Purpose:

The purpose of this bulletin is to inform agencies of OSC’s automatic processing of the December 2023 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 01 of the Laws of 2023 and the following agreements between the Unified Court System of the State of New York:

• 2021-2026  Civil Service Employee’s Association (BU 87) 
• 2021-2026  Suffolk County Court Employees Association (BU F8);
• 2021-2026  9^th Judicial District Court Employees Association (BU G9);
• 2021-2026  Court Officers Benevolent Association of Nassau County (BU DR),
• 2021-2026  New York State Court Officers Association (BU SR),
• 2021-2026  New York State Supreme Court Officers Association (BU SY),
• 2021-2026  New York State Court Clerks (BU S9);

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 Labor Relations memorandum are extended to Management and Confidential Employees (NU86). 

In addition, the bi-annual Uniform and Uniform Blazer Allowance memorandum dated 11/03/2023, issued by the Office of Court Administration (OCA) Payroll Operations, authorizes the December 2023 payment.

Effective Dates:

The December 2023 Uniform Allowance Payment and Uniform Blazer Allowance Payment will be processed in a separate check dated 12/20/2023.

There is no direct deposit for these payments.

Eligibility Criteria:

An employee must meet the following criteria on 11/30/2023 to be eligible for a December 2023 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 05/31/2024, may receive the December 2023 payment upon the return from leave.

OSC Actions:

OSC will process the December 2023 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 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:

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

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 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 11/30/2023 and who return to the payroll prior to 05/31/2024. The Time Entry transaction should be entered in the pay period the return from leave is processed.

Submitting Payment(s):

To pay the December 2023 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 UAU:

To pay the December 2023 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 UBU:

Control-D Reports Available After Processing:

After the automatic processing of the December 2023 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 (UAU) is included as salary for retirement purposes and is not included in the calculation of overtime compensation.

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

Tax Information:

The December 2023 Uniform Allowance (UAU) and Uniform Blazer Allowance (UBU) 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 1.95975% for Yonkers residents and 0.50% for Yonkers non-residents.

Payroll Register and Employee’s Paycheck/Advice:

The Earnings Code UAU and/or UBU 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 submitted as a stop payment request with a reason of Exchange in PayServ.  The Report of Check Exchange (AC 1476-P), Next of Kin Affidavit (AC 934-P) and original death certificate should be submitted to the Payroll Reversal and Exchange mailbox at the same time as the stop payment request.  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.