Watch Live at 7:00 PM: The U.S. and the Holocaust, a film by Ken Burns | Screening & Panel Discussion . You cannot be supportive of state workers and the services they provide without being supportive of the necessary funding to ensure that these positions are properly staffed, SEBAC wrote in a statement after the vote. Geballes office is open to a conference room, where an erasable white board hangs on the wall, running the length of the room. Those employed on July 15, 2022 would get a $1,000 bonus if the agreement is approved. But we have a bonus that starts after July 1. But its unclear if the bonuses will stop many workers, since they can still collect the $2,500 bonus even if they retire anyway. 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. 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, The Senate gave final approval Friday to a four-year package of raises for state employees that includes $3,500 in bonuses to help stem a surge in worker retirements. Connecticut state workers to get $3,500 in bonuses under tentative deal The Lamont administration and SEBAC argue the deal is actually good for taxpayers, because an arbitrator would likely award workers even bigger raises. Similar deals would pass automatically if the legislature didnt take action in the past, but a 2017 law requires approval from both chambers. Bonuses would be prorated for part-time employees. "I think we're in great shape. 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. In 2015, Connecticut paid $1.7 billion to 49,111 retirees, according to the Comptrollers Open Pension website. You'll enjoy reading CT Mirror even more knowing you publish it. 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. 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%. We share the concern about whats going to happen in 2022, said Dave Glidden, the executive director of CSEA SEIU Local 2001, which represents 5,000 state employees. That sum hasnt changed much in two decades. Manager salaries have not kept up with union salaries so in a lot of cases you have mangers that are earning less than the employees reporting into them, said Melissa McCaw, the states budget director. Currently, the only way to advance in most agencies is for someone to retire, leaving a specific job open. 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've got to recruit and keep them in order to keep our government going, he said. 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. Critics say the deal is too generous and could lead to future tax hikes. 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. 2 Upcoming Changes for CT State Employees Pensions in 2022 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. We enable organizations to maximize Sales target achievement using our Sales Incentive & Performance Management Technology. 0:04. 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. Each year includes a 2.5% general wage increase, as well as a step hike for all but the most senior workers. (His mother, Shelley, a lawyer and professor of public health at Yale, is a founding board member of the nonprofit Connecticut News Project Inc., operator of CTMirror.org.). The full General Assembly is expected to vote on it as early as this week. This proposed contract is a raw deal for the working people of this state, Sen. Ryan Fazio (R-Greenwich) said. 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. Those who challenge government actions for the right reasons could be forever barred from political office unjustly by this law. The increases, part of a four-year package negotiated by Gov. CT Gov. If inflation were 1% Then the absolute COLA would be low, but the burden on the state budget and taxpayers would be growing, because inflation under 2% leads to a real pension burden increase. state of ct employee step increase 2022; state of ct employee step increase 2022. So, more outsourcing would compound the squeeze on the nonprofits, either rendering their condition even more precarious or necessitating a significant increase in their reimbursement rates. Connecticut State Employees Retirement System Tier II/IIa Workshop Critics say the deal is too generous and could lead to future tax hikes. DBS MORNING SHOW & OBITUARIES 25TH APRIL 2023 APRIL 2023 - Facebook 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. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are Paper versus electronic records is just one of so many, Glidden said. CT State Employees Get Scheduled Raise Amid Economic Turmoil 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,. Published April 18, 2022 at 3:52 PM EDT. 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: The board has voted to approve the following cost of living increase for January 2023. It seems that JavaScript is not working in your browser. The new deal will bring Microsoft 365 software to all state agencies. The program also will allow the state to abandon plans for a costly upgrade to its email system. That marked a 9 percent increase from the previous year, which was the largest yearover-year change since at least 2014-2015, according to a CT Insider analysis of data from the . If you have employees affected by the . Connecticuts chief administrative officer keeps a spotless desk. 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. 2023 The Conneticut News Project. Its, Well, thats the way weve always done it. . But that surge followed a nearly decade-long stretch in which state tax receipts from the same source badly underperformed. We had more people employed in the private sector in 2007 than we do today. The minimum 2 percent COLA also means that during years in which inflation was low, they still got a boost over the inflation rate. 1 week of full access. 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. Senate gives final approval to raises, bonuses for CT state employees 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. Employees would also get a $2,500 bonus if they are employed as of March 31, 2022, and a $1,000 if they are employed July 1, 2022. This final increase may pose concerns for small businesses and non-profit organizations operating in the state. During that time Connecticuts average pension payment increased 15 percent from $34.589 in 2015 to $39,887 in 2020. 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? Hazard or pandemic pay wasnt part of the negotiations, but will be resolved as part of another agreement, Lamont said. Democratic governors in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia are temporarily suspending raises for state employees or freezing pay until they can better understand the fiscal impact of the pandemic, but, thus far, Connecticut state employees are still scheduled to receive a second pay increase, projected to cost taxpayers $353 million. The package was previously approved by the House. Ideal timing for the announcement would be between Christmas and the New Year. The Senate gave final approval Friday to a four-year package of raises for state employees that includes $3,500 in bonuses to help stem a surge in worker retirements. Ned Lamont, a cable-television entrepreneur who took office on January 9 and hired Geballe two weeks later. Were not attracting innovation and industry. We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. But overall, as agency heads told Geballe as he made the rounds in January and February, the states hiring process still is cumbersome, with rarely updated job classifications that are numerous, narrowly drawn and can require their own tests. Access all Premium Content and the E-Edition for 1 day. 2:19 pm. Watching is one of those who spoke against it, Sen. Craig Miner. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Connecticut Property Taxes In Every Town: Who Pays The Most? Get CT Mirror briefings with enterprise reporting, investigations and more in your inbox daily. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. 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. 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. The Senate gave final approval Friday to a four-year package of raises for state employees that includes $3,500 in bonuses to help stem a surge in worker retirements. Watch Live at 7:00 PM: The U.S. and the Holocaust, a film by Ken Burns | Screening & Panel Discussion . Connecticut holds $3.1 billion in its rainy day fund, equal to 15% of annual operating costs the maximum allowed by law. "I come out of the private sector. I would say that largely we havent seen that partnership happen, but we continue to have the door wide open, Glidden said. The Victory Channel is LIVE with Victory News! 4.28.23 - Facebook Though the list of reforms may be exhausting to review, it is far from exhaustive! Your email address will not be published. He is one of the mid-career, private-sector executives to join the administration of Gov. Sal Luciano, a former social worker who is the president of the Connecticut AFL-CIO, said many state agencies are understaffed. Marc can be reached at, Connecticut saw a 1,600 decrease in nonfarm industry positions in December, while November private sector gains (3,300) were revised down [], Eviction cases in Hartford and Bridgeport have remained far below historical averages since the Supreme Court overturned the federal eviction []. /. Negotiators will meet again to determine raises after the time period. The Office of the State Comptroller reports that state government found a way to spend $47.11 billion in 2022 and, if trends continue, we can expect that number to grow even more going forward. They also cover the next two fiscal years and potentially 2024-25 as well. October 25, 2021 @ But the journey to get from here to there, and the ordering of initiatives, is very complex to think about.. And that total is expected to grow considerably between now and July 1. The Democratic-controlled Senate voted 22-13 along party lines to approve the contracts, which cover about 46,000 workers the bulk of the states workforce. Republicans countered Friday that the raises and bonuses far outstrip what households in the private sector are receiving. 90% of our revenue is contributed. 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. Glidden said the Malloy administration made overtures about a labor-management review of state government in concession talks in 2011 and again in 2017. Ned Lamont previously touted the agreement as a way to retain state employees amid a wave of potential retirements. 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. House passes raises, bonuses for CT state employees As we go into a time period where we expect a significant number of retirements, we want to make sure that we can attract and retain top talent across all of our agencies whether in management or non-management positions, McCaw said. Your email address will not be published. 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. The Democrat-controlled House voted 96-52 to approve the contracts, after a four-hour debate during which Republicans insisted the compensation far outstrips what private-sector workers are receiving, or what taxpayers can afford. 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. 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. Marc has a Master of Fine Arts degree from Western Connecticut State University. Josh Geballe, the commissioner of administrative services. 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! State and union officials are expected to meet again in the fourth year to negotiate wages. State pension spending soared in 2022 - PressReader Nothing stands in the way of the ever-increasing generosity of state employee compensation. There is ample evidence that this is a fair contract, a reasonable contract, an affordable contract, she said of Connecticuts wage hikes. Dannel Malloy included a provision to change the COLAs for state employees who retire after July 1, 2022. Driven by a surge in state employee retirements, Connecticut's spending on pension payments ballooned to a recordhigh $2.5 billion in 2022, state data shows. 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. 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. Tier II is a non-contributory defined benefit retirement plan for most members. Youll notice when you look around here, there is no paper. Connecticuts pension COLAs, however, are set for a change one year from now prompting concerns over a potential surge in state employee retirements. Here are five things to know about the deal: Employees covered by the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition would get a 2.5 percent wage increase and step increases retroactive to July 1, 2021. DARRELL HACKETT Veterans Health Care and Benefits Become Flash Points in Debate over Examples abound. Thirty percent intend to leave the state upon retirement. 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 alternatives are suboptimal. Based on the statutes governing Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) for CTRB members, the Connecticut Teachers' Retirement Board will be granting COLA as follows.