Union wage increase to occur despite missed budget deadline

Even while lawmakers have delayed passage of the budget that funds most state agencies, OCSEA state bargaining unit members can be assured they will receive their union-negotiated pay raise on time.

Thanks to the union contract, union state employees have already begun receiving their 2.75 percent increase for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Due to the state’s two week payroll lag, the raise will appear for the first time on employees’ July 19 paycheck.

The state is operating under an interim budget for the next 17 days, meaning some non-essential expenses will be cut or delayed. The Dept. of Administrative Services sent an email to OCSEA Headquarters Monday indicating that the legislature had passed interim budgets for both state operations and BWC and that payroll will proceed.