BILL NUMBER: S10655
SPONSOR: JACKSON
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the civil service law, in relation to compensation,
benefits and other terms and conditions of employment of certain state
officers and employees; and in relation to implementing agreements
between the state and an employee organization; to repeal certain
provisions of the civil service law relating thereto; and making an
appropriation for the purpose of effectuating certain provisions there-
for
 
PURPOSE:
This bill would implement the terms of a collective bargaining agreement
("the Agreement"), entered into pursuant to Article 14 of the Civil
Service Law ("CSL"), between the Executive Branch of the State of New
York and the employee organization representing members of the collec-
tive negotiating unit designated as the Professional, Scientific and
Technical Services Unit ("PS&T Unit").
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of this bill would repeal subparagraphs 1, 2 and 3 of CSL §
130(1)(c) and replace it with new subparagraphs 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 to
provide new salary schedules for officers and employees in the PS&T Unit
for the period April 2, 2026 to April 1, 2031.
Section 2 of this bill would provide for increases in compensation for
covered members of the PS&T Unit of 4.5 percent, 4 percent, 3.5 percent,
3 percent and 3 percent in years 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030,
respectively, on the dates provided in the Agreement. Section 2 would
also provide performance advancement payments to covered members of the
PS&T Unit pursuant to CSL § 131(6) and it would give the Director of the
Budget and the Director of Employee Relations discretion to withhold all
or a portion of a unit members' salary increase, where appropriate or
warranted.
Section 3 of this bill would authorize the Office of Employee Relations
and the employee organization representing members of the PS&T Unit to
enter into an agreement to provide additional compensation to eligible
employees in cases where the Director of Classification and Compensation
has exercised authority under Section 130(4) of the CSL.
Section 4 of this bill would provide a higher education differential to
eligible members of the PS&T Unit, in accordance with the terms of, and
in the amounts set forth in, the Agreement between the parties.
Section 5 of this bill would continue and increase, in accordance with
the terms of the Agreement, existing location compensation for employees
whose principal place of employment is located in the counties of
Monroe, Rockland, Westchester, Nassau, Suffolk, Dutchess, Putnam, and
Orange, or the city of New York. For the county of Monroe, only employ-
ees who were eligible on March 31, 1985 to receive location compensation
shall be eligible for continued location compensation of $200 per year.
Additionally, effective April 1, 2026, employees whose principal place
of employment is located in the county of Ulster will be added to the
list of counties eligible for the Mid-Hudson adjustment. Section 5 of
this bill would also permit the Director of the Office of Employee
Relations to extend increases in location compensation to other bargain-
ing units of State employees pursuant to an Agreement with the applica-
ble employee organization or to unrepresented employees.
Section 6 of this bill would continue location compensation for certain
officers and employees of the Hudson Valley Developmental Disabilities
Services Office.
Section 7 of this bill would continue and increase, in accordance with
the terms of the Agreement, special assignment to duty pay in the form
of an annual lump sum payment to certain employees in a particular
assignment deemed qualified under the terms of the Agreement. This
payment will expire on April 1, 2031, unless an extension is negotiated
by the parties.
Section 8 of this bill would provide for an annual lump sum payment to
long-term seasonal employees in an amount specified by, and subject to,
the qualifying criteria established by the Agreement. This payment will
expire on March 31, 2031.
Section 9 of this bill would authorize, consistent with the terms of the
Agreement and effective April 1, 2027, an annual payment of $300 to
eligible full-time annual facility-based employees of the Office of
Mental Health, the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities,
the Office of Children and Family Services and the Department of
Corrections and Community Services who are members of the PS&T Unit.
This payment is not a part of basic annual salary. Similarly, it is not
subject to any salary increases. This payment shall be pro-rated for
less than full-time employees consistent with the terms of the Agree-
ment.
Section 10 of this bill would authorize contributions to employee
dependent care accounts in amounts and for the time period designated in
the Agreement.
Section 11 of this bill would provide for the payment and publication of
grievance and arbitration settlements and awards between the State and
the employee organization representing employees who are members of the
PS&T Unit.
Section 12 of this bill would provide that statewide labor-management
committees, administered pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, shall
be responsible for studying and making recommendations concerning major
issues of productivity, the quality of work life and health benefits,
and implementing the agreements reached.
Section 13 of this bill would provide for inconvenience pay to continue
at a rate of $575 per year for eligible employees who work four or more
hours between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 am. Effective April 2,
2026, such amount shall be increased to $825 per year, consistent with
the terms of the Agreement.
Section 14 of this bill would provide for the payment of a lump sum
Firearms Training and Safety Incentive to qualified peace officers who
are members of the PS&T Unit pursuant to the terms of a program collec-
tively negotiated between the State and the employee organization
representing such members.
Section 15 of this bill would provide for the payment of a lump sum
uniform allowance to certain employees of the Office of Fire Prevention
and Control in the Fire Protection Specialist title series if there is a
policy in place that requires employees to wear uniforms, in accordance
with the terms of a negotiated side letter to the Agreement. This allow-
ance will expire on April 1, 2031, unless an extension is negotiated by
the parties.
Section 16 of this bill would allow employees participating in a workers
compensation program established in the collective bargaining agreement
to receive payments authorized through the program.
Section 17 of this bill would require that, prior to any salary
increases and benefit modifications provided by this part, the Director
of the Budget and the State Comptroller must receive a letter from the
Director of the Office of Employee Relations certifying that the Agree-
ment has been ratified by the membership.
Section 18 of this bill would set the date upon which incumbent members
of the PS&T Unit would receive the salary increases provided by the
Agreement.
Section 19 of this bill would authorize a lump sum payment for retroac-
tive salary increases and compensation modifications deemed in effect on
April 1, 2026.
Section 20 of this bill would authorize the State Comptroller to pay any
amounts required by this part during the fiscal year commencing April 1,
2026 for any state department or agency from any appropriation or other
funds available to such state department or agency for personal service
or for any other related employee benefits during such fiscal year. To
the extent that such appropriations in any fund are insufficient, the
Director of the Budget is authorized to allocate to the various depart-
ments and agencies, from any appropriations available in any fund, the
amounts necessary to pay such amounts.
Section 21 of this bill would provide those employees who participate in
a special annuity program under Article 8-C of the Education Law shall
not suffer any reduction of the salary adjustment to which they are
otherwise entitled under the program, as a result of an increase in
compensation.
Section 22 of this bill would provide for a lump sum appropriation in
the amount of $332,000,000 for personal and non-personal services, and
for salary adjustments for use by state departments or agencies, to
carry out the provisions of this bill.
Section 23 of this bill would provide that certain funds for statewide
labor management committees are appropriated for use by the state
departments' or agencies' Labor Management Committees to carry out the
provisions of this bill.
Section 24 of this bill would require it to become effective immediately
and deem it to have been in full force and effect on and after April 2,
2026. Appropriations would remain in full force and effect for liabil-
ities incurred through March 31, 2027.
 
STATEMENT IN SUPPORT:
Enactment of this bill is necessary to implement the provisions of the
collective bargaining agreement, negotiated by the Executive Branch of
the State of New York with the Public Employees Federation, AFL-CIO, on
behalf of members of the PS&T Unit. More than 56,000 annual salaried
Executive Branch employees are covered by the Agreement, which includes
a variety of professional, scientific and technical titles including
information technology professionals, nurses, accountants, lawyers,
engineers, and physicians.
The prior agreement governing these employees expired on April 1, 2026.
This new Agreement covers the time period April 2, 2026, to April 1,
2031. Under Article 14 of the CSL, the Agreement is binding on all
parties to it. This part of the bill incorporates the terms of that
Agreement related to salary increases and benefit modifications and
appropriates funds necessary to pay for it in accordance with the
State's obligations.
 
BUDGET IMPLICATIONS:
This bill would provide appropriations totaling approximately $333
million to pay for the cost of the Agreement during the period April 2,
2026 to March 31, 2027.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill would take effect immediately and shall be deemed to have been
in full force and effect on and after April 2, 2026.