Finance Board "Frustrated" With Employee Benefits

There has been a theme by Waterford’s Board of Finance during their budget reviews this year.

A board member, always prefacing it by saying “it isn’t personal, it is personnel,” will ask about a benefit or payout they are frustrated by. And then First Selectman Dan Steward or Finance Director Rudie Beers will say it is part of a union contract, and must be negotiated in the next contract settlement to be removed.

“In many ways, we are paying for the sins of our fathers,” Steward said, referring to a time . “We are dealing with benefits that were handed out when the town had money.”

The Good News

The good news is a recent settlement on provides the “blueprint” for how to get rid of some of these fringe benefits, Board of Finance member J.W. “Bill” Sheehan said. In the contract, Superintendent Jerome Belair and his team revamped the health care plan, removed health retirement benefits for new employees, among other cost savings moves, , Sheehan said.

“It is a slow process to really get these costs down,” Board of Finance Chairman Ron Fedor said “But at least there is progress. I’ve seen the first positive changes to controlling costs in the budget in my years here.”

Fringe Benefits

There are several fringe benefits the Board of Finance specifically complained about, such as allowing employees to accumulate more than 100 sick days to longevity pay. Each union contract has its own set of benefits, but here is a look at some of the fringe benefits to some of the largest unions in town. All information comes from the union contracts themselves.

Fringe Benefits

• Each police officer is given 13 paid holidays and one personal day each year. An officer accumulates 10 sick hours per month, up to 120 sick hours per year. Police officers can keep the sick hours if they are not used. If they save up more than 1,200 hours (10 years without using sick time), they are paid 40 percent of straight time for every sick hour collected above 1,200.

• Police officers are given vacation days based on the amount of years they worked for the town. New employees start with 10 vacation days. If an officer works for 15 years, they get 22 days, and if they work for 20 years or more, they get 25 days. Each officer can carry over 20 vacation days to the next year.

• Employees can get two paid days off if they are part of the union’s negotiating team during contract negotiations. The union president can get up to five days off per year to attend conferences and other education.

• All officers are given a $1,500 stipend each year for a uniform allowance. Officers can also receive an annual longevity payout based on the amount of years they work for the town. An officer that has worked between 10 and 14 years receives $150, an officer who works between 15 to 19 years receives $450, and an officer who has worked for the town for 20 years or more receives $600.

• At retirement officers are paid for all accrued sick, personal and vacation time.

• The town will pay for 50 percent of all tuition costs for secondary education for police officers if the courses related to police work. If a police officer receives at least a C in the course, the employee will receive the remaining 50 percent of the cost.

1303 Union

The 1303 union is the largest municipal union with 75 employees, including employees from the public works and recreation and parks department.

• Union members receive an annual longevity payout depending on the amount of years they have worked for the town. If somebody works 10 to 14 years, they receive $250. If somebody works 15 to 19 years, they receive $350. If somebody receives 20 to 24 years, they receive $500. And if somebody works for the town 25 years or more, they receive $600.

• Vacation time is dependent on the amount of years an employee works for the town. Originally, they get 10 days vacation. After five years, they get 15 days vacation, and then it increases one day for additional year somebody works. After 20 years, it caps at 25 days vacation. Each employee can roll over 25 days of vacation.

• Each employee gets 15 sick days per year. They can accumulate up to 140 sick days. Once an employee accumulates more than 140 sick days, they get paid one full day for every five days saved. Additionally, if an employee does not use a sick day for a quarter of a year, they get an additional bonus day.

• Each employee gets two personal days each year, and there are 13 paid holidays in the year.

Teachers Union

Several teacher union benefits have been phased out with the new contract that begins in 2012. Here is the information for that contract.

• Teachers can get a $400 annual longevity payout if they work for the town for 15 years. If they work for the town 20 years, they get a $1,400 annual payout.

• Each teacher gets six personal days each year.

• Teachers involved in the union can get up to five days a year for union business, such as contract negotiations.

• Teachers get 15 sick days per year, which they can accumulate an unlimited number of.

• The contract is based off of a 182-day teaching schedule, along with two professional development days.