1. Purpose:

To provide longevity pay to regular full-time staff personnel in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 659, Subchapter D, Texas Government Code; and to provide hazardous duty pay to all certified law enforcement personnel in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 659.062, Texas Government Code.

2. Longevity Pay:

It is the policy of the University that all regular full-time staff members (except law enforcement personnel eligible for hazardous duty pay) are entitled to longevity pay not to exceed $20 per month for each two years of service as an employee of the State up to and including 42 years of service. Such longevity pay is to commence at the end of the second year of service and payments are to be increased at the end of each two year period thereafter. An employee's status on the first work day of the month determines an employee's longevity pay eligibility for that month.

3. Hazardous Duty Pay:

All University employees certified as commissioned law enforcement officers or custodial officers under Section 25.505, Title 110B, Revised Statutes; are eligible for hazardous duty pay of $10 a month for each year of eligible state service up to and including 30 years. The amount of a part-time employee's hazardous duty pay is proportional to the amount of a full-time employee's. ¹ An employee's status on the first workday of the month determines an employee's eligibility for the month.

3.1 If an employee is commissioned after 5/29/87 and is receiving longevity pay and transfers to a position requiring the performance of hazardous duty, the employee will receive hazardous duty pay based upon the number of years in the position requiring the performance of the hazardous duty. The employee will continue to receive longevity pay based upon the years worked in the non-hazardous duty position.

3.2 If an employee was commissioned on or before 5/29/87 and is receiving longevity pay and transfers to a position requiring the performance of hazardous duty, the employee will receive hazardous duty pay based upon his/her total state service even if he/she was not in a hazardous duty position the entire time. The employee will continue to receive longevity pay based upon the years worked in the non-hazardous duty position.

3.3 If a state employee working in a position requiring the performance of hazardous duty transfers to a position that does not require the performance of hazardous duty, the employee will no longer receive hazardous duty pay. The employee shall receive longevity pay based on the total number of years worked for the state, including the years worked in the position requiring the performance of hazardous duty.

4. Responsibility:

The University Human Resources Department is responsible for maintaining State service records, determining eligibility for payment, maintaining records on employees eligible for longevity pay and hazardous duty pay and other tasks necessary in the administration of the longevity pay and hazardous duty pay programs.

5. General:

5.1 State service is defined to include all service to the State of Texas including part-time, faculty, or legislative service. Time need not be continuous. Any service in the public school system of Texas is not considered state service. ² Service for an institution of higher education in a capacity which requires the employee to be a student as a condition of employment is considered State service. ³,

5.2 A terminating or retiring employee is not entitled to receive longevity (or hazardous duty) pay when he/she is compensated for accrued vacation leave in a lump sum. ⁴

5.3 Lump sum death sick leave benefits for the estate of an eligible employee may not include longevity or hazardous duty pay.

REFERENCE:

1 Section 659.305(f), Texas Government Code

2 Attorney General Opinion Number WW-1443.

3 Attorney General Opinion JM-407, December 23, 1985.

4 Attorney General Opinion No. MW-282, December 1, 1980.