THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, January 11, 1997 TAG: 9701110510
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Staff writer Jane Evans and The Associated Press contributed
to this report.
LENGTH: 130 lines
State legislators on Friday proposed a solution to the ``lag pay'' paycheck problem.
The plan the General Assembly adopted last year was designed to delay checks to create a two-week gap between the end of a pay period and payday. Employees complained because they would have received only 23 checks this year, instead of the usual 24.
``This was a bad idea when it was first proposed and acted upon,'' said Del. James Shuler, who represents Blacksburg and its many state workers.
The new plan - presented to the House Appropriations and Senate Finance committees - would define pay periods by six days, but not reduce the number of pay periods.
Currently, work periods run from the 1st to the 15th and from the 16th to the end of each month. Under the plan, pay periods would run from the 10th to the 24th and the 25th to the 9th. But state employees would still be paid on the 1st and 16th of each month.
The Senate is expected to take up the matter Monday. The bill must be signed by the governor before Jan. 15 to stop any lag-pay provisions from going into effect.
The plan has received the backing of Gov. George F. Allen, as well as Virginia's largest state employee organization.
``We're pleased that there's no disruption to state employees,'' said Joan Dent, executive director of the Virginia Governmental Employees Association. ``It pretty much solves all the concerns I've heard of from state employees.''
The new plan also ensures that state employees will see the 4.35 percent raises they received this year.
``State employees should not be a political football, and they have gone through more than enough upset over the issue as it is,'' said Sen. Stanley C. Walker, D-Norfolk, co-chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.
The six-day lag would be paid for out of a $21.8 million payroll reserve fund.
Lag pay was proposed to improve the efficiency of the state's payroll system. In the past, employees have been paid within days of the end of a pay period, and the state was consistently overpaying workers for time they failed to work, payroll officials said.
ALSO THIS WEEK
Fire safety, a basic concern, will get attention from lawmakers this winter.
Del. V. Earl Dickinson of Louisa plans to introduce a bill requiring annual inspections of college dorms.
``Our state law now requires the fire marshal to inspect state prisons at least once a year, but doesn't say a thing about the places where our students are living,'' said Dickinson, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
Because of budget cuts starting in 1994 and a 20 percent downsizing of staff, the State Fire Marshal's Office had stopped routine inspections of 1,500 schools, hundreds of hotels and college dormitories and dozens of hospitals.
Fire Marshal C. Edward Altizer has requested additional inspectors, who handle building code issues in addition to fire code enforcement.
The Dickinson proposal does not include any more money for the Fire Marshal's Office.
The governor's 1997 budget includes a $9.8 million authorization to address fire safety concerns in some Virginia college dormitories.
An Associated Press investigation in November revealed that 13 high-rise dormitories on seven Virginia campuses do not have sprinkler systems in student living areas. Twelve of the dorms are at state-supported colleges or universities. The other high-rise, at private Hampton University, houses 200 students.
NOTICED & NOTED
The governor's idea to trim taxes businesses pay into the unemployment trust fund drew cautious response this week.
Gov. Allen made the proposal during his State of the Commonwealth speech Wednesday. Saying the state's $900 million unemployment trust fund is fat enough to pay four years' worth of claims, he said collections can be scaled back without jeopardizing benefits. Allen offered few details, but the proposal would reduce tax rates for six years.
The proposal might have a chance of approval from lawmakers if it includes an increase in benefits as well as a tax cut, said Senate Commerce and Labor Committee Chairman Charles J. Colgan, D-Prince William.
Among other reactions:
``It's a very attractive proposal. . . . You have to be careful how you go about these things so that the long-term integrity of the trust fund is not jeopardized.'' - Sandra D. Bowen, of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce.
``I hope it's not going to result in a shortage in the trust fund. I'd like to take a look at the numbers.'' - Republican Senate Leader Joseph B. Benedetti
``We're going to have to get as much into the details as possible. . . . If it's all that good to enhance economic development and it can be done without penalizing workers we can pursue it.'' - Sen. Stanley C. Walker, D-Norfolk and co-chairman of the Finance Committee.
``We're for tax cuts but we're also for protecting the benefit levels of unemployed workers . . . More money will be going out of the fund than coming in. Will politicians be willing to raise taxes to keep the fund operating?'' - Jim Leaman, secretary-treasurer of the state AFL-CIO.
GETTING INVOLVED
Tuesday, Jan. 14 - Representatives of the New River Valley Community Services will be visiting the General Assembly.
Tuesday, Jan. 14 - Lewis Gale Hospital staff, managers and administrators to see Roanoke-area delegates and senators. Their purpose is to inform legislators of their concerns on medical and mental health issues and to educate their employees about the workings of the General Assembly.
Thursday, Jan. 16 - The United Jewish Federation of Tidewater presents its concerns to members of the General Assembly.
KEY DATES
Jan. 20: Deadline for filing legislation.
Feb. 2: Midnight deadline for Senate and House money committees to finish work on budget bill.
Feb. 4: Deadline for each house to act on its own bills except budget.
Feb. 6: Each chamber approves its version of the budget.
Feb. 11: Last day for each house to act on the other chamber's budget bill and appoint members of the budget conference committee.
Feb. 17: Deadline for committee action on legislation.
Feb. 18: Midnight deadline for conference committee to reach compromise on budget.
Feb. 20: Vote on budget.
Feb. 22: Adjournment.
March 24: Last day for governor to sign, veto or amend legislation.
April 2: One-day reconvened session to act on governor's amendments and vetoes.
KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY