2007-2009 Collective Bargaining Agreement

Wages and Benefits

19.1. 19.1.1. Full-time employees shall be entitled to all the rights and benefits provided by this Agreement. Part-time employees, who are employed on other than a seasonal, irregular or on-call basis, shall be entitled to all the rights and benefits provided by the Articles of this Agreement that specifically reference part-time employees.

19.2. Wages:

19.2.1. Each classified full-time and part-time employee shall be paid in accordance with the salary schedules contained in Appendix A.

1. Notwithstanding any Rule to the contrary, nothing in this Agreement shall prevent the Employer from requesting higher step placements from the Division of Personnel for unit employees who are promoted, demoted or transferred into another position within their own unit or in a different unit.

19.2.2. The Parties agree that there shall be three additional steps added to the salary matrices effective December 28, 2001. Full-time and part-time employees shall be eligible to move to the sixth step after successful completion of two years at the fifth step. An employee shall be eligible to move to the seventh step after successful completion of two years at the sixth step. An employee shall be eligible to move to the eighth step after successful completion of three years at the seventh step. For the purposes of this section, successful completion means that an employee shall have received satisfactory annual performance evaluations for the period. The waiting periods specified herein shall not apply to, and an increment date shall not be adjusted for, promotions and reallocations resulting in a higher labor grade.

19.2.3. Nursing Salary Schedule: Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses working at an institution in a direct care position shall be paid in accordance with the salary schedule contained in Appendix A.

19.2.4. All salaries for classified bargaining unit employees shall increase fifty one (51) cents per hour on July 6, 2007 and shall be paid in accordance with the salary schedule contained in Appendix A.

19.2.5. All salaries for classified bargaining unit employees shall increase by three and one half (3.5) percent on January 4, 2008 and shall be paid in accordance with the salary schedule contained in Appendix A.

19.2.6. All salaries for classified bargaining unit employees shall increase by five and one half (5.5) percent on January 2, 2009 and shall be paid in accordance with the salary schedule contained in Appendix A.

19.3. Payroll Information: Payroll checks shall include all required information, a clear designation as to the amount and category, e.g., regular, overtime or holiday pay, of compensation for which payment is being made.

19.3.1. Direct Deposit: The Employer agrees to make available to all full-time and part-time employees, to the extent that banking institutions cooperate, direct deposit of payroll checks.

19.3.2. Applicable Rates: Any applicable compensation for overtime and holidays shall be paid in conjunction with the full-time or regularly scheduled part-time employees regular pay check for the pay period in which such work was performed.

19.3.3. Itemization of Compensation: The Employer shall make every reasonable effort to provide a check stub breakdown of information on hours worked in every pay category; and, all individual leave accruals (annual, sick, bonus, holiday).

19.4 Travel Reimbursement:

19.4.1. Conformance with Regulations: Reimbursement for travel and meals shall conform to regulations established by the Department of Administrative Services with the approval of the Governor and Executive Council and to the terms of this Agreement. The Employer agrees that it will not adopt any travel or meal regulation for unit employees without first consulting with the Association pursuant to the provisions of Article IV.

19.4.2. Reimbursements and Advances: The Employer agrees to reimburse all full-time and part-time employees for valid travel expenses within fifteen (15) working days of the date the employee submits to the Employer a properly completed travel expense voucher. The Employer agrees to treat travel reimbursement requests with the same priority as payroll.

Upon request, employees shall receive either a cash advance or a state-issued credit card to cover out-of-state travel expenses.

19.4.3. Mileage: The Parties agree that all full-time and part-time employees who are required to use their private vehicles for State business shall be reimbursed for all miles incurred at the maximum rate then allowable by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for the first mile of travel. The Parties further agree that changes in the mileage reimbursement rate, as a result of U.S. Internal Revenue Service action, shall be made prospectively. The Parties further agree that an employee shall record mileage incurred on State business from the odometer readings on his/her vehicle and the Employer shall reimburse for all reasonable travel incurred. In no instance, however, shall the Employer reimburse for travel incurred from an employee's home to or through the site of his/her official headquarters, or vice versa, unless such reimbursement is specifically authorized by this Agreement.

19.4.4. Meals: All full-time and part-time employees shall be reimbursed for meals when traveling on State business in accordance with the following conditions and schedule:

1. In-State Travel: When associated with necessary overnight stay, employees shall be reimbursed up to the following amounts without a receipt:

   Breakfast - $8.00
   Lunch -    $12.00
   Dinner -    $21.00

   The Employer shall adjust the above rates in July of each year by adopting the then current travel per diem rates set by the General Services Administration for Merrimack County.



2. Out-of-State Travel: When associated with State business, employees shall be reimbursed for meals at rates consistent with the General Services Administration (GSA) Travel Per Diem Rates, in effect at the time of travel, without a receipt.



3. The Employer may also authorize meal reimbursement for an employee who is required to work beyond his/her regularly scheduled hours or who requests to attend an official function, banquet, dinner, or meeting associated with a meal, provided that authorization is given in advance and in writing. The Employer shall not require an employee to attend an official function, banquet, dinner, or meeting associated with a meal if reimbursement is not authorized.

19.4.5. Lodging: The Employer agrees to reimburse all full-time and part-time employees for necessary lodging expenses incurred while on State business in accordance with regulations established by the Department of Administrative Services with the approval of the Governor and Executive Council.

19.4.6. Access to Regulations: Upon request, any full-time or regularly scheduled part-time employee shall be provided with access to all travel regulations and any changes promulgated thereto.

19.5. Portal-to-Portal: All employees shall receive portal to portal mileage reimbursement when on a call back.

19.6. Uniforms: If an employee is required, by the Employer, to wear a uniform, such uniform shall be issued to the employee.

19.7. Access to Rules and Regulations: All full-time and part-time employees shall have available to them all rules, regulations and directives relative to the department by which they are employed. In addition, the Employer shall furnish the Association with 15 copies of the Rules of the Division of Personnel for internal distribution.

19.8. Health Insurance:

19.8.1. The Employer shall make available to employees and their dependents a Network health benefit plan (i.e. HMO) and a Point-of-Service (POS) health benefit plan. An employee's eligibility and opportunity to elect available health care options shall be in accordance with the “Benefits Highlights” set forth in Appendix F and G and the enrollment conditions of the respective plans.

The Association acknowledges that the Network plan and POS plan provider(s) shall be chosen by the Employer, and that the election by any employee(s) to participate in either plan shall not entitle said employee(s) to any further benefits not expressly provided for by this Agreement.

The level of benefits, cost-sharing, dependent coverage and Employer premium contributions of the Network and POS health plans offered under this provision shall be in accordance with the following provisions and with the specifications for a competitive bid.

1. Except as provided in subparagraphs (1) and (2) of this section, the Employer shall pay the full premium or premium equivalent cost for employee only, two person and family coverage.



1. Effective with the pay period beginning July 6, 2007, all employees who subscribe in either the Network or the POS plan shall pay $25.00 per pay period.



2. Effective with the pay period beginning January 2, 2009, all employees who subscribe in either the Network or the POS plan shall pay $30.00 per pay period.


2. The Network plan design shall be as described in Appendix F. Additional benefits, terms of coverage, exclusions and limitations not described in and not inconsistent with Appendix F shall be comparable to those set out in the Benefits Booklet for active state employees in effect on the day preceding the effective date of this agreement. The office visit co-payments for the Network Plan shall increase to $10.00 per visit for Primary Care Physicians and $20.00 per visit for Specialists effective January 1, 2009.



3. The POS plan design shall be as described in Appendix G. Additional benefits, terms of coverage, exclusions and limitations not described in and not inconsistent with Appendix G shall be comparable to those set out in the Benefits Booklet for active state employees in effect on the day preceding the effective date of this agreement. The office visit co-payments for the POS Plan shall increase to $10.00 per visit for Primary Care Physicians and $20.00 per visit for Specialists effective January 1, 2009.



4. Effective January 1, 2008, subscribers in either the Network or POS plans shall be eligible to participate annually in a health reimbursement arrangement established by the Employer, upon annual completion and proper submission of the health risk appraisal provided for under the respective plans. The arrangement shall provide funds for the payment of any out-of-pocket costs associated with health care services and products obtained under the health plan up to the amount of $200*.



5. Domestic partners of employees who are the same sex as the employee shall be eligible for coverage under the Employer’s available health benefit plans as though they were married spouses. Dependents of such domestic partners shall be eligible for coverage under the health plans as if they were dependents of the employee. Requirements for domestic partner benefit eligibility shall be in accordance with Appendix E. Employees meeting such requirements shall then be authorized by the Employer to enroll their domestic partners and dependents.



6. The Employer shall provide coverage under the health plans consistent with Chapter 321 of the Laws of 2006, and known as Michelle’s Law and codified in RSA 415.

19.8.2. Health Benefit Advisory Committee: There shall be a health benefit advisory committee composed of four members appointed by the Employer, one of whom shall be the Manager of Employee Relations, and four members appointed by the Association, one of whom shall be the Contract and Field Operations Administrator.

1. The purpose of the committee is: (1) to advise the Employer on all issues related to the purchase and administration of health benefit plans authorized or required by this agreement; and (2) to make recommendations to the Employer for changes in benefit design, utilization management, and/or provider payment policies that will preserve the continued viability of the health plan by limiting the growth in claims costs while improving the quality of care, including, but not limited to, recommendations concerning health education, wellness incentives, incentives to utilize "centers of excellence" or more efficient providers, preventive medical services, case management, disease management, high-risk intervention, aligning provider payment policies with quality improvement, and providing consumer information on treatment alternatives and provider cost-effectiveness.



2. The committee shall be entitled to receive any information relevant to its mission and which is not confidential.



3. The Employer shall make available to the committee such expert advice and assistance as is reasonably necessary to accomplish its mission.



4. The Employer shall consider the reports and recommendations of the committee on issues related to the purchase and administration of the health benefit plan before making final purchasing decisions, provided that the reports and recommendations are timely filed. Nothing contained in this section shall prevent the Association’s representatives on the Committee from contacting the Governor and Executive Council members about any health benefit vendor contract subject to any non disclosure agreement or statutory disclosure prohibition.
   
   

   The Department of Administrative Services shall notify the Association’s Committee representatives of its intent to place such contract onto the Governor and Executive Council agenda. Such notice shall not be less than fourteen (14) days prior to the specific meeting it intends to bring forward such contract for approval.

5. The Employer shall consider the reports and recommendations of the committee on issues related to claims costs and quality of care before making proposals for health benefit plan changes in renegotiation of this Agreement, provided that the reports and recommendations are filed by July 1 of even-numbered years.



6. The Committee shall meet at least quarterly.



7. The Employer and the Association shall receive a copy of any report or recommendations prepared by the Health Benefit Advisory Committee.

19.9. Term Life Insurance: Effective January 1, 2006, full-time employees shall be provided with group term life insurance of $20,000.

19.10. Additional Parking: The Employer agrees to provide funding in the amount of $100,000.00 in state fiscal year 2008 and $100,000.00 in state fiscal year 2009 to fund additional parking for bargaining unit employees who are assigned to the downtown Concord area and who are not assigned an Employer-provided parking space for their personal vehicle. This provision shall be administered in accordance with the December 2005 draft Memorandum of Understanding developed by the committee established in Article 23.1 of the Agreement.

1. Any unused funds shall be made available to address parking needs of bargaining unit employees in other areas of the state that do not have an Employer-provided parking space for their personal vehicle. Such requests shall be made through the Labor Management Committee.

19.11. Longevity: Any full-time employee who has completed ten years of continuous service shall be paid, in addition to his/her normal salary, the sum of $300.00 annually and an additional $300.00 for each additional five years of continuous service. An employee shall be eligible to receive this payment if his/her anniversary date is on or before December 1. The longevity payment shall be paid in the employee's first paycheck received in December. An employee who retires or terminates prior to December 1, but after his/her anniversary date, which is on or after December 2, will be entitled to the appropriate longevity payment upon retirement or termination.

19.11.1. Separate Check: Longevity payment shall be made in a separate check from the regular payroll check.

19.12. Shift Differentials:

19.12.1. Exclusion: Shift differentials will be paid to all appropriate full-time and part-time employees except for law enforcement employees.

19.12.2. Second shift: work commencing any time at/or after 2:00 p.m. or before 7:00 p.m. - increase of 60 cents/hour over base pay.

19.12.3. Third shift: work commencing any time at/or after 7:00 p.m. or before 3:00 a.m. - increase of 75 cents/hour over base pay.

19.12.4. Rotating Shifts: Employees who work rotating shifts shall have 60 cents/hour added over base pay in lieu of shift differential.

Rotating shifts are defined as those schedules which require an employee to perform work on different shifts on a set, predictable and repetitive schedule over given periods of time.

19.12.5. Institutional Weekend Differential: All full-time and part-time institutional employees who work on a shift which commences on a Saturday or a Sunday shall receive a weekend differential of one dollar ($1.00) per hour for all hours actually worked on that shift. This week-end differential is in addition to, but shall not be compounded by any other pay or premium pay provision of this Agreement.

19.12.6. Nurse Differential: Licensed Practical Nurses and Registered Nurses working at an institution in a direct care position shall be paid a differential in accordance with the tables below. The differential shall be paid per hour and added over base pay in lieu of Article 19.12.2, 19.12.3., and 19.12.4.

a. Shift Differential: Full-time and part-time Licensed Practical Nurses and Registered Nurses working at an institution in a direct care position.

b. Baylor Plan Shift Differential: Full-time Licensed Practical Nurses and Registered Nurses working a Baylor Plan schedule at an institution in a direct care position.

c. The differentials now in effect for full-time and part-time Licensed Practical Nurses and Registered Nurses working at New Hampshire Hospital in a direct care position shall remain in effect for the two years covered by this Agreement.

19.13. Dental Insurance: Full-time employees and their dependents, including their same sex domestic partners and the dependents of their same sex domestic partners, shall be provided with dental benefits which shall be paid in full by the Employer. The level of benefits shall be as described in Appendix D. Additional benefits, terms of coverage, exclusions and limitations not described in and not inconsistent with Appendix D shall be comparable to those set out in the Dental Plan Description for active state employees in effect as of June 30, 2007.

The Employer shall provide coverage under the health plans consistent with Chapter 321 of the Laws of 2006, (i.e., Michelle’s Law).

Part-time employees shall receive dental insurance benefits where applicable by law.

19.14. Change of Residence: The Employer agrees that when any full-time employee is required to move his/her residence for the "good of the state" after he/she has been permanently assigned, the actual moving expenses shall be borne by the Employer, in accordance with the Department of Administrative Services Manual of Procedure. Employees involved in voluntary moves or moves necessitated by promotion are liable for their own moving expenses.

19.15. Unpaid Leave of Absence: Any full-time employee who has five (5) or more years of continuous service shall continue to have paid benefits as provided by 19.8. while on an authorized leave of absence without pay due to a non-job related illness or injury for a period not to exceed six months. The employee shall be informed that he/she may purchase the same coverage at group rates for up to 39 weeks at the end of the six-month period if circumstances warrant. The spouse and dependents of a deceased employee shall be entitled to an additional month of medical coverage at State expense.

19.16. Personnel Reclassifications: Any employee whose position is reallocated to a higher salary grade as a result of a decision by the Director of Personnel to reclassify or reallocate that position shall be entitled to the appropriate pay at the new rate on:

1. The first day of the pay period following written notification by the Director or the Director’s designee of the decision if less than 90 days from filing; or



2. Retroactively to the first day of the pay period following the 91st day from filing if written notification by the Director or the Director’s designee of the decision exceeds 90 days.

19.16.1. Mothers’ Health Care: The Employer, when feasible, shall provide a private area and sufficient time for full-time or regularly scheduled part-time employee postnatal mothers to tend to lactation needs.

19.17. Discount at State Recreational Areas: Any full-time bargaining unit employee shall be entitled to a fifty-percent (50%) discount on the admission price of any state-owned recreational area. Employees must abide by the established discount rules and regulations to obtain the discount.

19.18. Payroll Confidentiality: The Employer agrees that full-time or regularly scheduled part-time employee pay checks, pay stubs, and payroll advise forms shall be distributed in a manner which maintains the confidentiality of personal and payroll information. Maintenance of confidentiality shall not, however, be interpreted so as to hinder the normal functioning of the payroll system, or to limit access to personal and payroll information by employees whose job function requires such access.

19.19. Equipment Replacement: The Employer shall not charge any full-time or regularly scheduled part-time employee for repair/replacement of any issued equipment if loss or damage occurred in the normal performance of the employee's assigned duty.

19.20. Personnel Classification Advisory Committee: The parties agree to appoint a personnel classification advisory committee composed of four members appointed by the Employer and four members appointed by the Association which shall serve for the term of the 2007-2009 Collective Bargaining Agreement.

1. The purpose of the committee is: (1) to review the current personnel classification system; and (2) to make recommendations to the Employer for changes in the current personnel classification system.

2. The committee shall be entitled to receive any information relevant to its mission and which is not confidential.

3. The Employer shall make available to the committee such expert advice and assistance as is reasonably necessary to accomplish its mission.

4. The committee shall submit a written report to the Employer, including but not limited to any recommended changes to the personnel classification system not later than October 1, 2008.

5. The Employer and the Association shall receive a copy of any report or recommendations prepared by the Personnel Classification Advisory Committee.