Absence with an Action/Reason code of Leave of Absence/WDL (WC Dis Lv), Leave of Absence/MLS (Mil Stip), or Leave of Absence/MTS (Military Training Stipend).

An employee who otherwise meets the eligibility criteria but is on an authorized leave of absence with a Payroll Status of Leave of Absence (except with an Action/Reason code of Leave of Absence/WDL, Leave of Absence/MLS, or Leave of Absence/MTS) and who returns to the payroll prior to 11/30/2020, may receive the June 2020 payment upon the return from leave.

An employee who has lost wages exceeding five workdays during the six months preceding the payment as a result of a disciplinary action is not eligible for the June 2020 payment.

OSC Actions

OSC will process the June 2020 Uniform Allowance and Uniform Blazer Allowance Payments for employees who meet the eligibility criteria with the following exceptions:

• Employees in Negotiating Units DR, F8, G9, 86 and 87
• Employees in Negotiating Units SY, SR, and S9 with a Payroll Status of Leave With Pay and an Action/Reason code of Paid Leave of Absence/MLS (Mil Stip)
• Employees in Negotiating Units SY, SR, and S9 with a Payroll Status of Leave of Absence and an Action/Reason code of Leave of Absence/WDL (WC Dis Lv), Leave of Absence/MLS (Mil Stip), or Leave of Absence/MTS (Military Training Stipend)
• Employees in Negotiating Unit SR in one of the following Job Codes:
  • 014049 – Court Assistant
  • 014076 – Court Assistant (PT)
  • 014077 – Court Assistant (HND SA PROG)
  • 019364 – Court Assistant JS

A Time Entry transaction for the Uniform Allowance Payment will be created automatically for eligible employees with the following information:

Earnings Begin Date:	05/31/2020
Earnings End Date:	05/31/2020
Earn Code:	UA5
Amount:	$730.00 - NU SY $730.00 - NU SR

A Time Entry transaction for the Uniform Blazer Allowance Payment will be created automatically for eligible employees with the following information:

Earnings Begin Date:	05/31/2020
Earnings End Date:	05/31/2020
Earn Code:	UBA
Amount:	$600.00 – NU S9

OSC will notify the OCA when processing is complete, so agencies can begin updating records as necessary.

Agency Actions

Prior to automatic processing, agencies must review and approve the list of potentially eligible employees and make any necessary additions or deletions as explained in the OCA memorandum.  Transactions for these employees will be submitted on the Time Entry Interface (NPAY502) by the OCA.

Agencies should refer to the OCA memorandum for a list of eligible titles and payment amounts.  In addition, agencies are responsible for submitting a Time Entry transaction for the following employees: 

• Eligible employees, including those in Negotiating Units SY, SR, and S9, with a Payroll Status of Leave With Pay and an Action/Reason code of Paid Leave of Absence/MLS (Mil Stip)
• Eligible employees, including those in Negotiating Units SY, SR, and S9, with a Payroll Status of Leave of Absence and an Action/Reason code of Leave of Absence/WDL (WC Dis Lv), Leave of Absence/MLS (Mil Stip), or Leave of Absence/MTS (Military Training Stipend)

Once automatic processing is complete and OSC has notified the OCA, agencies must delete the Time Entry transaction for employees in Negotiating Units SY, SR, and S9 who do not meet the eligibility criteria.  The OCA must notify OSC when all deletions are complete.

Agencies are also responsible for entering a Time Entry transaction for eligible employees who are on an authorized leave of absence on 11/30/2019 and who return to the payroll prior to 05/31/2020.  The Time Entry transaction should be entered in the pay period the return from leave is processed.

Submitting Payment(s)

To pay the June 2020 Uniform Allowance to eligible employees not processed automatically or who return from an authorized leave of absence, agencies must submit the following information on the Time Entry page or the Time Entry Interface (NPAY502) using Earnings Code UA5:

Earnings Begin Date:	05/31/2020 or the date the employee returns from an authorized leave of absence
Earnings End Date:	Same as the Earnings Begin Date
Earn Code:	UA5
Amount:	See 05/11/2020 OCA Memorandum

To pay the June 2020 Uniform Blazer Allowance Payment to eligible employees not processed automatically or who return from an authorized leave of absence, agencies must submit the following information on the Time Entry page or the Time Entry Interface (NPAY502) using Earnings Code UBA:

Earnings Begin Date:	05/31/2020 or the date the employee returns from an authorized leave of absence
Earnings End Date:	Same as the Earnings Begin Date
Earn Code:	UBA
Amount:	See 05/11/2020 OCA Memorandum

Control-D Reports Available After Processing

After the automatic processing of the June 2020 Uniform Allowance and Uniform Blazer Allowance Payments is complete and the OCA has notified OSC that all deletions are complete, the following Control-D report will be available for agency use:

NPAY771 – Time Entry Payment Report

This report identifies all employees who received either the Uniform Allowance Payment or the Uniform Blazer Allowance Payment.

Retirement and Overtime Information

The Uniform Allowance Payment (UA5) is not included as salary for retirement purposes and is not included in the calculation of overtime compensation.

The Uniform Blazer Allowance Payment (UBA) is included as salary for retirement purposes but is not included in the calculation of overtime compensation.

Tax Information

The June 2020 Uniform Allowance (UA5) and Uniform Blazer Allowance (UBA) Payments are supplemental taxable income, will be included in the employee’s taxable gross, and are subject to all employment taxes and income taxes. 

Federal, State, and New York City income tax withholding will be calculated using the Aggregate method. Yonkers income tax withholding will be calculated using the Flat Rate method.  Yonkers Flat Rate withholding is 1.61135% for Yonkers residents and 0.50% for Yonkers non-residents.

Payroll Register and Employee’s Paycheck/Advice

The Earnings Code UA5 and/or UBA and the amount paid will be displayed on the Payroll Register.  The Earnings Description Uniform Allowance UCS and/or UCS Uniform Blazer Allowance and the amount paid will appear on the employee’s paycheck stub.

This payment will be made in a separate check regardless of when it is paid.  The separate check will be issued with the employee’s regular paycheck or direct deposit advice, based on the information for that check date.

Undeliverable Checks

When a valid payroll check is undeliverable due to the agency’s inability to locate the employee, the agency should follow the Agency Actions identified in Payroll Bulletin No. 1786 Non-Negotiated and/or Undeliverable New York State Payroll Checks.

Checks issued to eligible employees who are now deceased should be returned with a completed Next of Kin Affidavit (Form AC 934-P), original death certificate and a Report of Check Exchange (Form AC 1476-P).  If a Next of Kin Affidavit has been previously submitted for a deceased employee’s payroll check, OSC will accept a photocopy of this form along with a new Report of Check Exchange.

Questions

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

Questions regarding retirement may be directed to the Payroll Retirement mailbox.