Purpose:

The purpose of this bulletin is to inform agencies of OSC’s automatic processing of the 2024 APSU Clothing Allowance and to provide agency instructions for payments not processed automatically.

Affected Employees:

Employees in APSU – BU31 who meet the eligibility criteria are affected.

Background:

Chapter 174 of the Laws of 2024, which implemented the 2023-2026 Agreement between the State of New York and the Police Benevolent Association of New York State, Inc. (PBANYS) provides for a Clothing Allowance.

Effective Dates:

The 2024 APSU Clothing Allowance will be processed in a separate check in Administration Pay Period 17L, paychecks dated 12/4/2024. OSC will process this payment via direct deposit. For employees who do not have direct deposit, this payment will be processed in a separate paycheck.

Note: The distribution of the Clothing Allowance direct deposit will be the same as an employee’s regular paycheck.

Eligibility Criteria:

Employees in Bargaining Unit 31 on 11/06/2024 are eligible to receive the 2024 APSU Clothing Allowance provided the employee:

• Has an Employee Status of Active, Leave With Pay, or Leave of Absence with an Action/Reason Code of Leave of Absence/MLS (Mil Stip); and
• Has a Comp Rate Code of ANN or BIW (only if the employee has a Payroll Status of Leave With Pay with an Action/Reason Code of Paid Leave of Absence/MLS); and
• Is either: 
  • Appointed to a position that is classified as an investigator or detective in one of the following titles:
    • Environmental Conservation Investigator 1
    • Environmental Conservation Investigator 2
    • Major Environmental Conservation 
    • University Police Investigator 1
    • University Police Investigator 2
• Working as a plain clothes detective in the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation while appointed to one of the following titles:
  • Park Police Officer
    • Park Police Officer SL
    • Sergeant Park Police
    • Lieutenant Park Police
    • Captain Park Police

In addition, an employee who otherwise meets the eligibility criteria but is on an authorized leave of absence with a Payroll Status of Leave of Absence (except with an Action/Reason Code of Leave of Absence/MLS) on 11/06/2024, and who returns to the payroll within one (1) year from 11/06/2024, is eligible for the payment upon the return from leave. The payment amount is based on the employee’s percentage prior to the leave.

OSC Actions:

OSC will automatically process the 2024 APSU Clothing Allowance for those employees who meet the eligibility criteria with the following exceptions:

• Employees with an Employee Status of Leave of Absence (except with an Action/Reason Code of Leave of Absence/MLS).
• Employees working as plain clothes detectives in the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation in one of the following titles:
  • Park Police Officer
  • Park Police Officer SL
  • Sergeant Park Police
  • Lieutenant Park Police
  • Captain Park Police

The payment amount is $400 or a prorated amount, determined as follows:

• Employees with an Employee Status of Leave With Pay and an Action/Reason Code of Paid Leave of Absence/SKL (Sick Leave) Paid Leave of Absence/MLS (Paid Military Stipend Leave, and Leave of Absence, MLS (Unpaid Military Stipend Leave) receive an amount based on the employee’s percentage prior to the leave. The full payment amount is multiplied by the employee’s Empl Work Percent, on the Job Data/Job Information page, in effect prior to the leave.
• All other employees (including employees on a Leave With Pay not listed above), receive an amount based on the employee’s percentage in effect on 11/06/2024. The full payment amount is multiplied by the employee’s Empl Work Percent, on the Job Data/Job Information page, in effect on 11/06/2024.

A Time Entry transaction will be created automatically for eligible employees with the following information:

Control-D Report Available After Processing:

After the automatic processing of the 2024 APSU Clothing Allowance is completed, the following Control-D report will be available for agency use:

NPAY771 – Time Entry Payment Report

This report identifies all employees who received the APSU Clothing Allowance.

Agency Actions:

The agency is responsible for submitting a Time Entry transaction for eligible employees who are on an authorized leave of absence on 11/06/2024 and who return to the payroll within one year from 11/06/2024; the transaction should be submitted in the pay period the return from leave is processed.

The Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation is responsible for submitting a Time Entry transaction for employees working as plain clothes detectives in one of the following titles:

• Park Police Officer
  • Park Police Officer SL
  • Sergeant Park Police
  • Lieutenant Park Police
  • Captain Park Police

Submitting Payment

To pay the 2024 APSU Clothing Allowance to eligible employees not processed automatically or who return from an authorized leave of absence, agencies must submit the following information on the Time Entry page or the Time Entry Interface (NPAY502) using Earnings Codes CA1:

Payroll Register and Employee’s Paycheck/Advice:

The Earnings Code CA1 and the amount paid will be displayed on the Payroll Register.  The Earnings Description Clothing Allowance – BU 31 and the amount paid will appear on the employee’s paycheck stub and direct deposit advice (if applicable).

This payment will be made in a separate check regardless of when it is paid. The separate check will be issued with the employee’s regular paycheck or direct deposit advice based on information for that check date. Agencies should verify the employee’s mailing address is up to date.

Tax Information:

The 2024 APSU Clothing Allowance is supplemental taxable income, will be included in the employee’s taxable gross subject to employment and income taxes.

Federal, State, and New York City income tax withholding will be calculated using the Aggregate method. Yonkers income tax withholding will be calculated using the Flat Rate method (1.95975% for Yonkers residents and 0.50% for Yonkers non-residents).

Undeliverable Checks:

When a valid payroll check is undeliverable due to the agency’s inability to locate the employee, the agency should follow the Agency Actions identified in Payroll Bulletin No. 1786 – Non-Negotiated and/or Undeliverable New York State Payroll Checks.

Checks issued to eligible employees who are now deceased should be submitted as a stop payment request with a reason of Exchange in PayServ. The Report of Check Exchange (AC 1476-P), Next of Kin Affidavit (AC 934-P) and original death certificate should be submitted to the Payroll Reversal and Exchange mailbox at the same time as the stop payment request. If a Next of Kin Affidavit has been previously submitted for a deceased employee’s payroll check, OSC will accept a photocopy of this form along with a new Report of Check Exchange.

Questions:

Questions regarding eligibility for this payment may be directed to the Office of Employee Relations.

Questions regarding this bulletin may be directed to the Payroll Earnings mailbox.