Due to a water main break in our parking lot, the complex containing the A&R office has been shut down for the remainder of today (12/30/24).  It is unknown whether we will be able to return onsite for Tuesday 12/31/24.  You can still reach us via email but we will not have access to the office phone line.

Friday December 27, A&R employees who received a "good" annual service rating will receive their annual increment (also referred to as a "Step Increase").  If you did not receive an annual service rating this year then it is considered "good" for the purpose of the Step Increase.  A&R members who were at Step 9 last year will receive a 2.5% Top Step Payment.  The Step increase (or Top Step Payment) will be reflected in your January 24, 2025 paycheck.  A&R members currently in  "training" titles are not on the same "step" movement as permanent employees and will not receive the "January"  Step

1)  The annual A&R Open Budget Cmte meeting will be held at the A&R Office (805 Brook St, Rocky Hill) on Thursday January 16, 2025 at 5:30pm.  This will be an in-person only meeting.  This is an opportunity for members to help set the A&R budget for FY26 (July 2025 - June 2026). 

2) The A&R Annual Convention will be held on Thursday April 17, 2025 at the A&R Office (805 Brook St, Rocky Hill) at 5:30pm.  The aforementioned FY26 budget will be voted on at this convention amongst other policy items that may be brought forth for to the membership for a vote.

If you feel like adding one more gift to your list this year, how about tickets to a Yankee/RedSox game!!  A&R has 55 tickets available for the Friday August 22 clash at Yankee Stadium.  There will be a bus to pick everyone up and drop off right at the stadium.  The bus will depart from the A&R Office parking lot in Rocky Hill at 3pm and will bring everyone home right after the game.  View the flyer | Register for the Game

1) Each permanent employee is granted 3 Personal Leave (PL) days per calendar year.  Those 3 days expire on December 31 of each year.  If you do not use those 3 days they do NOT carry over into the next calendar year and there is no path to recover that time; so make sure you use your 3 PL days during the calendar year or you will lose them. The good news: on January 1st you will receive 3 new PL days to use in calendar year 2025.

2) More good news, employees who received at least a "satisfactory" service rating will get a Step increase on December 27, 2024.  Steps are not equivalent but

Just a reminder to everyone regarding snow days as we enter the winter season:

Under the A&R Contract (Article 16 sec 6 page 47): if you are reporting to work (not teleworking) and it is snowing you get a 1 hour grace period from the start of your shift to account for the weather conditions (this one hour is coded as regular time, it is not coded to Vac/Sick/PL).  If the severity of the travel conditions warrant more time, then there is an additional 1.5 hours of grace time allocated as well, however, this is additional 1.5 hours is a bit more subjective in determining whether it is granted.