Where to start with this one....as you are aware, most of the activities from A&R are accomplished through the efforts of volunteers.  We have always been fortunate and grateful to have support from our membership to accomplish everything from training classes at Water's Edge to political activity at the Capitol to social events at the AquaTurf, but as you will see below, we have lost quite a bit over the past month or so and we are looking for more helpers!

A&R 2nd Vice President:  our beloved 2nd Vice President: Janet Andrews (DRS) has taken a promotion and is no longer a member of A&R. 

This year the residents of Connecticut will be electing our General Assembly (Senate and House).  The representatives in the General Assembly is of extreme importance to State Employees as this General Assembly will be the group who votes on our next labor contract...so A&R (with some help from AFT-CT) has vetted the candidates and made our endorsements for candidates who will support our next contract when it comes for a vote in the General Assembly.  A&R does not get involved in national politics, so we took no position on US Congress or the Presidential race...but the State Senators and

Some answers to questions that we have been getting:

Random Answer #1: No - President Trump's Executive Order allowing the deferral of FICA payments (roughly 7.65% for the employee) is not going to be implemented by the Comptroller's Office. The executive order would have allowed State Employees to defer payments into the Social Security and Medicaid systems through the end of the of the year.  This was not a tax break - it was merely a deferral of tax payments - those same payments would have come due during the next year. The Comptroller gave a reason why it won't be implemented for State

September ushers in the beginning of Autumn, local harvest festivals, and our annual service ratings.  The annual service rating is important as it is connected to your Step increase in January.  An "overall good or better" will grant you the Step increase (no rating given will also grant the Step increase).  However, if you receive an "overall less than good" rating you can be denied your step increase ("less than good" = 1 Unsatisfactory mark or 2 Fair marks)

There are also a few procedures surrounding the service rating...of course this year may be a little different than in years past, so here a few things about conducting service ratings this year.

Our service ratings require that the immediate supervisor meet and discuss the rating with the employee.  Due to COVID/teleworking, reviews do not need to be done in person, we will accept a meeting conducted via Zoom/Teams.  If your supervisor wants to meet in person and you are hesitant or unable to do so, please feel free to request a Zoom/Teams conference. 

Also, our service ratings require that the employee signs the document acknowledging that they have seen the document and discussed it.  We will accept an email communication from the employee as acknowledgement of the requirements and the physical signature can be obtained at a later time.

It is still expected that the direct supervisor sign the document prior to review and that the appointing authority also signs the document in a timely manner.

If you receive 1 Unsatisfactory mark or 2 Fair marks, the rating should be contested so please contact a steward (or the A&R Office 860 953 1316 or the A&R Chief Steward Patrick Lamb plamb@andr.org).

Often times, employees are upset that, this year, they were not reviewed as being as stellar as in years past, yet all marks are above the line; in most cases, this is not contestable/greiveable, but you can talk to a steward about it, in some cases there is an unacceptable reason for the downgrade that goes beyond just the supervisors annual assessment.

Lastly, the Top Step Payment is not contingent upon the service rating.

All members should be aware that our Healthcare Open Enrollment period is occurring now and will remain open through the month end of September.

This is your (only) opportunity to change your healthcare plan until July 2021 (with the exception of life changes like birth of a child, etc).   Also remember, if you were recently divorced or your kids "aged" out of the healthcare plan, make sure you remove them as dependents to your plan.

This year is very different than it has been in years past.  First, open enrollment is usually in May but was moved to September this year (you know, b/c of COVID)

A&R has a couple of steward vacancies we are looking to fill and we need the next generation of union stewards to step forward.  Our primary coverage priorities are at: DAS, DRS, DDS, and DMV.  If you are an A&R member and interested in becoming a steward (especially at one of the listed agencies),  send a: (1) cover letter; (2) a résumé; and (3) the names and phone numbers of two A&R members in the applicant’s agency to serve as character references.

Please send your application either by email to plamb@andr.org or by mail, attention Patrick Lamb, Chief Steward at A&R, 805 Brook Street, Rocky Hill, CT    06067.