SubTitle5-248c-1_5-248c-3. Voluntary Schedule Reduction Program  


Sec. 5-248c-1. Definitions
Latest version.

The following terms shall have the following meanings for the purposes of sections 5-248c-1 to 5-248c-3 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies:

(a) "Appointing authority" means a board, commission, officer, commissioner, person or group of persons having the power to make appointments by virtue of a statute.

(b) "Permanent employee" means an employee holding a position in the classified service under a permanent appointment or an employee holding a position in unclassified service who has served in such a position for a period of more than six months, except employees in positions funded in whole or in part by the federal government as part of any public service employment program, on-the-job training program or work experience program.

(c) "Schedule Reduction" means a voluntary reduction in the number of hours worked by an employee, by taking unpaid prescheduled individual or partial days off on an occasional basis, or by reducing the number of hours worked per week on a regular basis.

(Effective April 1, 1996)

Sec. 5-248c-2. Procedures for requesting a voluntary schedule reduction
Latest version.

(a) Any permanent employee may submit a request for a schedule reduction to the appointing authority, who shall promptly review it and notify the employee of the approval or denial of the request. All voluntary schedule reductions shall be recorded and identified in the time and attendance records of the Agency. Upon request of the Commissioner of Administrative Services and/or the General Assembly, Agencies shall be required to make reports regarding program usage.

(b) A written request shall include the starting and ending dates and the number of hours of leave requested. Days off or reduced hours under this program are without pay. The use of accrued time or compensatory time earned and accumulated pursuant to the provisions of any collective bargaining agreement or to an order of the Commissioner under Section 5-200 (p) of the Connecticut General Statutes is not a condition precedent to being granted a schedule reduction under these regulations.

(c) A schedule reduction shall not be granted if it would result in an employee falling below the threshold for eligibility for health insurance benefits.

(d) An employee in an Initial Working Test period is not eligible to participate in the Voluntary Schedule Reduction Program. Days off which are taken as a result of this program shall not be counted toward completion of a Promotional Working Test Period.

(Effective April 1, 1996)

Sec. 5-248c-3. Benefits
Latest version.

(a) Health and Life Insurance

During the period of any schedule reduction, an employee's health and life insurance shall continue on the same basis as prior to the schedule reduction.

(b) Seniority

An employee shall receive seniority credit for unpaid time as a result of a schedule reduction without pro-ration.

(c) Longevity

An employee shall receive full credit for longevity for unpaid time as a result of a schedule reduction.

(d) Vacation and Sick Leave Accruals

An employee on a schedule reduction shall continue to accrue vacation and sick leave at the same rate as prior to the schedule reduction, and shall not lose accruals for any month as a consequence of a schedule reduction.

(e) Holidays

An employee on a schedule reduction shall be granted time off with pay for any legal holiday which falls on a day when he would otherwise have been scheduled to work. If an employee is required to work on a holiday, he shall be granted a day off in lieu thereof. If a holiday falls on a day when an employee would not have been scheduled to work as a result of a schedule reduction, he/she shall receive pro-rata holiday credit at the rate of twenty percent(20%) of his scheduled weekly hours.

(f) Workers' Compensation

Any benefits to which an employee is entitled under Workers' Compensation Statutes shall not be affected by a schedule reduction.

(g) Overtime

(1) Payment of overtime during a schedule reduction shall continue in accordance with an employees' collective bargaining agreement or Section 5-245 of the Connecticut General Statutes.

(2) For the purpose of calculating overtime payment, schedule reduction hours shall not be counted as time worked.

(h) Retirement Benefits

An employee shall receive full credit for retirement for unpaid time as a result of a schedule reduction, and shall not be required to contribute any sums for that credit.

(Effective April 1, 1996)