81 Million in Back Pay on Its Way to Reagan-Era Special-Raters
By Stephen Barr
Friday, December 12, 2003; Page B02
The check is in the mail.
About 90,000 checks totaling $81 million have been mailed to current and former federal employees covered by the special-rate back-pay settlement reached by the government and the National Treasury Employees Union.
"NTEU fought for this moment for 20 years," said Colleen M. Kelley, the union's president. "It's not only gratifying to see these employees get the money they rightly deserve, but having the first payments delivered in the midst of the holiday season is especially satisfying."
Typical payments range from $1,000 to $3,000, Kelley said. Two percent of those filing claims have challenged the calculation of their back pay, usually because they think the government's personnel records have provided the settlement administrator with incorrect or incomplete information, Kelley said.
The payments have been eagerly awaited by many of the covered employees, who watched the union and the government wrangle over a class-action lawsuit for years in federal district and appeals courts.
The union filed suit after the Reagan administration altered a policy that affected employees receiving special-rate pay -- the higher pay provided workers in certain hard-to-fill positions. The NTEU challenged the administration's decision, which had left some workers receiving little or no pay increase in some years.
The union prevailed in the court battles, and the government agreed last year to pay $178 million to cover back pay and lost retirement benefits.
About 129,000 individuals -- many have left the government, retired or died -- saw their raises improperly capped from 1982 through 1988, the period covered by the case.
The checks worth $81 million were mailed Wednesday, and Kelley said she was told that some of them arrived at homes yesterday.
Under the terms of the settlement, the remainder of the $178 million is being held until the union hears from people and estates deemed eligible for back pay. Some people who are owed money have not filed a claim, and some survivors of deceased employees also have not sought payment, Kelley said.
Those covered by the settlement have until Oct. 27, 2004, to submit their paperwork, Kelley said. Details of the claim procedure can be obtained by calling 1-800-750-3406 or at a special Web site, www.specialratessettlement.com.
Toys for Navy Tots
The Office of Personnel Management is sending about 1,200 toys to Norfolk for the children of the crew of the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The toys will be handed out to about 600 children at a holiday party tomorrow.
OPM is housed in the Theodore Roosevelt Federal Building, named after the 26th president, who served as a crusading reformer on the old civil service commission from 1889 to 1895. Kay Coles James, OPM's director, adopted the aircraft carrier shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
In addition to donations from the OPM staff, members of a Boy Scout troop bought toys with their allowances, and a Girl Scout collected 36 cases of scout cookies for the crew and their children, OPM spokeswoman Susan Bryant said.
A total of 1,210 toys were collected, exceeding James's goal of 1,000 toys. The toy drive also benefits OPM employees in the Roosevelt Building, and 17 children of OPM workers will receive holiday gifts, Bryant said.
Retirement
Ken Dalton, associate commissioner of the Office of Prices and Living Conditions at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, will retire Jan. 2 after 38 years of service. Since 1982, Dalton has been responsible for some of the bureau's most visible programs, such as the consumer price index.
Talk Shows
John Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, will be the guest on "FEDtalk" at 11 a.m. today on federalnewsradio.com.
Ken Blackwell, Ohio's secretary of state, will be the guest on "The Business of Government Hour" at 9 a.m. tomorrow on WJFK radio (106.7 FM).
Imagene B. Stewart's "Holiday Thank You" will be broadcast at 8 a.m. Sunday on WOL radio (1450 AM). |
