Board says Baker administration made illegal paycheck deductions – Boston Information, Climate, Sports activities

By On Apr 1, 2021

A union representing more than 22,000 state employees won a case against the Baker government this week involving the Paid Family and Sick Leave Act, which requires the state to repay workers up to $ 30 million in employee benefits that could not have been properly deducted from paychecks.

The Commonwealth Employment Relations Board ruled Tuesday that the administration violated the collective bargaining rights of members of the National Association of Government Employees when it began deducting the 0.5 percent maximum contribution from their paychecks in October 2019 to support the new vacation program to pay.

According to the documents, the administration argued that it tried to negotiate the amount of the contribution in good faith but had reached an impasse with the union and had a legal deadline in unilaterally implementing the deductions.

The board ordered the administration in its decision to return to the negotiating table and “recruit entire members of the negotiating unit for economic losses they may have suffered as a result of the Commonwealth’s unlawful conduct”.

NAGE officials estimate their members’ PFML dues as of October 1, 2019 at $ 30 million, including interest.

“NAGE believes that the Baker Administration should do the right thing and implement the unanimous decision of CERB for ALL government employees affected by the PFML tax, regardless of negotiations with the Union,” said NAGE National President David Holway . “We ask Baker not to appeal this decision and to compensate employees who have been unjustly taxed.”

The Baker administration could not be reached immediately for comment.

Paid family and sick leave were financed by law through a wage tax of 0.75 percent. Salary deductions for employees vary depending on the employer. However, employees may be required to contribute up to 40 percent of their total medical leave contribution and up to 100 percent of their total family leave contribution.

Benefits for caring for a new child or sick service member, or for treating a health problem will be available on January 1, 2021, while paid leave for caring for sick family members will be available on July 1, 2021.