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BUREAU OF HUMAN RESOURCES
HUMAN RESOURCES POLICY AND PRACTICES MANUAL


12.7 VOLUNTARY EMPLOYEE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS


The Voluntary Employee Incentive Programs have been extended by the Legislature (Public Law 2011, Chapter 380, Part D) and are available for participation through June 30, 2013. 

PROGRAM DEFINITIONS

See Attachment 1 for detailed processing information and Attachment 2 for detailed program information.

Reduced Workweek:  Full-time employees may apply to their appointing authority to reduce their workweek to part-time, and part-time employees may apply to work fewer hours than the number of hours for which their part-time position is established.

Sporadic Leave:  Full-time and part-time employees may apply to their appointing authority to take sporadic days off without pay.  Leave must be taken in blocks of eight (8) hours or the number of hours in the normal work day.  Sporadic days may be consecutive, but not more than five (5) days of sporadic leave may be taken during any biweekly pay period.  (NOTE: The same days off each week or pay period cannot be requested under this program.  Requests for the same pattern of days off each week or pay period will be treated as reduced workweek.)

Unpaid Leave:  Full-time and part-time employees may apply to their appointing authority to take up to one (1) year of unpaid leave. Unpaid leave must be for at least one week.

Flexible Position Staffing: Subject to approval by the appointing authority or appointing authorities involved, the hours of a single full-time position may be divided between two (2) full-time employees who are qualified for appointment to that position.

HEALTH, DENTAL AND LIFE INSURANCE

Health and Dental Insurance:  Participants in the Voluntary Employee Incentive Programs will not experience a reduction in health and dental insurance benefits.  For participants who stay on the payroll (i.e. programs other than Unpaid Leave), the State's payment for the participant's coverage and the State's share of the participant's dependent health insurance package will continue to be based on the work schedule in effect prior to participation.  Deductions will be made for the participant's share of dependent coverage.  For participants who take Unpaid Leave, the State will make payments for the participant's coverage and the State's share of the participant's dependent health insurance package based on the work schedule in effect prior to participation.  The participant will be billed for the participant's share of dependent coverage.

Life Insurance:  Participants in the Voluntary Employee Incentive Programs will be allowed to continue the life, accidental death and dismemberment, supplemental, and dependent insurance coverage amounts that were in effect prior to participation. For participants who stay on the payroll (i.e. programs other than Unpaid Leave), the State will continue to pay the employee premium for the prior basic coverage, and deductions will be made for the cost of supplemental and dependent plans, as appropriate.  Participants who take Unpaid Leave may pay the premium cost required to continue their life insurance coverage, provided the required payment is made within thirty-one days of their last paycheck.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

  1. Employees must complete the PER 115 (2011-2013) dated 06/09.  Note: The PER 115 (2011-2013) is available on the Bureau of Human Resources homepage under “Forms.”  If a VEIP application form from a previous year is used for programs that start on or after July 1, 2009, please edit the old form to show the correct dates.

  2. Participation in any of the Voluntary Employee Incentive Programs is subject to the approval of the appointing authority, in accordance with the impact that participation will have on operational needs.

  3. Agencies must respond to employee requests for participation in the Voluntary Employee Incentive Programs as soon as possible after applications are received and, to the extent that operational needs and program requirements allow, try to meet each applicant's terms for participation.

  4. Project employees, temporary (acting) employees, and intermittent employees are not eligible to participate in the Voluntary Employee Incentive Programs.  Each of these types of employment is the result of a pre-determined operational need that precludes the possibility for approval for a Reduced Workweek or an Unpaid Leave.

  5. Formal human resource and position processing actions are required for all approved applications except Sporadic Days Off.  See Attachment 1 for processing instructions.

  6. Applications that are approved for participation in the Voluntary Employee Incentive Programs other than Sporadic Days Off must be submitted to the Office of the State Controller with the MFASIS forms necessary to start this participation.  See Attachment 1 for processing instructions.

CHANGE TO APPROVED PARTICIPATION DATES

  1. In the event of a personal or financial hardship, applicants or participants may obtain the approval of the appointing authority to modify the dates of participation that were reported on their approved application.

  2. If a participant is notified of layoff, that employee’s participation must be terminated, and the employee must be provided all layoff rights and privileges.

VOLUNTARY PROGRAMS WORKSHEET GUIDELINES

  1. Agencies must complete a savings estimation for each application received using the Voluntary Programs Worksheet, PER 108m.  Savings must be calculated for VEIP applications that are either approved or denied.  Note:  Form PER 108m is available on the Bureau of Human Resources homepage under “Forms.”

  2. If the terms of participation are changed after the worksheet has been submitted, agencies must submit a revised worksheet to reflect the revised savings.

  3. If an employee will be participating in more than one Voluntary Employee Incentive Program, a separate worksheet will need to be completed for each program.

  4. Submit completed worksheets to the Office of the State Controller as applications are received, regardless of the program starting date.  Retain a copy for department files.

S / Joyce A. Oreskovich
Joyce A. Oreskovich, Acting Director
Bureau of Human Resources

Attachment 1 - Processing Instructions
Attachment 2 - Program Information


061709JTC