APPENDIX 4A

APPENDIX A

VOLUNTARY REDUCTION IN WORK SCHEDULE:

Effect on Benefits and Status

Annual Leave – Prorate accruals based on the employee’s VRWS percentage.

Personal Leave – Prorate credits based on the employee’s VRWS percentage.

Sick Leave at Full Pay – Prorate accruals based on the employee’s VRWS percentages.

Holidays - There is no change in holiday benefit.

Sick Leave at Half Pay - There is no impact on eligibility or entitlement. Employees who go on sick leave at half pay for 28 consecutive calendar days will have their VRWS agreement suspended and be returned to their normal full-time work schedule and pay base.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits - There is no impact on eligibility for entitlement to workers’ compensation benefits pursuant to rule or contract. Following 28 consecutive calendar days of absence due to a work-related injury or illness, the VRWS agreement is suspended and the employee is returned to his/her normal full-time work schedule and pay base. At that point the employee receives workers’ compensation benefits based on the normal full-time salary and no longer earns VR credits. For accidents occurring on or after July 1, 1993, employees covered under the Medical Evaluation Program will continue on VRWS until the first day they are placed on workers’ compensation disability leave with percentage supplement at which time they will have their VRWS agreement suspended, and those who decline participation in the Medical Evaluation Program will have their VRWS agreement suspended the first day of leave without pay. Suspension of a VR agreement does not extend the agreement beyond its scheduled

termination date. If an employee returns to work prior to the scheduled termination date of the VR agreement, the employee’s participation in the VRWS agreement resumes and continues until the scheduled termination date, unless both parties agree to terminate the agreement.

Leave Donation - Employees who are absent using donated leave credits for 28 consecutive calendar days will have their VRWS agreement suspended.

Military Leave - There is no impact on eligibility or entitlement.

Jury-Court Leave - There is no impact on eligibility or entitlements.

Paid Leave Balances on Time Card - There is no requirement that leave credits be exhausted prior to the beginning of the VRWS agreement. Vacation, sick leave, and holiday balances are carried forward without adjustment; the personal leave balance is prorated.

Shift Pay – Prorate based on VRWS percentage.

Inconvenience Pay - Prorate based on VRWS percentage.

Location Pay - Prorate based on VRWS percentage.

Geographic Pay - Prorate based on VRWS percentage.

Pre-Shift Briefing - Prorate based on VRWS percentage.

Standby Pay - There is no impact.

Salary - Normal gross salary earned is reduced by the percentage of voluntary reduction in work schedule. There is no effect on the base annual salary rate.

Payroll - The employee never leaves the payroll. An employee remains in full payroll status with partial pay for the duration of the agreement period and receives pay checks each pay period at the agreed upon temporarily reduced level.

Return to Normal Work Schedule - An employee will return to his/her normal full-time work schedule and pay basis upon completion of the VRWS agreement period.

Banked (Unused) VR Time Upon Return to Normal Work Schedule - VR time credits may be carried forward on the employee’s time card after completion of the individual VRWS agreement period, but must be liquidated by the September 30th after the end of the fiscal year in which the employee’s individual agreement expires. VRWS ending balances must be segregated for each fiscal year.

Banked (Unused) VR Time Upon Separation - Unused VR time credits will be paid at the straight time rate upon layoff, resignation from State service, termination, retirement or death.

Banked (Unused) VR Time Upon Promotion. Transfer or Reassignment Within an Agency or Within a Facility or Institution - Unused VR time credits are carried forward on the employee’s time card when movement is within an appointing authority. Continuation of the VRWS agreement is at the discretion of management.

Banked (Unused) VR Time Upon Movement From One Agency to Another or Between Facilities or Institutions Within an Agency – Unused VR time credits will be paid at the straight time rate by the agency or facility/institution in which the VR time was earned, unless the employee requests and the new agency or facility/institution accepts the transfer of VR time on the employee’s time card.

Health Insurance - There is no effect; the employee retains full coverage.

Dental Insurance - There is no effect; the employee retains full coverage.

Employee Benefit Fund - There is no effect.

Survivor’s Benefit - There is no effect.

Retirement Benefit Earnings – Participation will reduce final average salary if the VRWS period is included in the three years of earnings used to calculate final average salary.

Retirement Service Credit – Prorate based on VRWS percentage.

Social Security - There is no change in the contribution rate, which is set by Federal Law and is applied to the salary that the employee is paid.

Unemployment Insurance - There is no change. The formula is set by statute.

Performance Advance or Increment Advance - The evaluation date is not changed. There is no change in eligibility.

Performance Award or Lump Sum Payment - There is no impact. There is no change in

eligibility.

Longevity Increase - There is no change in eligibility.

Probationary Period - There is no effect. Scheduled non-work time under a VRWS agreement is not an absence for the purpose of extension of probationary periods.

Traineeship - There is no effect. Traineeships are not extended by scheduled non-work time under a VRWS agreement.

Layoff - There is no impact. The seniority date for layoff purposes is not changed.

Seniority - There is no impact. The employee never leaves the payroll. The seniority date is not changed; full seniority credit is earned.

Seniority for Promotion Examinations - There is no impact. VR time used shall be counted as time worked in determining seniority credits for promotion exams.

Eligibility for Promotion Examinations - There is no impact. VR time used shall be counted as time worked in determining eligibility for promotion exams.

Eligibility for Open Competitive Examinations – Prorate based on VRWS percentage; VR time used shall not be considered time worked for determining length of service for open competitive examinations.

Overtime Work - VR time used shall not be counted as time worked in determining eligibility for overtime payments at premium rates within a workweek.

Return to Table of Contents