Legislative Agenda 2020

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.