Spectrum - Volume 19 Issue 18 January 30, 1997 - Paydates topic at Staff Senate

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Paydates topic at Staff Senate

By Netta S. Smith

Spectrum Volume 19 Issue 18 - January 30, 1997

At its January meeting, the Staff Senate discussed the current pay date proposals under consideration by the General Assembly. President Spencer Allen reported that both the House and Senate appear to be in favor of a plan to keep pay dates on the first and sixteenth of each month and to introduce a six-day lag between reporting dates and pay dates. He also said that Gov. George Allen has rescinded the previously announced plan to delay pay dates. (Please see article on page one.)

University employees may contact Blacksburg representative Jim Shuler bye-mail, Jshuler@house.state.va.us, to inform him of any concerns.

Allen reminded senators that the Staff Senate and Faculty Senate are joint sponsors of open forums again this semester. He encouraged senators to attend the forums, which will be held on selected Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in Owens banquet hall.

Allen also told senators that, according to Policy Memo 172, supervisors have the right to decide whether or not to grant their employees an extra hour to get to work in cases of inclement weather. "It may not sound fair, but it's up to your boss," Allen said.

The senate discussed the fact that the university is hiring increasingly large numbers of 1,500-hour wage employees, who receive no benefits. The senate decided to ask the Policies and Issues Committee to look into this situation. They also asked the Benefits Committee to once again investigate the possibility of making health insurance available for purchase by part-time wage employees.

The Benefits Committee is still looking at the possibility of tuition waivers for dependents of university employees.

The Elections and Nominations Committee asked senators to remind members of their staff associations that they need names of people who are willing to serve on university committees and commissions. They will add these names to a database from which nominations are made to fill vacancies.