STATE OF CONNECTICUT

BY HER EXCELLENCY

M. JODI RELL

GOVERNOR

EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 27 -A

WHEREAS, Special Act 09-6 and the agreement between the State of Connecticut and the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC) ratified May 8, 2009, and approved by the General Assembly on May 15, 2009, provided for a Retirement Incentive Program (RIP) that will result in numerous retirements from state service that will impact numerous state agencies;

WHEREAS, the current budgetary situation requires that the state make every effort to maximize the savings to taxpayers that will result from such retirements;

WHEREAS, the services provided by the several state agencies are relied upon by the citizens of the state and the maintenance and effective functioning of those services is in the public interest;

WHEREAS, such agencies will require some period for a transition that allows for the recruitment and training of replacement personnel or other arrangements that will facilitate the  maintenance of important programs or functions;

WHEREAS, the temporary worker retiree program (TWR) administered by the Department of Administrative Services provides for temporary employment of state retirees for periods not to exceed 120 days per calendar year in cases where such employment is cost effective and facilitates the maintenance of important programs or services; and

WHEREAS, the TWR program will play an important role in the transition plans of several state agencies as they cope with the effects of the RIP.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, M. Jodi Rell, Governor of the State of Connecticut, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Statutes of the State of Connecticut, do hereby ORDER AND DIRECT:

1.      Any employment of a temporary worker retiree shall be part of an approved transition plan prepared by the state agency that will employ the retiree.

2.      The employment and compensation of any temporary worker retiree shall be reviewed by, and shall require the approval of, the Commissioner of Administrative Services, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and my office, in a manner that will be prescribed, prior to the employment of any such retiree.

3.      The approving authorities shall consider the costs and benefits of approving any such employment and shall make every effort to assure that costs are controlled while maintenance of important programs is assured.

4.      No more than two 120-day periods may be approved under the program for any individual retiree.

5.      The Commissioner of the Department of Education may request an exception to the requirements of items 1 and 4 from the Commissioner of Administrative Services for retirees who are certified trade instructors to function as substitute trade instructors within the State Technical High School System on an intermittent, as-needed basis.  Such exceptions may be granted if there is an insufficient pool of temporary worker retirees who have worked less than two 120-day periods.

6.      The compensation rate of any such temporary worker retiree who was not covered by a collective bargaining agreement at the time of his or her retirement and is brought back in the same capacity may not exceed 75% of the hourly rate paid to such employee in the last pay period immediately prior to his or her retirement.  The compensation rate of any such temporary worker retiree brought back to perform different duties than those performed prior to retirement shall be paid 75% of the hourly rate paid to such employee in the last pay period immediately prior to his or her retirement or the minimum hourly rate provided for the job classification commensurate with his or her duties, whichever is less, except that such temporary worker retiree brought back to perform higher level duties shall be paid at a rate established by the Department of Administrative Services.

7.      The compensation rate of any such temporary worker retiree who was covered by a collective bargaining agreement at the time of his or her retirement and is brought back in the same capacity may not exceed the minimum hourly rate provided in such agreement for the job classification that the employee held immediately prior to retirement, or 75% of the hourly rate paid to such employee in the last pay period immediately prior to their retirement, whichever is greater.  The compensation rate of any such temporary worker retiree brought back to perform different duties than those performed prior to retirement shall be paid the minimum hourly rate provided for the job classification commensurate with his or her duties.

8.      The provisions of this order shall apply to any new or renewed employment that is effective on or after the effective date of this order.

9.      Executive Order 27, dated June 25, 2009, is hereby amended and replaced with the text hereof.

That this order shall take effect immediately.

Dated in Hartford, Connecticut, this ____nd day of October 2009.

_________________________________________

M. Jodi Rell

By Her Excellency’s Command

 _______________________________

Susan Bysiewicz, Secretary of the State