The easiest way out of the crisis is to keep employees on board by offering them generous pay and benefit incentives. State unions ratify contracts granting raises and $3,500 bonuses The raises will cost the state $13.3 million and the bonuses $2 million. They also cover the next two fiscal years and potentially 2024-25 as well. The raises do not apply to employees in the legislative and judicial branches or higher education. Senate gives final approval to raises, bonuses for CT state employees That sum hasnt changed much in two decades. For retirees who receive their COLAs in January, the trend was more in their favor with three years of inflation increases topping 2 percent. Social Security has announced that they will be granting a cost of living increase of 8.7% for 2023. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are The agreement includes: 2.5% general wage increases in each of fiscal years 2022, 2023, and 2024. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are Get CT Mirror briefings with enterprise reporting, investigations and more in your inbox daily. Republicans countered Friday that the raises and bonuses far outstrip what households in the private sector are receiving. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2015 and 2020 there was only one year 2018 during which the CPI-W for July was above 2 percent. Part-timers would be eligible for prorated bonuses. will call the "2022 Changes") go into effect as of July 1, 2022(the "Effective Date"). The $3 billion in budget reserves and $4 billion in projected surplus pales in comparison with the $95.4 billion in long-term unfunded obligations Connecticut has, ODea said, referring to the combined pension, retirement health care and bonded debt the Lamont administration listed last November in its annual Fiscal Accountability Report. in its annual Fiscal Accountability Report. More than 30 state employee bargaining units have ratified contracts that would provide more than 40,000 workers with $3,500 in bonuses by July, along with three years of raises, the State. DARRELL HACKETT The state and unions have the option of continuing the same level of raises for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, or they can negotiate different compensation levels. Your pension is subject to an annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). His predecessor, Robert J. Rinker, co-chaired a labor-management committee that addressed some of the same issues now under review. Its also done with the best financial interests of the state at heart.. Republican House Leader Vincent Candelora of Branford, in a statement following Thursdays announcement questioned how the raises will affect not only current contract talks with union negotiators for rank-and-file workers who want more pay, but also the work of a new task force charged with studying this issue and reporting back to the legislature., Candelora attributed the structural gulf between non-union managers and unionized employees to a vicious circle that's fueled by people at the Capitol whose baseline position is to give state employee unions everything they want.. So why might Lamont do something so patently unfair and so politically toxic as awarding pay raises to already overcompensated state workers while most Connecticut citizens and voters have been and still are hurting very badly? Ned Lamont says are essential to help stem a surge in state employee retirements, are expected to be ratified Friday by the Senate, where Democrats also hold a majority. Connecticut is facing pressure from the private sector, municipalities and other states for its workers, Osten said, adding that the pandemic has made many state jobs less attractive. A proposal to give every full-time employee a $10,000 raise next year is causing some division among leaders in the town of Ellettsville. The raises will cost the state $13.3 million and the bonuses $2 million. As a federal EPA employee recently told the Washingtonian in a piece about the Trump administration, I fully intend to outlast these people.. By 2020, the state paid $2.2 billion to 55,348 retirees. At Yankee Institute, we know Connecticut is a state with boundless opportunity, and we intend to help make our state more than a place where people are just able to make ends meet! The increases, part of a four-year package negotiated by Gov. The state usually experiences 2,000 to 2,500 annual state employee retirements, according to the CT Mirror. He is one of the mid-career, private-sector executives to join the administration of Gov. She noted that West Virginia recently granted state employees a 5% raise while Arizona bumped pay for its correction officers by 20% and for workers in many other departments by 10%. Memo - 2022 Retirement Changes for CT State Employees Opinion: Gov. Lamont will give big fat raises to state workers Ned Lamont's administration and a coalition of . According to the Office of Legislative Research in their analysis of a potential retirement wave, COLAs for new retirees will match the CPI-W during years it is 2 percent or less. And that total is expected to grow considerably between now and July 1. Raises, Bonuses Included In Tentative CT State Employee Contract community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years. This means they will apply to all Connecticut employees whose date of retirement is on or later than August 1, 2022.1 The 2022 Changes fall into three different categories: Were losing some of our best and brightest as they seek other parts of the country where its easier to make a living. Fazio said that it reflects the pull unions have on state government and that taxpayers will end up footing the bill. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Ned Lamont and president of state's network of community colleges square off in showdown over state funding. The agreements, which unions ratified earlier this spring, are retroactive to the start of this fiscal year, which began last July 1. I think were at a time where change is coming, whether people like it or not. She noted that West Virginia recently granted state employees a 5% raise, while Arizona bumped pay for its correction officers by 20% and for workers in many other departments by 10%. Ned Lamont is negotiating a new wage contract with the State Employees Bargaining Alliance Coalition. Bonuses are prorated for part-time employees. 10:27 pm, When will REtirees see the 6% in pensions im tier 2, TO vinny, you get The first increase 9 months after you retire, 60% of CPI W. While annual retirements usually range from 2,000 to 2,500 per calendar year, more than 3,400 state employees have either retired or filed their written intentions to do so between January and March 31, 2022, alone. community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years. I think all of the stakeholders lament it, but then find the excuses for why we cant change it. Automation is a word that makes unions nervous, even as they acknowledge the nature of work is changing. My hypothesis coming in was that there are going to be more similarities to how we solve some of the challenges we have than differences, private to public, Geballe said. The bonuses, the GOP argued, are hardly the key to retaining workers, as the governor and other Democrats claim. A third of the state workforce is going to retire in the next three years, Geballe said. functions now spread across agencies, just as Raymond recently struck a five-year deal with Microsoft that replaces a dozen separate agency agreements. That helps focus peoples minds and increase their willingness to change and to take risks. 1 week of full access. The agreement would cost the state nearly $1.9 billion over four fiscal years, according to nonpartisan fiscal analysts. 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But Osten said the agreements are essential to maintain a state workforce that is at its smallest size since the 1950s, an argument Lamont has made as well. That's an incentive to keep people working after that retirement date.". We enable organizations to maximize Sales target achievement using our Sales Incentive & Performance Management Technology. The year over year increases drive up the amount paid out by Connecticuts severely underfunded State Employee Retirement System. Union leaders say the workforce is ready, if wary. Connecticut State Department of Administrative Services CT.gov Home Department of Administrative Services Human Resources Business Rules and Regulations Compensation Salary Increase Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) Salary Increase Non-Represented Employees Expense Reimbursement/Meal Allowance Pay Differential Longevity Recruitment Pay 4.28.23 We are LIVE with our 11 am/CT. The managers who will receive the raises include division heads at state agencies, as well as commissioners and. Were still largely in a world by the way, very similar to most every other state where there are numerous processes which are still paper based, which are still highly manual, which rely on very old custom software, Geballe said. Register to attend in-person | Register to attend virtually. EVENT: Mark Pazniokas will sit down with Gov. I dont believe, fundamentally, that this agreement is fair at all.. Connecticut is facing pressure from the private sector, municipalities and other states for its workers, Osten said, adding that the pandemic has made many state jobs less attractive. Lamont said the state has to live within its means, but state employees did extraordinary work during the worst of the pandemic and inflation has increased costs. Thats when more stringent limits on state retirement benefits, negotiated as part of a 2017 concessions deal with unions, take effect. Despite Lamonts claims to the contrary, it is highly likely that he will award state employees significant future wage increases as well as a generous modification of cost-of-living adjustments to their pensions after their retirement. Are more state employees retiring than usual? /. This is a carousel. With only 41 weeks remaining to replace retiring employees, the Lamont administration is fast approaching a severe manpower crisis. Find State Employee Benefits, Union Contractions, Equal Employment Opportunity Information, Tuition Reimbursement . Negotiators will meet again to determine raises after the time period. DAS says the process was cheaper, nearly paperless, and attracted a diverse pool of applicants with a third more women and minorities and a 105-percent increase in veterans. This proposed contract is a raw deal for the working people of this state, Sen. Ryan Fazio (R-Greenwich) said. If you have employees affected by the . In addition, full-time workers would receive a $2,500 bonus in mid-May and an additional $1,000 bonus in mid-July. CT Mirror is a nonprofit newsroom. An arbitrator had already awarded some unions a 3% general wage hike for 2021-22 before Lamont and labor negotiators settled on a smaller cost-of-living bump and bonuses. The contracts allow workers to accept the $2,500 extra payment and still retire before July 1. More than 46,000 Connecticut state employees could soon get a significant raise -- and bonuses - thanks to a new union contract that won approval in a key legislative committee Monday. See The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Workers and Clerical Workers known as the CPI-W increased 6 percent between July of 2020 and July of 2021, according the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with the price of nearly everything increasing substantially in recent months. 13 Week Package - $38.87 / 13 Weeks. Though the list of reforms may be exhausting to review, it is far from exhaustive! 3.2K views, 182 likes, 87 loves, 302 comments, 161 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from The Victory Channel: The Victory Channel is LIVE with Victory News! By the latest estimates of the comptroller's office, 14,764 state employees a quarter of the workforce will be eligible to retire on July 1, 2022, when a concession deal negotiated in . The only Tier II members who are required to make retirement contributions are: Individuals serving in hazardous duty positions; and Individuals who elected to pay an additional contribution to maintain the current normal retirement age. Gusty winds add new twist to brush fires in CT, officials say, What's next for the nuclear waste that's been in CT for 50 years, Building emissions are a key climate change contributor in CT, After decades in unmarked grave, CT homicide victim put to rest. Were not attracting innovation and industry. In the prison system, there are separate classifications for supervisors of correctional industries, auto mechanics, data entry, printing, clothing, and general industries. DAgostino said he believes arbitrators would have awarded unions annual cost-of-living raises of 3% or 3.5% given the state governments enhanced ability to pay. We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. The one thing we know about Ned Lamont or any Democrat, for that matter is that he will not fight the unions. 2022 Retirement Changes for CT State Employees Besides, all three of these difficult and only marginally helpful alternatives share one huge liability: The SEBAC unions will fight them tooth and nail, because all three reduce the number of unionized state employees paying dues to the union. 1 Killed, Child Critically Injured In Major Highway Crash: CT News, Meteorologist Leaves TV News To Take Over Family Business: CT News, 3 Soldiers Killed After 2 U.S. Army Helicopters Crash In Alaska. Watch Live at 7:00 PM: The U.S. and the Holocaust, a film by Ken Burns | Screening & Panel Discussion . When you do good work, you get a bonus, said Lamont. December 30, 2021 @ State government coffers have swelled since 2018, due in large part to a robust stock market that has bolstered income tax receipts tied to capital gains and other investment earnings. The plan, negotiated by Gov. Republicans also said they appreciate the hard work of state employees, particularly during the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, but the issue isnt as simple as some believe. Connecticut Public Radio | State finances also are being supported this fiscal year and next by about $3 billion in emergency federal pandemic relief. In the past, similar planned changes to retirement benefits have triggered waves of retirements before the changes take place, the OLR report states. Connecticut Property Taxes In Every Town: Who Pays The Most? That is the status quo.. State retirees receive minimum 2 percent COLAs per year regardless of the inflation rate and a maximum of 6 percent or 7.5 percent, depending on their retirement tier. Lamont could rehire retired workers as independent contractors, but then he would be paying those fees as well as funding retirement benefits. But the journey to get from here to there, and the ordering of initiatives, is very complex to think about.. But we have a bonus that starts after July 1. Its nothing more than a handout.. Dannel P. Malloy takes effect. Photos: Iconic Landmarks To Visit Across CT. Creative Commons. To be prepared to comply with this change, all employers should do the following prior to June 1: . Were hemorrhaging workers right now, DAgostino said. Connecticut Minimum Wage Set to Increase to $15 One lump sum payment retroactive to 2021 with full-time employees receiving $2,500 and part-time employees receiving a prorated amount $1,000 lump sum payment effective fiscal 2023 and prorated for part-time employees Lamont says the bonuses are crucial to retain state employees, who are retiring in larger-than-normal numbers this spring. The year over year increases drive up the amount paid out by Connecticut's severely underfunded State Employee Retirement System. House passes raises, bonuses for CT state employees By Keith M. Phaneuf / CTMirror.org Published April 21, 2022 at 5:22 PM EDT The House of Representatives approved a four-year package of raises Thursday that includes $3,500 in bonuses later this spring and summer for about 46,000 unionized state employees. Jessica Hill / Associated Press More than 40,000 unionized state employees would receive $3,500 each in special bonuses by mid-July under tentative contract agreements reached this week with. The raises would cost the town about a half . The alternatives are suboptimal. Those who challenge government actions for the right reasons could be forever barred from political office unjustly by this law. 4:04 pm. Similar deals would pass automatically if the legislature didnt take action in the past, but a 2017 law requires approval from both chambers. 1 Killed, Child Critically Injured In Major Highway Crash: CT News, Meteorologist Leaves TV News To Take Over Family Business: CT News, 3 Soldiers Killed After 2 U.S. Army Helicopters Crash In Alaska. House passes raises, bonuses for CT state employees The Office of Fiscal Analysis estimates the package will cost the state $1.87 billion over four years. The state is also hoping the increases will also attract more people to state-level management positions. Connecticut lawmakers this year will consider a bill from a veteran legislator to raise the $28,000 salaries of General Assembly members for the first time in more than 20 years. Connecticut state employees on track for $353 million raise as other Number one: What if the state developed a way for citizens to be known across agencies by the end of 2022?. They also cover the next two fiscal years and potentially 2024-25 as well. Today were living in a post-COVID world, where employees and not employers are ruling the job market, said Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, co-chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee. Get CT Mirror emails in your inbox daily. Ned Lamont in Darien earlier this month. The comptrollers office cautions that some those eligible to retire will not yet have earned full retirement benefits, giving some an incentive to stay. CONNECTICUT The state Senate gave final approval to the raise and bonus package for state employees. font size, Human Resources Business Rules and Regulations. In exchange for lifting the debt ceiling, the bill would cap overall 2024 spending to 2022 levels -- about a $130 billion cut -- and limit growth in spending to 1% annually over the next decade. With this agreement, we were able to achieve those goals in a realistic way that does not imperil our future prospects and honors the great service that has and will continue to benefit our residents, Lamont said in a statement. CT Gov. For retirements prior to June 30, 2022, these cumulative raises will be paid each year on either January 1st or July 1st depending on your date of retirement (DOR). Its also imperative that we do so. "I'm very concerned this is unsustainable, opponent Kevin Maloney told lawmakers at a public hearing Monday. "Today is Tax Day People want to know where their tax dollars are going, said Kim Healy, a GOP Wilton selectman running for the Connecticut House of Representatives. The bonuses, the GOP argued, are hardly the key to retaining workers, as the governor and other Democrats claim. The agreement would cost the state nearly $1.9 billion over four fiscal years, according to nonpartisan fiscal analysts. And Lamont reported this week that the current fiscal years budget is projected to close on June 30 with an unprecedented $3.95 billion surplus, equal to nearly 20% of entire General Fund. Gov. BCG was to help accelerate efficiency efforts, enabling the state to operate with less manpower. The Florida House and Senate are working on a budget whose bottom line for state workers is a $224 million pay raise - that's about $44 a week, ($2,300 annually) for the 97,000 employees in the . 2 Upcoming Changes for CT State Employees Pensions in 2022 He said DAS has capable managers pushing for change, such as Hermes and the states chief information officer, Mark Raymond. In the past 10 years, the number of management-level state employees has dropped from 2,000 to 1,400, with nearly all of them choosing to leave their posts to join bargaining units and another 60 petitions currently pending, McCaw said. CT State Employees Get Scheduled Raise Amid Economic Turmoil State employees covered by unions got a 3.5 percent pay raise and two percent step increase as the state looks at massive budget deficits. Pay Raise Victory! Welcome News, Long Overdue - TSEU-CWA 6186 The Lamont administration, labor leaders and other supporters of the increases have said they believe unions could have gotten even larger raises had they rejected the states offer and gone to arbitration.

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