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Typo in August A.S.E.A.
News Regarding Retiree Insurance Rates
August's A.S.E.A. News includes retiree health
insurance rates for 2009. However, the chart is erroneously headlined
“2008 Health Insurance Rates.” They are, though, indeed the rates for
the year ahead; the News apologizes for the error. Retiree
rates can be accessed directly at the Employee Benefits Division
website here.
Roger Ferrell Named
A.S.E.A.'s 2008 Outstanding State Employee
 Roger
Ferrell of West Ridge was the recipient of the
2008 Outstanding State Employee Award, given by the Arkansas State
Employees Association at a banquet held during its annual convention on
the evening of August 1 at the Austin Hotel and Convention Center in
Hot Springs. He received a plaque, a traveling trophy, and a check for
$500.00.
Ferrell is a Regional Maintenance Lieutenant with the
Arkansas Department of Correction’s Mississippi County Work Release
Center; he has been a state employee for 28 years.
The awards presentation focused on Ferrell’s
professional achievements and, in particular, his contributions to his
community. Professional accolades included Ferrell’s having formerly
been named the Work Release Center’s “Supervisor of the Year,” his
consistently excellent performance evaluations, and his supervision of
a program in which inmates provide cleaning and maintenance for the
towns and cities of Mississippi County and its surrounding counties—a
program which has inspired numerous letters of appreciation from area
mayors.
Regarding Ferrell’s work in the community, the awards
presenter itemized such varied efforts as his helping to purchase food
and clothing for the Blytheville Women’s Shelter, collecting items for
the senior citizen Food Pantry, donating to the Toys for Tots program,
assisting with United Way fundraisers, donating school supplies to the
Luxora Elementary School, donating fishing equipment to the Luxora
Children’s Annual Fishing Derby, as well as serving as an Arkansas Law
Enforcement Constable for eighteen years and as a Mississippi County
Reserve Deputy for thirty-three.
This year, 27 state employees were nominated for the
award, based on distinguished or outstanding service to the state and
community during the period of their state employment; personal
qualities; on-the-job experience and accomplishments; integrity and
devotion to the welfare of Arkansas residents; other awards and
recognitions; and outstanding contributions to fellow state employees
or to a state employer. (Pictured above are, from left, A.S.E.A.
District 4 Director and Department of Correction employee Ramona Green,
Roger Ferrell, and Ferrell's nominator and Mississippi County Work
Release Center Warden Joe Porchia.)
Mississippi County Named
A.S.E.A.'s 2008 Chapter of the Year
 The Mississippi County chapter of the Arkansas State
Employees Association (A.S.E.A.) was named the association’s
Outstanding Chapter of 2008 at a luncheon held Saturday, August 2, at
the Austin Hotel and Convention Center in Hot Springs as part of
A.S.E.A.’s 40th annual convention.
The chapter was honored for its tireless community
efforts, which have included collecting school supplies for area
schools and canned goods for the local food pantry; donating Christmas
gifts for children through the Angel Tree project; donating a wide
variety of items to tornado victims, as well as volunteering time and
assistance to relief efforts; donating cash and assembling care
packages to be sent to Iraq; participating in and donating to the March
of Dimes; participating in and donating to the Relay for Life/American
Cancer fundraiser; and volunteering on a monthly basis to provide hair
and nail care to residents of a local nursing home.
Mississippi County chapter president Rebecca Whitaker
was unable to attend due to an illness in the family; chapter vice
president Freda Allen accepted the award from A.S.E.A. president Judy
Beatty and was joined by her fellow chapter members Ron Beck, Mark
Caldwell, Denise Carter, JoAnn Hill, and Ronnie Hill. All are employees
of the Department of Community Correction. Beck is a resident of
Jonesboro, Caldwell of Luxora; Allen, Carter, JoAnn Hill, Ronnie Hill,
and Whitaker are all residents of Osceola. (Pictured above are are
Mississippi County A.S.E.A. chapter members Ron Beck, JoAnn Hill,
Ronnie Hill, Denise Carter, Mark Caldwell, and Freda Allen.)
A.S.E.A. Recognizes
“Chapters Extraordinaire”
In addition to acknowledging the contributions of
A.S.E.A.’s 2008 Outstanding Chapter, Mississippi County (see article,
above), the awards luncheon that preceded the August 2 A.S.E.A. annual
convention business meeting also allowed the opportunity to present,
for the fifth year, the association’s new award — “Chapter
Extraordinaire” — to three of A.S.E.A.’s other top-performing chapters.
(Keep in mind, the community efforts listed below are only excerpts
from much longer lists.)
The Lafayette County chapter’s activities
include donating money and school supplies to local schools; donating
food baskets to the elderly; collecting and donating coats for local
senior citizens; collecting and donating items for tornado victims;
donating clothes and shoes to Abilities Unlimited; and sponsoring a
Child Abuse Awareness Day cookout.
The Spa City chapter’s activities include
assembling care packages to be sent to soldiers in Iraq; donating
books, videos, and magazines to their local library; donating Christmas
cards to a local charity; making cash donations and giving pet food to
the Humane Society; collecting change for a mural to donate to Mothers
Against Drunk Driving; and donating bouquets of daffodils to Caring
Place.
The Union County chapter’s activities include
volunteering to help at the Interfaith Health Clinic; collecting canned
goods for the Salvation Army, Toys for Tots, cash for tornado victims,
personal care items for nursing home patients, and pet food for the
local animal shelter; in addition to dressing teddy bears for the
Salvation Army, participating in an area trash pickup project and the
American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.
EBD Website Features New
Active Employee, Retiree Insurance Rates
Thanks to the Employee Benefits Division for sending us
the links; access active rates directly here
and retiree rates here.
Mileage Reimbursement to
Increase to 45 Cents per Mile
The following is from a July 2, 2008, memo from
Department of Finance and Administration Director Richard Weiss:
Effective July 1, 2008 due to the increasing gas prices,
the maximum authorized State rate of mileage reimbursement for the use
of privately-owned motor vehicles on official business of the State
will be increased to forty-five (45) cents per mile. Reimbursement for
travel performed on or after July 1, 2008, is authorized at the new
rate of forty-five (45) cents per mile until further notice.
Reimbursement for any travel before July 1, 2008, is authorized at the
rate of forty-three (45) cents per mile.
The Office of Accounting will continue to monitor
average gasoline prices and the reimbursement rate will be re-evaluated
as needed.
It is the responsibility of the agency director to
insure that their agency budget is sufficient to fund this increase in
mileage reimbursement. The agency director may authorize reimbursement
for the use of privately-owned automobiles at amounts less than the
authorized State maximum rate if the agency budget is insufficient to
fund the increase in rate.
Personnel Committee Hears
Initial Pay Plan Recommendations
The Personnel Committee met on Tuesday, May 6, to review
a first draft of the 2009-2011 pay plan recommendations being made by
the Bureau of Legislative Research and the Office of Personnel
Management. OPM’s State Personnel Administrator Kay Barnhill Terry and
the Bureau’s Personnel Administrator Andrew Bass made the presentation.
For more, see story on the Members Only page.
Beatty, Heaggans, Gates
New Association Officers
A Board of Tellers appointed by A.S.E.A. president Sam
Miller met on the morning of Monday, May 5, to count ballots submitted
in the association’s annual board of directors election. Association
executive director Kay Durnett has certified the results: Judy Beatty
of Lewisville was chosen president; Raymond Heaggans of Maumelle, vice
president; and Tonya Gates of Sulfur Rock, secretary-treasurer.
Also certified were the following board of directors
seats: Ramona Green, District 4; James Abson, District 9; Marsha
McCurry, District 10; Connie Hendrix, District 11; Patricia Barnette,
District 12; and Chris Holder, District 13.
Emergency Paid Leave
Below is from a memo from DF&A director Richard
Weiss to all state agency directors, boards, commissions and
institutions of higher education regarding emergency paid leave:
Governor Beebe issued Executive Order 08-09 on May 5,
2008, 2008 authorizing up to 40 hours of “Emergency Paid Leave” for
those State employees who suffered loss of, or substantial damage to,
their principle place of resident due to the severe weather conditions,
including tornadoes, damaging winds, heavy rains and flooding that have
plagued Arkansas since January 1, 2008.
Affected employees who require additional time off
beyond 40 hours of “Emergency Paid Leave” may submit such requests
subject to review and approval or disapproval of the agency
director/institution head.
Employees requesting leave to provide volunteer disaster
assistance may be eligible for “Disaster Service Volunteer Leave” in
accordance with Arkansas Code Annotated 12-85-101 et al. An employee of
a state agency or an employee of a state-supported institution of
higher learning who is trained and certified by the American Red Cross
in connection with a disaster, and who obtains consent from the chief
executive officer or his or her state agency or state-supported
institution of higher learning may be granted leave from work with pay
for not more than fifteen (15) working days in any calendar year to
participate in specialized disaster relief, without loss of seniority,
pay, annual leave, sick leave, compensatory time, offset time, or
overtime wages.
a) The State agency shall compensate an employee granted
leave under this section at the employee’s regular rate of pay for
those regular work hours during with the employee is absent from work.
b) Leave under the “Disaster Service Volunteer Leave
Act” shall be granted only for disaster relief services occurring
within the State of Arkansas or for disaster relief services occurring
within states contiguous to the state of Arkansas.
c) An employee on “Disaster Service Volunteer Leave”
shall not be deemed to be an employee of the State of Arkansas for
purposes of workers’ compensation.
Employees who are not “Certified Disaster Service
Volunteers” pursuant to ACA 12-85-101 may submit leave requests subject
to review and approval or disapproval of the agency
director/institution head.
The full text of the Governor’s proclamation is as
follows:
EXECUTIVE ORDER AUTHORIZING EMERGENCY PAID LEAVE FOR
CERTAIN STATE EMPLOYEES WHOSE PRICIPAL RESIDENCES ARE OR WERE LOCATED
IN COUNTIES DECLARED AS DISASTER AREAS BY THE GOVERNOR
WHEREAS: Unfortunately, since January 1, 2008, many
Arkansans have endured the effects of severe weather conditions,
including tornadoes, damaging high winds, heavy rains and flooding; and
WHEREAS: Employees of the State of Arkansas have been
and may continue to be adversely affected by these destructive weather
conditions and may be in dire need of emergency leave time to respond
to the resulting damage and injuries caused by such weather conditions;
and
WHEREAS: It would be in the best interest of the State
of Arkansas, and would promote the most efficient operation of state
government, to allow these state employees to take emergency paid leave
to address the losses they have incurred in the wake of such weather
conditions;
NOW, THEREFORE, I MIKE BEEBE, Governor of the State of
Arkansas, acting under the authority vested in me, do hereby order and
commission the following:
1. This Executive Order is issued pursuant to Article
VI, Section 2 of the Arkansas Constitution, and Ark. Code Ann.
12-75-114(a), (b), and (e).
2. Beginning January 1, 2008, and hereafter, unless and
until this Executive Order is modified or repealed, all Executive
Branch agency directors are authorized to grant emergency paid leave,
not to exceed forty (40) hours, to those agency employees who suffer
the loss of, or substantial damage to, their principal place of
resident due to the tornadoes, high winds, rain, flooding, or other
severe weather conditions. Such emergency leave, if granted at the
discretion of the agency director, shall be limited to those agency
employees whose principal place of residence is located in a County
that has been declared to be a disaster area by the Governor as a
result of the aforementioned weather conditions.
3. All agency supervisors or directors, whose employees
use this emergency paid leave, shall maintain records of the amount of
emergency leave claimed, for use by the Department of Finance and
Administration.
4. Nothing in this Executive Order shall prohibit or
prevent the additional use of earned leave time by a state employee,
over and above the amount of emergency paid leave granted herein.
5. The provisions of this Executive Order shall not
apply to the members of the legislature, or to any employees of, or
positions in, the legislative branch of Arkansas state government; the
Justices of the Supreme County, Judges of the Court of Appeals, Judges
of the Circuit, Chancery, or Circuit/Chancery Courts, Judges of the
inferior courts, or to any employee of, or position in, the judicial
branch of Arkansas state government; officers, employees, and academic
personnel of state institutions of higher education; elected officers
of the State and any employee of the offices of the Governor,
Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State
Auditor, Land Commissioner, State Treasurer; and members of the staff
of multi-member boards, commissions, or committees, whether the members
thereof are elected or appointed by the Governor or other authority,
serve ex-officio, or are otherwise chosen; employees of the Arkansas
Highway and Transportation Department and the Arkansas Game and Fish
Commission; provided, however, that any agency, department, board,
commission, or office of state government exempted as herein
above-stated may voluntarily agree to be covered by the provisions of
this Executive Order.
6. If any part of this Executive Order is found to be
invalid or unenforceable, the remainder shall remain in full force and
effect.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and
caused the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas to be affixed at the
Capitol in Little Rock on the 5th day of May, in the Year of our Lord
2008.
Mike Beebe, Governor
OPM Clarifies Leave for
Those Affected by Storms
In an e-mail to the state's agencies and
institutions, State Personnel Administrator Kay Barnhill-Terry issued
the following clarification:
The Office of Personnel Management has received numerous
phone calls regarding employees who were late or could not be at the
workplace at all on Friday, April 4, 2008 due to the tornadoes and
flooding that occurred on April 3, 2008. OPM is issuing the following
clarification:
• Those employees who were late or unable to attend work
due to weather conditions on Friday, April 4, 2008 shall have their
time off work coded as inclement weather leave (up to 8 hours).
• OPM will issue further information on disaster leave
for those employees who have suffered significant loss or injury to
persons or homes.
Those with additional questions were encouraged to
contact their personnel representative.
Governor Beebe Addresses
Mileage, Flex Time Concerns
Recently the Arkansas State Employees Association
requested that the Chief Fiscal Officer consider an increase to the
mileage reimbursement paid to those state employees required to use
their personal vehicles in the course of state business; the request
for an increase was declined.
In response, the association conveyed its
disappointment to Governor Mike Beebe and furthermore requested
consideration of “flex time” for state employees that would allow
four-day work weeks of ten hours a day (while still keeping offices
open five days a week). Below are the Governor’s responses to those
items, from a letter received April 2 addressed to executive director
Kay Durnett:
Dear Kay,
Thank you for your recent letter, stating your
disappointment that your request was denied to increase mileage
reimbursements and asking for consideration for flex time for state
employees. I appreciate your sharing your views with me.
The rate of mileage reimbursement is established by the
Chief Fiscal Officer of the State, Richard Weiss in this case, but it
does not follow federal policy for state employees. Because of the
worsening economic climate, we have not been able to find the funds for
this proposal, but will revisit the idea when there is an upturn in our
economic situation.
As regards scheduling four 10-hour days for employees
and responding to the need for flexible work schedules, this has
already been implemented in some departments around the State. This is
done at the discretion of each department head, who may ask for a
policy directive from the Governor’s office.
Please feel free to call me in the future when I can be
of service.
Sincerely,
Mike Beebe
Better Business Bureau Warns
Retirees about Pronto Medical
The Better Business Bureau has released information
that may be of interest to A.S.E.A.’s retired members:
Questionable Company Alert : Pronto Medical
We are receiving reports from Alabama to Idaho. Arkansas
is in that call path. Please talk to your family, friends, and
customers that may be affected by this potentially harmful situation.
This person of interest is offering a medical card to
seniors so that their Medicare and Social Security benefits will not be
discontinued.
The Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado has
recently been informed by several senior citizens who have been
contacted by phone from a company called Pronto Medical. The person who
calls is reportedly a man with an Indian accent who claims to be from
New York City or, at other times, Texas. Not surprisingly, the phone
number is blocked so the consumer cannot attempt to return the call.
If you do happen to get calls from consumers in your
area about this company, please contact our office at 501-664-4888 or mailto:info@bbbarkansas.org.
And as always, if you do not initiate the transaction,
do not give out or confirm any of your personal information.
NEW INFORMATION AS OF 4:00pm CST - 3/11/2008
The Better Business Bureau of North Alabama has reported
over 20 inquiries about this company in the last two days. They have
had consumers report on Pronto Med and two thought the caller said
Bronco Med. The only information the consumers could get from the
caller was that the company is in NY. Nothing shows up on caller ID.
One Alabama resident gave out her bank account and SS#. Her husband had
to close the account, etc. The local media groups are just picking up
the story. Alabama is being hit hard. Arkansas may be next.
The Better Business Bureau notes: "As always, before
you provide information or do business with someone you do not have an
existing relationship with, check with the BBB first — visit www.bbb.org for more recent alerts."
IRS Warns of New Tax-Time Scams
With tax time upon us, a variety of new scams have
cropped up that impersonate the IRS in order to obtain personal
information for the purpose of identity theft. These scams are itemized
at length at the IRS website here.
A few important points:
- The IRS is not allowed to provide advance payments to
taxpayers for early filing; any such offer is a scam.
- The IRS does not send unsolicited e-mail about tax
account matters to individual, business, tax exempt or other taxpayers.
- It is up to each taxpayer to decide when, or if, he
or she cashes a check from the IRS — if someone claiming to be with the
Internal Revenue Service contacts you regarding an IRS check that you
have not cashed, this is a scam.
- If you want to visit the IRS website, you should do
so by typing the irs.gov address into your browser — you should
not do
so by clicking a link in an e-mail.
Emergency Leave Set for
State Employees
From the Saturday, February 16, Arkansas
Democrat-Gazette:
State employees whose homes suffered dmanage during the
Feb. 5 tornado outbreak may receive up to a week of paid emergency
leave under an executive order signed by Gov. Mike Beebe.
Up to 40 hours of leave is available for an employee
whose primary residence was lost or heavily damaged. Other forms of
leave can still be used in addition to the emergency leave.
Employees seeking the leave should contact their
supervisors to make sure records are properly kept, according to a news
release sent out by the governor's office. Individual agencies and
departments will keep a record of the leave for the Department of
Finanance and Administration.
State Employees Among
Those Affected by Tornadoes
We’ve had calls from members who are not in tornado
damaged areas but want to help. We know of at least four state
employees whose homes were totally destroyed Tuesday night and one
whose home was destroyed in late January.
Currently, areas are involved in clean up. The greatest
need may come in 3-5 days as “volunteer burnout” occurs, and insurance
checks have not arrived. There will be a need for underwear,
toiletries, clothing and other items you need daily.
When relocation begins, there will be a need for bath
towels, face cloths, pots and pans, canned goods, etc.
You may want to make monetary donations to the relief
funds. Or, because people are focused on storm damage, you may decide
to donate to your local food pantry or other local charities which may
be overlooked at this time.
Certain Political
Contributions Tax Deductibe
With elections season now upon us, A.S.E.A. members are
reminded that certain political donations of up to $50.00 per taxpayer
($100.00 for a joint return) can be credited against your Arkansas
Individual Income Tax liability.
Eligible donations include: (1) towards a candidate
seeking nomination or election to a public office, or to the
candidate’s campaign committee; (2) towards an approved political
action committee as defined by Arkansas Code Annotated § 7-6-201;
or (3) towards an organized political party as defined by Arkansas Code
Annotated § 7-1-101.
The credit does not apply to contributions made to
candidates for federal offices. The contribution must be made by April
15, 2008, to be claimed on the 2007 tax return.
To apply for the credit, use tax form AR1800. Tax forms
and additional filing information can be found at DF&A’s Office of
Income Tax Administration website at: http://www.arkansas.gov/dfa/income_tax/tax_individual.html.
Recipient Selected for
Wal-Mart Gift Card
 In a drawing held
Friday, December 14, Governor Mike
Beebe selected one lucky state employee to be the recipient of a $500
Wal-Mart gift card donated by the Arkansas State Employees Association.
Drawing from random numbers assembled in bowls in the Governor’s
Conference Room at the State Capitol, Governor Beebe (pictured with
A.S.E.A. executive director Kay Durnett) selected the
participant number belonging to Jodi Dennis of Pine Bluff.
The gift card was donated by A.S.E.A. to the State and
Public School Employees Life and Health Insurance Board to be awarded
to one employee who filled out the Health Risk Assessment survey that
was part of the health insurance open enrollment period.
Some Eligible to Attend
Retirement Seminars without Annual Leave Use
In a development that dovetails with one of the items
from the 2007/2008 agenda set at A.S.E.A.’s August annual business
meeting, employee attendance at Public Employee and Teacher Retirement
System retirement seminars will now be treated as any other type of
employee benefit presentation, provided that certain criteria are met
and that those attending have at least five years of credited service
in a state-sponsored retirement system.
In an October 9 memo from State Personnel Administrator
Kay Barnhill Terry, the Office of Personnel Management announced that
attendance at retirement systems will now be as follows:
- Employees are allowed to attend a retirement seminar
once every five
years without the use of accrued leave.
- Employees within five years of retirement are allowed
to attend a
retirement seminar once a year without the use of accrued leave.
- Employees within one year of retirement or DROP (the
Deferred
Retirement Option Plan) are not required to use accrued leave to attend
retirement seminars or scheduled sessions with retirement counselors.
Among the items approved by the attendees of A.S.E.A.’s
2007 business meeting, held during the association’s August annual
convention, was a resolution “that A.S.E.A. work with the
administration to develop a uniform policy in state government for
state employees who are vested to attend their retirement systems’
retirement seminars.” That resolution was originally submitted by the
association’s Grant County chapter.
The memo clarifies that employees must schedule the
attendance so that
their absence will not hinder the work of their agency and that
appointments will require prior approval from employees’ supervisors.
Birthdate to be Excluded from
FOIA-eligible Information
In response to a recent Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) request
from a New York Associated Press reporter regarding state employees,
Attorney General Dustin McDaniel has ruled that an employee’s year of
birth be redacted from the record prior to the record’s release.
Information that will be released includes an employee’s
agency
number, agency name, first, middle and last name, job title, latest
hire date, current salary, pay basis (hourly or annual), work address,
work city, and work phone. Also eligible for release is the amount of
an employee’s Career Ladder Incentive Program (CLIP) bonus.
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