2020 Legislative Agenda
Compensation and Benefits
- Create a market-based pay plan for all state employees
- Implement a merit-based performance pay plan
- Base the state minimum salary upon a four-person household in regard to Federal poverty guidelines
- Modify the employee flexible benefit allowance to be based upon an average of certain monthly premiums
- Allow agencies to voluntarily buy back certain amounts of employees’ annual leave
- Establish minimum compensation for employees while performing “on-call” duties
- Increase the minimum hourly pay rate for state employees to $15 per hour
- Require overtime payment rather than “comp time” for employees under certain salaries
- Add siblings to the list of relatives that employees can request time off for caregiving duties in relation to the statewide shared leave pool
- Increase the state match into the SoonerSave program
- Increase longevity pay for long-term employees
- Develop new forms of administrative leave focused on employees’ physical wellness and volunteer work
- Establish an additional paid state holiday
- Establish tuition assistance for continuing education
Merit Protection Improvements
- Modernize the merit system to improve efficiency while maintaining essential protections for state employees
- Implement an ongoing task force to find improvements for the Merit Protection system
Retirement Benefits and Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs)
- Provide a minimum of a four percent Cost of Living Adjustment to current retirees
- Set market-based triggers to automatically implement Cost of Living Adjustments
- Create a Defined Benefit option within OPERS for newly hired employees
- Appoint an OPEA member to the OPERS Board of Trustees
Efficiency and Modernization
- Modify the function of the Trip Optimizer program and set the mileage reimbursement rate to be equal to that of the federal mileage rate
- Eliminate the ability of the Tax Commission to terminate state employees for owing back taxes
- Eliminating the requirement that severance benefits be reimbursed by a former state employee who has an offer to return to state employment.