Mr.
President
Public Employees Federation, AFL-CIO
Dear Mr. Brynien:
This will
confirm our understanding reached during the course of negotiations of the 2003-2007
2007-2011 Agreement
on the subject of a pre-tax transportation benefit pursuant to Internal Revenue
Code, 26 U.S.C. §132 and related regulations. Such a benefit provides employees
an opportunity to pay for expenses incurred in commuting between work and home.
Having
previously agreed that such a benefit may indeed be beneficial to employees
throughout the State of New
York, the State in 2002
conducted a review of the feasibility of implementing a pre-tax salary
deduction program for transportation costs, eligible parking expenses, and
employee paid transit passes/cards in any eligible geographic area of the
State.
The State
has agreed, as a result, to conduct a limited one-year transit benefit pilot
program for all PS&T Unit employees in the New
York City metropolitan
area. Based on a favorable outcome of that pilot program, the State further
agrees to discuss its expansion to include other transportation benefits
covered by the Code and to include employees in other geographic areas of the
State.
As a result of the successful pilot
program for State employees in the
The State further agrees, upon
ratification of the Agreement, to make enrollment in this program available
within six (6) months from the date of ratification.
Sincerely,
John Currier
Deputy Director for Contract Negotiation and Administration
Governor’s Office of Employee Relations
Countersigned for PEF:
President