This PML is superseded by the HR Manual and is no longer active.
PML Number
1992-089
Title
Annual Leave Program Revisions
Date Issued
August 10, 1992
Owner
Policy Development Office
Contact
Ann L. McWherter	
Policy Development Office
(916) 324- 9351
Signed By
Wendell M. Coon, Chief
Content
The purpose of this memorandum is to notify personnel officers and staff of various changes in the Annual Leave Program (ALP). Some of these changes will require your immediate attention. Please bring the information to the attention of your eligible employees.
New Participants
•	Supervisors, Confidential Employees, and Other Excluded Employees
Effective August 20, 1992, the ALP shall be extended on a voluntary basis permanently to all current employees who have been designated as supervisors, confidential, and other excluded employees. Voluntary enrollment in the ALP will also be extended permanently to all employees appointed to these categories after September 1, 1992 until November 1, 1995, or until the excluded employee category reaches a 50% level of participation, whichever comes first. At that time, all newly appointed employees in these categories will be mandatorily placed in the ALP. The program will remain voluntary for all employees who were in the excluded categories before that time.  A copy of the proposed regulations is attached.
•	State Bargaining Unit 10 and 12 Employees
The ALP has been extended to Unit 10 and Unit 12 employees on a voluntary basis to current employees and on a mandatory basis for new hires, effective July 1, 1992. The State has agreed to an additional condition which would provide that for currently eligible employees in Units 12 and 13 who did not opt into the ALP and who, for example, transfer, demote, or promote between these two units, will not be required to participate as a "new hire." This provision is in each unit's MOU, and the exception to mandatory coverage would apply solely to employee movement between these two bargaining units. In all other instances, current State employees who are appointed to a position covered by a bargaining unit that has the ALP will be automatically placed in the ALP.
Enrollment Period and Enhanced NDI Eligibility
DPA rule 599.753 requires this department to hold an annual open enrollment for ALP.  Normally, the month of December is designated as the period in which eligible employees may enroll in the ALP. This year, the annual open enrollment will be held between August 20 and October 31, 1992, to coincide with the enrollment opportunity which will be given new participants. After October 31, 1992, the Annual Leave Program enrollment will be held on a continuing basis under the conditions and with the exceptions noted below.
•	Excluded Employees
All managerial, supervisory, confidential, and excluded employees (E-97, E-98, and E-99) are eligible to enroll in the ALP during the August 20 - October 31 open enrollment period. All employees newly hired to these designated categories on and after November 1, 1992, shall be provided 60 days in which to enroll and become immediately eligible for NDI benefits at the enhanced level. Current employees who do not enroll in annual leave during the open enrollment period and new hires who do not elect ALP within 60 days of appointment may do so at any time thereafter. However, they are required to serve a consecutive, 90-calendar-day waiting period before being eligible for the enhanced NDI benefits. The standard NDI benefit would be payable if an NDI claim is made before the completion of the 90-day waiting period.
Since these employees may enroll in the future at any time, there will no longer be a need for an annual open enrollment for excluded employees.
•	State Bargaining Units 10 and 12 Employees
All employees hired on and after July 1, 1992, into a position represented by either Units 10 or 12 must be enrolled in the ALP and are immediately eligible for the enhanced NDI benefit.  Employees who were hired prior to July 1, 1992, are eligible to enroll during the August 20 - October 30 period on a voluntary basis and be immediately eligible for enhanced NDI. Those who do not elect to enroll during the open enrollment/general election period may enroll at any time thereafter. Any employee hired before July 1, 1992, who elects to enroll after November 1, 1992, will have to serve a consecutive, 90-calendar-day waiting period before being eligible for the enhanced NDI benefit.
•	Units 5, 13, and 16
Employees in these units were provided with eligibility per annual leave in 1988 on a voluntary basis for current employees and mandatory basis for new employees. Employees in these bargaining units prior to the mandatory requirement date continue to have a voluntary opportunity to enroll in the ALP and may enroll during the August-October 1992 period. All new employees in these units continue to be subject to mandatory placement in the ALP. Employees who do not enroll in annual leave during this open enrollment period will continue to be given annual enrollment opportunities. They are not eligible for the continuous enrollment period. The 1993 annual open enrollment will be announced at a later time.
Effective Date
An employee's effective date for ALP participation is the first of the month following the date of the election to enroll in the program (i.e., employee who enroll in August will have a September 1, 1992 effective date. Those who sign up in September will have an effective date of October 1, 1992, etc.) Departments are not required to provide the August enrollment opportunity to their employees if doing so represents an unreasonable administrative burden in view of the short time frame.
Open Enrollment Notice and Materials
Later this month, we will send every departmental personnel office all of the necessary enrollment materials for annual leave.
The package will include:
•	A listing of all eligible employees;
•	A detailed description of the ALP and its enhanced NDI benefits;
•	Election forms; and
•	A summary sheet on which enrollment results must be reported.
If you have any questions about this program, please contact Ann L. McWherter or Oscar Alarcon of my staff at (916) 324-9351 or ATSS 454-9351.