The minimum wage in Connecticut is scheduled to increase to $15 per hour on June 1, 2023. . In addition, full-time workers would receive a $2,500 bonus in mid-May and another $1,000 bonus in mid-July. Osten said the raises reflect the valuable work state employees provide daily, and particularly throughout the coronavirus pandemic. We had more people employed in the private sector in 2007 than we do today. The Senate gave final approval by a 22-13 vote on a plan to give unionized state workers a set of raises and bonuses. Find State Employee Benefits, Union Contractions, Equal Employment Opportunity Information, Tuition Reimbursement . In a letter to his co-chair in management, Rinker wrote: I predict that some day some one will want to change state employment and the report you signed off on wil be the basis for that change., Change is coming for Connecticut state employees, 2023 Hearst Media Services Connecticut, LLC, Police: Pedestrian killed in crash on Route 9 in Middletown, Police: Horses starved, kept in unsanitary conditions on CT farm, Middletown to restart Bird e-bike, scooter microtransit program, Middletown residents cheer decision to fully replace Pameacha dam, Cromwell man sentenced for carjacking date at knifepoint in 2020, Police: Suspect in Cromwell hotel robbery threatened to use a gun, Middletown Mayor Ben Florsheim begins campaign for 2nd term, 2 Middletown youths charged in connection with school fight, Middlesex County Historical Society to receive 3 historic objects, East Hampton fire department marks 100 years with Bevin cowbells, Police: Pedestrian struck, killed in Route 9 crash in Middletown, New Britain bar's liquor license suspended after serving alcohol to minors, officials say, Police: Horses starved and kept in unsanitary conditions on Middletown property, Police: Threat made to Middletown schools deemed not credible, CT records first cases of new COVID variant Arcturus, transmission remains low, Police: Mystic woman killed, mother and daughter seriously hurt in Gold Star Highway crash in Groton. The $2 billion agreement also includes special lump-sum payments of $2,500 for active employees who've . 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. The best long-run thing for the state pension system is to have inflation just at or above 2%. Note: the above image is a chart for the CPI-U, not the CPI-W. Geballe said he just renewed his registration on-line. 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. Weve already seen the changing workforce, Luciano said. About 1,700 management-level state employees will receive pay raises, an effort by Gov. State government not only enjoys a $3.1 billion rainy day fund, equal to 15% of annual operating costs the maximum allowed by law but the current fiscal year is on pace to close an unprecedented $4 billion in the black. Opinion: Gov. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are 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. Both are signs of things to come in state government or more precisely, things to disappear. You'll enjoy reading CT Mirror even more knowing you publish it. Since 1997, the State has used a formula to calculate the minimum cost of living adjustment. Marc was a 2014 Robert Novak Journalism Fellow and his work has appeared in The Federalist, American Thinker, The Skeptical Inquirer, World Net Daily and Real Clear Policy. Part-timers would be eligible for prorated bonuses. Were working really hard to digitize everything we do.. Ned Lamont is negotiating a new wage contract with the State Employees Bargaining Alliance Coalition. They are our people, who we count on each day to make us safe, she said. 90% of our revenue is contributed. The 2022 State Holiday and Check Dates calendar for State Employees. So, it is a safe bet that Lamont will sign a juicy new wage contract with SEBAC. 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. On top of that, most workers would "step" into a higher pay grade, adding an extra 2% to most raises. All Rights Reserved. 1 week of full access. Now shes asking for help herself, One musician remembers what it was like to tour the world with singer and activist Harry Belafonte, Connecticut COVID data: Your town's infection rate, hospitalizations & vaccinations, Tracking health threats, one sewage sample at a time, COVID during pregnancy may alter brain development in boys. There is ample evidence that this is a fair contract, a reasonable contract, an affordable contract, she said of Connecticuts wage hikes. Josh Geballe, the states chief operating officer and commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services, said state agency heads have found it difficult to promote top performers in their departments because the employees would either have to take a pay cut or worry they wont be afforded the same prospective increases as those in bargaining units. The Charter provides commonsense reforms to make Connecticuts government work for its residents. Private-sector employees can only dream of having that, said Sen. Henri Martin, R-Bristol. 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. House and Senate negotiators expressed optimism Monday as they began trading budget proposals, despite gaps in spending over issues such as public schools, land preservation and tourism marketing. I would say that largely we havent seen that partnership happen, but we continue to have the door wide open, Glidden said. Register to attend in-person | Register to attend virtually. Not this weeks data release showing that the median American household saw its income fall 2.9 percent last year while Connecticut state employees got a 5.5 percent wage increase. Your email address will not be published. It is cloud-based, lessening the states reliance on servers, improving security and taking a step toward the ultimate goal of easing the sharing of data and documents among agencies. The deal is now final since the state Senate and House approved it. In 2015, Connecticut paid $1.7 billion to 49,111 retirees, according to the Comptrollers Open Pension website. Glidden said the Malloy administration made overtures about a labor-management review of state government in concession talks in 2011 and again in 2017. 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. Attracting people to fill managerial roles will become even more important as the state prepares for a coming wave of employees retiring next year. The [nonprofit] industry pegs the inflationary loss its taking on these payments at $460 million per year, according to the CT Mirror. Amazon and others in the private sector have made it very easy to envision what that future could look like, if you think about online shopping or online bank services, Geballe said. The newest class of state police trainees will be selected from a pool of candidates who were recruited on social media and applied and initially screened online. Part of the 2017 SEBAC Agreement between the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition and Gov. Marc E. Fitch is the author of several books and novels including Shmexperts: How Power Politics and Ideology are Disguised as Science and Paranormal Nation: Why America Needs Ghosts, UFOs and Bigfoot. Anniversary Date (AI Date) Change for Certain Non-Represented Employees (E-Item 2271), Changes Anniversary Date from July 1 to January 1 for employees assigned to the MP, MD, SE, DM, CJ & VR, Labor units 02 & 03 pay plans, DAS General Letter 193 - Anniversary Date (AI Date) for Classes Covered by Collective Bargaining, Procedures for establishing anniversary dates for employees covered by collective bargaining agreements, Salary Increase - Cost of Living (COLA) for Certain Non-Represented Employees (E-Item 2090), Authorizes 3% Cost of Living Increase effective July 1, 2014 to employees assigned to the MP, MD, SE, DM, CJ-EX & VR, Labor units 02 & 03 pay plans, Salary Increase - Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) & Annual Increase (AI) for Associate Attorney Generals (E-Item 2002), Authorizes a 3% Cost of Living Increase and a 3% Annual Increment not to exceed the maximum of the salary grade for Associate Attorney Generals, Salary Increase - Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for Certain Non-Represented Employees (E-Item 1935), Authorizes 3% Cost of Living Increase effective July 1, 2013 to employees assigned to the MP, MD, SE, DM, CJ-EX & VR, Labor units 02 & 03 pay plans, Salary Increase - Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for Certain Non-Represented Employees (E-Item 1942), Authorizes 3% Cost of Living Increase effective July 1, 2013 to specific titles assigned to the EX pay plan, Salary Increase - Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for Certain Non-Represented Employees (E-Item 2091), Authorizes 3% Cost of Living Increase effective July 1, 2014 for certain employees assigned to the EX pay plan, Salary Increase and Pay Plan Adjustments for Certain Non-Represented Employees (E-Item 2147), Authorizes a Certain Percentage salary adjustment based upon most recent pay increase for certain employees assigned to the EX pay plan, adjusts the EX pay plan and effective January 1, 2016 pay increases for EX mirrors MP, Salary Increase Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for Certain Non Represented Employees E Item 2664, Authorizes 3.5% Cost of Living Increase effective July 1, 2019 to employees assigned to the MP, MD, SE, DM, CJ-EX & VR, Labor units 02 & 03 pay plans, Salary Increase Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for Certain Non-Represented Employees (E-Item 2665), Authorizes 3.5% Cost of Living Adjustment to certain employees who are assigned to Bargaining Unit 01 effective July 1, 2019, Keith has spent most of his 31 years as a reporter specializing in state government finances, analyzing such topics as income tax equity, waste in government and the complex funding systems behind Connecticuts transportation and social services networks. It was covered recently in goals and ideas tossed around in a brainstorming exercise, then numbered as priorities. Raising minimum salary levels between 10% to 25% will give many frontline HHSC employees a reprieve from dire financial straits caused by the Texas Legislature's failure to provide across-the-board pay raises to state . The state also faces a potential wave of retirements. Photos: Iconic Landmarks To Visit Across CT. Ned Lamont previously touted the agreement as a way to retain state employees amid a wave of potential retirements. They also cover the next two fiscal years and potentially 2024-25 as well. Theres no way to take on the legacy of mass incarceration other than to undo it, one step at a time. Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Retired state employees receive a cost-of-living adjustment every year in either January or July depending on the employees retirement date based on the CPI-W for the previous 12 months. The agreement calls for 2.5 percent general wage increases and step increases retroactive to July 1, 2022. . State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition. Connecticut Property Taxes In Every Town: Who Pays The Most? "Often they work in dorms where there are one or two officers to keep peace among 100 of more inmates, said Sean Howard, a corrections officer at Cheshire Correctional Institution. During that time Connecticuts average pension payment increased 15 percent from $34.589 in 2015 to $39,887 in 2020. The agreement includes: 2.5% general wage increases in each of fiscal years 2022, 2023, and 2024. Thats because state governments coffers are flush with cash as never before. (Sorry for the caps, wont let me shift), Hope McKiernan As many as 13,000 state employees will be eligible for retirement by July 2022, according to the state Comptroller's office. April 23, 2023 . Connecticuts chief administrative officer keeps a spotless desk. The $2,000 payment will only be available to employees who were hired or appointed before June 30, 2018. CONNECTICUT The state Senate gave final approval to the raise and bonus package for state employees. He could outsource functions, but the state already pays outside providers an enormous amount about $1.4 billion annually to nonprofits. Topics you care about, straight to your inbox, More than 46,000 Connecticut state employees could soon get a significant raise -- and bonuses thanks to a new union. Some Republicans have said the hefty bonuses are only an election-year stunt from Lamont, a Democrat, to shore up his standing with his labor base. The changes will only affect those who retire after July of 2022, but according to the OLR report, historically such changes have resulted in a larger number of employees retiring before the cut-off date. It will slow cost-of-living adjustments for all new retirees and raise health costs for a few, primarily high earners. The managers who will receive the raises include division heads at state agencies, as well as commissioners and deputy commissioners. Each of the 3.6 million residents in Connecticut rely on the critical public services state workers provide whether you are standing in line at the DMV, attending a technical school, community college or state university, getting treatment at UConn Health, driving on our roads and bridges, enjoying a state park or beach, or any of the other ubiquitous public services you will be uplifted by these fair and honorable contracts, the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition wrote in a statement after the Senate vote. 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. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. "I'm very concerned this is unsustainable, opponent Kevin Maloney told lawmakers at a public hearing Monday. CONNECTICUT State officials announced the tentative state employee union bargaining agreement, which calls for multiple years of raises and bonus payments. The raises would cost the town about a half . Not the fact that Connecticut has had a big contraction in its workforce during the pandemic of about 6 percent and a top 10 unemployment rate, currently exceeding 7 percent, versus a national average nearing 5 percent. Management-level CT state employees to get 7.5 percent raises, Police: Two men arrested after pulling gun at Stratford gym, Police: Homeowner scares off burglar in Trumbull, Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media, 2023 Hearst Media Services Connecticut, LLC, Milford robotics team wins division at international contest, Power restored after 1,500 outages reported in Fairfield, Police: CT woman lied about fake cops robbing her of $15K, M&T Bank backs push to diversify Bridgeport's nonprofit boards, Only a third of young Bridgeport students reading at grade level, Bridgeport's building chief: Remington was 'imminent danger', Bridgeport schools officials plead for added funding, CT doctor gets 4 years for fraud, illegally recruiting patients, CT records first cases of new COVID variant Arcturus, transmission remains low, 5 cute towns, cities and neighborhoods in CT to visit for a spring day, Connecticut women charged with stealing nearly $17K from public assistance programs, ESPN's Dan Orlovsky wears blazer lined with UConn logo in honor of men's basketball title: 'Go puppies', Former UConn women's basketball star Lou Lopez Snchal sidelined to start Dallas Wings training camp, Power restored to 1,500 customers in Fairfield after tree falls on utility lines. The bonuses, the GOP argued, are hardly the key to retaining workers, as the governor and other Democrats claim. But Gov. The. By 2020, the state paid $2.2 billion to 55,348 retirees. Finance panel: Next CT tax fairness study must focus on inequality, CT budget battle heats up as Lamont offers rosy financial picture, State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Government bureaucracies are notoriously resistant to change, layered with the accretion of rules, processes, union contracts, all contributing to a workplace culture. Please reload the page and try again. Nothing stands in the way of the ever-increasing generosity of state employee compensation. A wave of state employee retirements is expected in the coming months, resulting in an "unprecedented" loss of knowledge and skills, some officials say. The deal works out to about $40,000 in raises per state employee over four years, Fazio said, which works out to about $1,300 per Connecticut household. Your email address will not be published. The CREATES report noted that 8,000 employees are eligible for retirement before July 2022 and identified 200 opportunities totaling $600 to $900 million of potential value., **Ken Girardin contributed to this article**, So of you retire prior to October 2021 and receive Your Cola 9 monthe later in July 2022 , will you receive above the normal 2 percent since inflation Is hIgh. BCG was to help accelerate efficiency efforts, enabling the state to operate with less manpower. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Were hemorrhaging workers right now, DAgostino said. Geballe is commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services, the blandly named agency at the heart of the state bureaucracy. Budget panel endorses raises, bonuses for CT state workers Full legislature expected to vote before May 4 by Keith M. Phaneuf April 18, 2022 @ 1:08 pm Rob Baril, the president of SEIU 1199,. Lamont says the bonuses are crucial to retain state employees, who are retiring in larger-than-normal numbers this spring. This final increase may pose concerns for small businesses and non-profit organizations operating in the state. 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. SEBAC employees who are employed before March 31, 2022 would also get a $2,500 bonus. The contracts allow workers to accept the $2,500 extra payment and still retire before July 1. Beginning after the July 1, 2022 cut off, the State has relinquished their obligation to adjust pension payments at least 2% (current minimum) for inflation. Geballes office is open to a conference room, where an erasable white board hangs on the wall, running the length of the room. "I come out of the private sector. As we noted in a report andCT Mirrorop-ed last year, the debate over whether were in a national recession really misses the point for Connecticut residents. The raises will cost the state $13.3 million and the bonuses $2 million. The easiest way out of the crisis is to keep employees on board by offering them generous pay and benefit incentives. State employee unions offered concessions in 2009, 2011 and 2017. Thirty percent intend to leave the state upon retirement. 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.. Inevitably, it will be highly unpopular, so the announcement will be buried as deeply as possible and spun like a top by Lamonts spokespeople. If you value the story you just read please consider making a donation. The virtually inevitable pay hikes and favorable benefit modifications will then be classified as hardship pay to reward for employees for their phantom frontline service.. It includes 2.5% raises for four straight years that would be retroactive to July 1, 2021. Each year includes a 2.5% general wage increase, as well as a step hike for all but the most senior workers. More than 3,400 state employees have retired or have filed written intention to retire this year, but that number is expected to increase before July 1. Several Republican lawmakers decried the deal and said it would exacerbate Connecticuts fiscal woes. This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Publics Members We have three years to plan for that, Geballe said. Osten said the raises reflect the valuable work state employees provide daily, and particularly throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Union members have engaged in an all-out campaign of organizing and mobilizing to make our pay a priority for state leaders. In a bill drafted . After leaving IBM, he became chief executive officer of Core Informatics, a software startup that Hartford Business Journal included in its 2017 list of best places to work in Connecticut. And while some criticized the bonuses, the Hamden lawmaker and others say they would save the state money over the long haul. But more than that, this is a necessary contract so that we can hold onto the best and brightest., This contract gives the state flexibility when hiring the most high-need jobs, recognizes the incredible institutional knowledge on our team, and the work state employees have done throughout the pandemic, said Lamont spokeswoman Lora Rae Anderson. Greenwich resident Red Jahncke is president of The Townsend Group International, a business consultancy in Connecticut, and a freelance columnist published in national and Connecticut newspapers. I think all of the stakeholders lament it, but then find the excuses for why we cant change it. As a The minimum 2 percent COLA also means that during years in which inflation was low, they still got a boost over the inflation rate. By the latest estimates of the comptrollers 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 2017 by the administration of Gov. 13 Weeks . To that end, we have produced a new edition of our Charter for Change. The new raises are intended to give greater confidence to these managers that they will have consistent treatment with the union employees. For the average pensioner, receiving $39,887 per year, the COLA increase would amount to an annual increase of $1,435.92. Gov. The bonuses, the GOP argued, are hardly the key to retaining workers, as the governor and other Democrats claim. State and union officials are expected to meet again in the fourth year to negotiate wages. By, Corporate Support: Advertising & Sponsorship, See stories by Keith M. Phaneuf / CTMirror.org, Love Wins at WCSU benefit concert for saxophonists daughter lost at Sandy Hook, Week in CT News: Se'Cret Pierce killing, what's in our water, Zero interest loans are back for some home buyers in Connecticut, Erica Lafferty has been fighting since Sandy Hook. Josh Geballe, the commissioner of administrative services. Last March, in a report that received relatively little media coverage, Boston Consulting Group documented that 27 percent of the state workforce is eligible to retire before June 30, 2022, and. 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. Based on the statutes governing Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) for CTRB members, the Connecticut Teachers' Retirement Board will be granting COLA as follows. What will our elected officials be working on to improve policy outcomes for Connecticut residents? Published April 18, 2022 at 3:52 PM EDT. The full General Assembly is expected to vote on it as early as this week. Fazio said that it reflects the pull unions have on state government and that taxpayers will end up footing the bill. 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. CT Gov. Its members include scientists, engineers and information technology professionals. Michelle Lee. But most House Republicans who spoke in Thursdays debate predicted taxpayers wouldnt be as happy as state employee unions are. Lamont, who said that in June 2020 when asked about the pay raise to take effect just days later on July 1. The managers who will receive the raises include division heads at state agencies, as well as commissioners and. Private-sector employees can only dream of having that, said Sen. Henri Martin, R-Bristol. 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. 4:04 pm. "The state has to live within its means just like the families and businesses we serve and represent," Lamont said in a statement when the deal was announced. To be prepared to comply with this change, all employers should do the following prior to June 1: . . 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. The agreements, which unions ratified earlier this spring, are retroactive to the start of this fiscal year, which began last July 1. The agreement would cost the state nearly $1.9 billion over four fiscal years, according to nonpartisan fiscal analysts. The year over year increases drive up the amount paid out by Connecticut's severely underfunded State Employee Retirement System. 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. The raises do not apply to employees in the legislative and judicial branches or higher education. More than 3,400 state employees have either retired or filed their written intentions to do so between January and March 31 alone, and that total is expected to grow considerably between now and July 1. Ned Lamont previously touted. Administrations come and go, taking with them their priorities. ThanKs Vin, Lyle Scruggs The state is also hoping the increases will also attract more people to state-level management positions. The long session, as non-election years are called in Hartford, will be centered around the biennial budget. The Democratic-controlled Senate voted 22-13 along party lines to approve the contracts, which cover about 46,000 workers the bulk of the state's workforce. 13 Week Package - $38.87 / 13 Weeks. 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. In hiring the 44-year-old Geballe, the governor said he was bringing a fresh approach to a state government badly in need of modernization. Last March, in a report that received relatively little media coverage, Boston Consulting Group documented that 27 percent of the state workforce is eligible to retire before June 30, 2022, and that about three-quarters lean toward retirement. 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. Geballe said the administration has a vision of where to go with technology, primarily by offering consumers and businesses a digital portal to state government. In addition, full-time workers would receive a $2,500 bonus in mid-May and another $1,000 bonus in mid-July. There will be no guaranteed minimum for those who retire after July 1, 2022, and their first potential COLA would come in 30 months, not 12.
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