The 2021 Pay for Performance rewards email sent by DOHR to all state employees on May 11, 2021, included a sentence that concerned TSEA and which may have been overlooked by many. The sentence reads as follows:
“Further, it is our intention that P4P one-time bonuses, but not salary increases, for Advanced and Outstanding employees in the current performance cycle (ending Sept. 2021), will be awarded in January 2022.”
As we understand this information, the next P4P rewards based on the performance cycle that ended in September 2021 (two months ago) will not include salary increases but only one-time bonuses for Advanced and Outstanding. This means, as of now, there is no funding in the budget for a pay for performance salary increase in January for the majority of state employees.
We are grateful for the tremendous investment in state employees’ salaries and the legacy retirement plan included in the budget passed during the most recent legislative session. However, as we mentioned in a letter to Gov. Bill Lee, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, and the Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton, TSEA is concerned about the impact this may have on employee morale when employees realize their hard work during these hazardous and difficult times may go unrewarded, especially at a time when we also see record revenue. Further, after many years, employees are just beginning to understand and have some degree of comfort with the pay-for-performance system. This could severely undermine that progress.
TSEA has been working on this issue, and on October 4, 2021, sent a letter to the right to Gov. Bill Lee, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, and the Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton (Click Here to view the letter).
This is a developing story. We remain in contact with legislative leadership about the issue and will keep you up to date on the latest developments. Please monitor our website and your email for updates.
