Index

Agencies Gearing Up for New Compensation Plan | Part-Time Employees Now Have Health Insurance Options | Return-To-Work: Restoring the Team | New Look, New Experiences on Tap at the Science Musuem of Virginia | Feedback | The Value of Your Health Benefits: A Closer Look | How Premium Conversion Saves Tax Dollars | George Stubbs Exhibit on View at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts | Going On Now at the Science Museum of Virginia! | Stated Briefly

State employees are several steps closer to the new performance-based pay plan developed by the Commission on Reform of the Classified Compensation Plan and recommended to the General Assembly. If approved by the legislative body and signed into law by Governor Gilmore, the new compensation plan would take effect on July 1, 2000. If the recommendations are adopted, human resources officers from state agencies throughout the Commonwealth will be prepared. They recently gathered in Richmond to discuss "change management" and implementation of the proposed reforms. The recommendations were presented in the last issue of Currents (January 2000, Vol. 5, No.6), available on the Department of Personnel and Training's web site, where a link to the Commission's site also may be found, at www.dpt.state.va.us Stay tuned. The next edition of Currents will include more detailed information about the compensation reform plan.

Part-Time Employees Now Have Health Insurance Options

In response to part-time employees' concerns about the lack of group health care coverage, Governor Gilmore included such coverage as an important element of his plan to offer all state employees greater choice in their health care plans.

Several health insurance plans for part-time employees are now available for purchase through payroll deduction. Employees who enroll in a plan will be responsible for all premiums, which may vary depending on their health status or age.

Fringe Benefits Management Company has included the plans as options for which premiums can be deducted from an employee's paycheck. Two companies, Trustmark Insurance Company and Trigon Blue Cross Blue Shield, will provide coverage. Of the available plans, at least two are guaranteed issuance and do not require medical approval.

It is important for part-time employees to remember that the plans do not contain the same benefits as health insurance coverage for full-time employees.

To qualify, part-time employees must work an average of 20 hours or more per week for at least six months. Adjunct faculty members must have taught for one semester or two quarters.

Information about the plans is available from Trustmark, at 1-888-458-8995, or Trigon, at 1-800-334-7676. The Trigon coverage is not available in the Northern Virginia cities of Fairfax, Alexandria, Arlington, the town of Vienna or the area east of State Route 123. Employees with questions about the plans should contact the companies directly. Questions regarding eligibility should be referred to the employing agency's benefits administrator.

Return-To-Work: Restoring the Team

The Commonwealth's Return-To-Work program is a disability management process which focuses on early intervention as the key to reducing time lost in a job because of an employee's illness or injury. The program began slightly more than a year ago as a result of Governor Gilmore's Executive Order 52 (99) which charges state agencies with providing a safe, healthy workplace for employees.

Administered by the Workers' Compensation Program, Return-To-Work ensures that injured and ill employees receive required medical services and, when possible, helps employees return to the workplace in a safe, healthy and timely way. The Return-To-Work program takes into account the injured employee's special circumstances.

A case in point: An 18-year employee at the Division of Risk Management, Joyce Palmer suffered a severe injury at home in June 1999. She severed an artery, a nerve and eight tendons when she cut her arm on a glass door. Although she still has nerve damage in two fingers, she has regained almost full use of her dominant right hand.

Palmer attempted to return to work after seven days. "It upset me greatly that the first words from someone were, 'What are you doing here? You should be at home. You almost lost your hand!' That day was the hardest. I was in pain, but still I wanted to come in. I needed to try," she said.

What Palmer heard on that day reflected the way people once thought about worker injuries. Then the tendency was to have injured/ill employees stay home until they had fully recovered, before agency management would consider allowing them to return to the job. Sue Keener, deputy director of the Division of Risk Management joined with the statewide Return-To-Work Coordinator and began to help Palmer ease back into the workplace. Although her injury was not Workers' Compensation related, because it did not occur at the work site, the agency actions that followed, which allowed Palmer to more quickly resume her job, are good examples of effective return-to-work measures.

The statewide Return-To-Work Coordinator researched what equipment or assistance would help Palmer function without the use of her right hand. Accommodating an employee's abilities can be done in a number of ways, including restructuring duties, implementing modified work schedules, or altering equipment and assignments.

The program helps employees make the transition back to work after an injury, and it involves them in the recovery process. Following a "work as therapy" model, the program's flexibility is designed to help the Commonwealth keep its valued and experienced employees.

An employee's knowledge and skills are recognized as valuable assets in the Return-To-Work program philosophy. It facilitates cooperation in the workplace to make adjustments that allow injured employees to resume as many of their former duties as possible within the shortest feasible period of absence. The office benefited from Palmer's experience, and she benefited from the "work as therapy" approach to her recovery. Agencies are encouraged to develop a modified duty policy for injured employees that permits them to resume work whenever possible. This approach requires flexibility on the agency's part, using transitional or light-duty assignments when appropriate.

Another important factor is the workplace perception of individuals with temporary or permanent impairments. The key for other employees is to be amenable to swapping some of their duties to help accommodate the returning employee during the short-term. "Work is important to people" says Keener. "In the long-term, returning to work is psychologically better for employees. Not returning to work results in loss of income, loss of self-esteem, loss of control over one's life, and damage to personal and professional relationships," she added.

The agency purchased a headset for Palmer because she spends considerable time speaking with customers on the phone. A touch-pad was connected to her computer, replacing its mouse. Other employees in the office offered to help with her workload. A flexible work schedule was established to allow her to attend physical therapy several days a week. Working together, these modifications helped Palmer gradually ease back into a regular schedule as she recovered. "My recovery was driven by my desire to not give in. The agency's assistance just made it easier and possibly even quicker," Palmer said. "Just because an employee shows up to work, it cannot be assumed that he/she is capable of 100 percent performance, even though that is what the agency may need. Agencies should understand this and help the employee's re-entry into the workplace."

More information about this program is available from Michelle Allen, the statewide Return-To-Work coordinator for the Commonwealth of Virginia's Workers' Compensation Program, at (804) 786-9862.

New Look, New Experiences on Tap at the Science Museum of Virginia

With just a hint of imagination, the echoed footsteps of travelers hurrying through the cavernous central lobby to meet their waiting trains, can almost be heard. But many years have passed since Richmond's Broad Street Station has been used that way. It was, and is, a beautiful building. Abandoned as a working train station several years earlier, the majestic, domed structure, fronted by massive classical columns, was nearly reduced to so much bulldozer's rubble before the Commonwealth, responding to a public outcry about plans to destroy the building, acquired it in 1975. That action saved what has since been officially designated as a National Register site and a Virginia landmark.

Life was restored to the grand old building when it was reborn as the Science Museum of Virginia, which opened its doors to the public in 1977 and now is among the most popular destinations in Central Virginia. More than 1,000 visitors check into the Museum each day, and another 1,100 supporters serve in volunteer capacities throughout the year. If attendance figures from the affiliated Virginia Aviation Museum, the Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum and the Danville Science Center are included, the annual attendance figure approaches a half million.

Renewal of another sort, now under way, will transform the internal physical layout of the Museum into one of the region's most stimulating science education centers.

"Every exhibit we install here will be custom-designed," noted Walter R. T. Witschey, the Museum's director, who provides an abundance of visionary leadership and inspiration to the 100-member staff, as well as the construction crews working on the $14 million renovation. During a recent "hardhat" tour of the building, Witschey seemed acquainted with every person working on the various renovation projects. In addition to describing the global view of the Science Museum of Virginia its purpose and destiny Witschey revealed an uncanny knowledge of details about the ongoing progress of the construction work, from expected delays in the delivery of materials required to complete installation of the glass elevators, to the date when concrete is scheduled to be poured into the frame for a pair of pedestrian bridges. "This is Virginia's largest adaptive reuse project, a project that converts a building from its original use to an entirely different purpose. With these renovations, we are acquiring an additional 10,000 square feet of usable space inside the building," Witschey said. As these renovations have proceeded, the Museum has continually remained open to the public (see related article, back page).

Taking shape is a wonderland of science education and hands-on activities featuring, as its centerpiece the "bioscape" major life sciences installation called "The Unity and Diversity of Life" exhibition. This showcase of interrelated exhibits will span 3.5 million years of life on earth, taking the Museum's patrons on a connected journey from the "micro" world of tiny living organisms to the "macro" world of biologically complex animal and plant life. "No other place will have quite as unified an approach to living things as we will have here," Witschey assured. For mystery buffs who also happen to love science, an opportunity to do some real-life sleuthing will be found inside the Museum, thanks to a gift from the popular crime novelist Patricia Cornwell. Visitors to this exhibit will be given a clipboard and scientific clues to help them use forensic science to solve a criminal case through the use of eight related science exhibits. With diligence, Museum visitors can gain the satisfaction of actually solving the "whodunnit" with their own scientific knowledge and skills.

"Half the kids who come here are between the ages of 18 and 90," Witschey quipped matter-of-factly, while driving home the point that people of all ages have a natural curiosity about the world around them. "If we can bring them in and ask 'Hey, have you ever tried this?,' the hook will be set and off we'll go! Their interest in science, like their visit to our Museum, will not be a one-shot experience."

Other features of the new Science Museum of Virginia include a 130-seat theatre with cascading rows that flow into a stage equipped for theatrical productions, science demonstrations or movie viewing through a rear-projection screen; administrative office space for museum staff and volunteers, and expanded exhibition areas. Bringing the old structure into compliance with modern building codes was a major undertaking during each phase of the renovation work. The original building was designed by famed architect John Russell Pope in 1913, as his first and only commercial building. Later, he designed, among others, the Jefferson Memorial, the National Archives and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

Witschey credits a talented and creative staff with the Museum's success now and in the future. "These exhibit and program ideas are conceived by our staff as marvelous ways to explain scientific concepts. From top to bottom, they do a remarkable job. There is a passionate dedication and cooperative spirit that takes over whenever our employees get the opportunity to step outside of their daily activities to contribute to making the Museum's mission of science education go forward," he said. "These are diverse, talented and creative people. Where else can you find a staff that can build sets and displays, run some of the most sophisticated projection machinery in the world (IMAX theater projector); dissect a cow's eye, operate telescopes, build and operate web sites, make television shows and work with volunteers, and then step away from that to consider how to creatively present a science concept to the general public?"

And what of the state of science education today? Witschey is confident that the general public is latching onto science in ever greater numbers and in more diverse ways. He is even more confident about the role the Science Museum of Virginia plays in support of Virginia's Science Standards of Learning and the assistance provided to teachers and students. "The life sciences exhibit is specifically designed to help teachers understand how it can be used to bolster their students' performance on the science objectives of the SOLs. We prepare curriculum guides, notebooks and information on our web site that can bring real scientists into Virginia's classrooms. If you were to ask any group of professional scientists, they would agree that we, here in Virginia, are exposing our children to just what they all believe children should be learning about science."

Witschey's involvement with the Science Museum of Virginia began many years ago, during his days as a volunteer. Back then, he got permission to build the world's largest sundial, a feat which earned him and the Museum a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. The sundial has since disappeared, although Witschey hints that he would consider building another one on the expanded grounds behind the Museum. Standing beside the future home of what probably will be the world's largest strand of DNA, a colorful 50-foot model of life's basic building block, Witschey continues his discussion about grand things to come. From the tiniest elements of life on earth to the outsized display of sundials and molecules, one thing is abundantly clear at the Science Museum of Virginia the devotion to scientific education is, so fittingly, huge.

FEEDBACK
This is part of a series of articles to inform state employees about the results of Governor Gilmore's statewide employee survey and town hall meetings, as well as to address common questions and concerns. Each article will focus on a specific topic and correspond with the subjects of most concern to the many employees who participated in the Governor's outreach efforts.

PROBLEM RESOLUTION

How do interpersonal and employment related problems get solved in the state government workplace? Like elsewhere in public and private sector offices and work sites everywhere, the vast majority of them are resolved informally and without fanfare, through discussion and individual cooperation. Still, more than enough workplace problems cannot be solved so easily. These require more formal methods of tackling tough issues, sensitive topics and interpersonal conflicts.

Then there is the matter of perception. One person's cure can be another's affliction. Sometimes, when managers and supervisors impose a "solution," then go on to assuredly report that the problem has been solved, they may have sown the seed for an even greater problem to come. How will the solution affect all of the parties involved? Finding lasting solutions to difficult problems among employees can pose a serious challenge to managers and rank-and-file employees alike.

Many responses to the Governor's employee survey and town hall meetings reflected employee opinions about the relative degree of ease or difficulty associated with solving workplace problems within state government. A substantial majority of responding employees expressed confidence in their ability to find help for work related problems (73 percent) and to get that help confidentially if the problem is personal (65 percent). They also felt that the existing state employee grievance procedures offer a fair way to resolve disputes between managers and employees (61 percent).

These same employees were more evenly divided when asked if their problems or complaints were taken seriously (44 percent said they weren't), if their concerns were handled in a satisfactory manner (45 percent said they weren't), or if the relationship between management and employees was positive (48 percent said that it was not). More than half of the survey respondents (56 percent) believe it is not safe to express their opinions on the job.

There is no accurate way to determine from the survey itself whether these responses describe the experiences of employees who have dealt with their problems in an informal way ­ the way most workplace problems are handled, with no resort to official problem resolution mechanisms ­ or whether, in fact, they reflect the experiences of grievances, written complaints or other formal methods that are available to state employees to address specific problems and concerns.

If an employee problem rises to the level of a formal complaint, it will probably be addressed within state government by one of the agencies which were created expressly for this purpose [See box inset].

Among the most effective, but probably least familiar, options for resolving workplace conflicts is mediation. Mediation is a process intended to find a mutually agreeable solution between conflicting parties before either files an official written complaint to activate one of the formal mechanisms listed below. Many employees prefer the less adversarial nature of the mediation process over the official complaint channels, which sometimes deliver solutions that fail to satisfy either party to the dispute. Some state agencies have well-developed, active mediation programs (see "Meeting in the Middle", Currents, Vol. 4, No. 1, March, 1998). The Department of Employee Relations Counselors (DERC), in addition to using its own professional mediators to find amicable solutions for its own case load of employee conflict, also trains state employees as professional mediators who now serve in agencies throughout the Commonwealth. George Mason University is home to the Northern Virginia Mediation Service, which provides professional mediators and mediation trainers to government agencies and private businesses on a fee-for-service basis.

How successful is state government's problem solving apparatus? It is difficult to track statewide in all of the places where problems are solved, but the experience of DERC, a key agency heavily involved in employee disputes, suggests that the volume of workplace issues being handled by state agencies is significant.

For instance, during 1998, that agency processed and concluded 1,173 employee grievances, most of those involving employee disciplinary actions or terminations. The state's grievance procedure involves three levels of possible problem resolution within the complainant's employing agency. That year, 67 percent of the grievances were resolved at these levels, without progressing to the next step ­ an official hearing on the matter. Of the remaining cases, 21 percent resulted in a formal hearing, while 12 percent were administratively closed.

No workplace will ever be problem-free all of the time. Unfortunately, interpersonal conflicts within a work unit generally tend to infect other members of the work group, even though these co-workers most often share no responsibility for, or involvement in, the problem issue itself. It is in the interest of the work unit, the agency and the Commonwealth to address interpersonal workplace issues quickly, to provide for the accurate presentation of both sides of the conflict, and to ensure the conduct of a fair process to resolve the problem and restore teamwork and productivity. When problems between managers and employees or problems among co-workers do occur, the Commonwealth is prepared to assist the parties in the search for a workable solution.

 

The Department of Employee Relations Counselors DERC is a management/employee-neutral state agency which oversees the employee grievance procedures. Most state employees can use the procedures, with the exception of probationary employees and agency personnel working for certain agencies, as identified in Virginia Code Section 2.1-116. The Department of Personnel and Training's Office of Equal Employment Services OEES receives official filings for employee discrimination based on race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, political affiliation or disability. This process is available to executive branch employees. The Employee Assistance Program For employees suffering from personal problems, such as alcohol and drug addiction, marital problems and the like, which impact their job performance, the EAP program offers confidential counseling and treatment services. The Council on Human Rights While principally involved in private sector issues, some categories of state employees can avail themselves of the problem resolution mechanism offered by the Council. Among these are employees of the judicial and legislative branches of state government. Executive branch employees generally cannot file their complaints with the Council. The Department for Rights of Virginians with Disabilities This department assists employees (and non-employees) with disability-related problems, such as abuse, neglect and discrimination. In some cases, the Department serves as an advocate and provides legal representation for disabled Virginians who encounter such problems. Health Benefits Ombudsman The newest problem resolution mechanism, establishment of a Health Benefits Ombudsman, began only weeks ago. DPT's Office of Health Benefits Programs, which previously received and resolved health benefits-related problems, now will improve this function by centralizing employee complaints and concerns in the ombudsman's office.

The Value of Your Health Benefits: A Closer Look

Your health coverage is part of your pay. Do you take your health benefits for granted? Perhaps you shouldn't. On average, health benefits make up approximately 11 percent of a state employee's compensation package. These are benefits the state pays in addition to your salary. Your benefits under Key Advantage, Cost Alliance and HMO plans include medical, surgical, prescription drug and dental benefits, along with mental illness and substance abuse services.

Many Americans, including a sizeable number of Virginians, are not as fortunate. In recent years, despite unprecedented economic growth, an estimated 44 million people in the United States are without health insurance. Some reports indicate the number of uninsured may be increasing at the rate of 1 million per year. According to the Virginia Association of Managed Care Plans, the number of Virginians without health insurance increased by about 100,000 people from 1997 to 1998, resulting in one in seven Virginians without coverage.

Employers Dropping Coverage

Many employers no longer offer group health insurance coverage to their employees. Xerox Corporation announced in December of last year that it is considering a plan to pay employees a flat cash amount to purchase their own health insurance coverage in the private sector. In 1997, statistics from the Census Bureau and the Employee Benefits Research Institute show, the percentage of Americans under age 65 with health insurance provided through their job, or a family member's job, was 64.2 percent. That figure is down from 69.2 percent only 10 years earlier.

Retiree Health Insurance Declining

The outlook is depressing for many retirees who expected to receive health insurance coverage from former employers. William M. Mercer, a major consulting firm, reports that the number of large employers providing coverage to Medicare-eligible retirees declined in 1999 for the sixth year in a row, down from 30 percent to 28 percent. In addition, only about one-third of large employers provided coverage last year to retirees not eligible for Medicare.

In light of these trends, what can you as a state employee count on in the provision of your health benefits?

At a time when so many people face the prospect of losing their employer-provided health insurance, or of having no insurance at all, state employees continue to be secure in their group health benefits coverage.

Question: What's that worth to you?

Answer: About 11 percent of your compensation.

How Premium Conversion
Saves Tax Dollars

An eligible employee and her husband earn $50,000 per year and have two dependents. They are in the 15 percent tax bracket and pay 7.65 percent in Social Security taxes. Their total tax liability is 22.65 percent.

 

	With Premium Conversion		Without Premium Conversion
Monthly Taxable Salary	$4,170.00		$4,170.00
Pre-tax premiums	-200.00		-0.00
Taxable Income	3,970.00		4,170.00
Taxes (22.65%)	-899.00		-945.00
After-tax dependent premiums	-0.00		-200.00
TAKE-HOME PAY	$3,071.00		$3,025.00
MONTHLY SAVINGS	-----------------------------	$46.00
Source: Fringe Benefits Management Company, Commonwealth of Virginia 1999 Flexible Benefits Sourcebook.

George Stubbs Exhibit on View
at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Richard B. Woodward, left, interim director of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and Malcolm Cormack, VMFA's Paul Mellon Curator, discuss one of the works in "George Stubbs in the Collection of Paul Mellon ­ A Memorial Exhibition" on show through May 14. Stubbs, an 18th-century artist thought to be little regarded outside a tight circle of sporting clients who prized his paintings of animals, and especially horses, was all but ignored until Philanthropist Paul Mellon began accumulating a wide variety of Stubbs's work. In addition to horse paintings, the VMFA exhibit includes various hunt scenes, etchings and engravings, anatomical illustrations and richly adorned landscapes. Stubbs's oil painting of a zebra, also on display during this exhibit, was the first visual depiction of this exotic African animal for most Europeans. Mellon is widely regarded as the most influential proponent of Stubbs's work and the person most responsible for the artist's current recognition as one of England's greatest painters.

Going On Now at the
Science Museum of Virginia!

One important phase of the Science Museum of Virginia's renovation has been completed ­ the Ethyl Corporation IMAX^®DOME & Planetarium. Now showing the updated rendition of one of Walt Disney's most famous animated features, the IMAX theater is attracting overflow crowds to its daily showings of FANTASIA 2000, an exciting showcase for the talents of a new generation of Disney animators and filmmakers who visually interpret classical compositions by Beethoven, Shostakovich, Respighi, Saint-Saëns, Elgar, Gershwin and Stravinsky. One patron called it "the mother of all music videos!" FANTASIA 2000's run will extend through April 30th.

Also showing is "Beyond Numbers," a traveling exhibition, scheduled to remain at the Science Museum until April 30th. This exhibition pulls visitors into a fresh approach to math using puzzles, art, science, culture and real-life applications, with a focus on fun.

And, of course, the Science Museum's regular features, such as the Zoom^TM zone, planetarium programs, classes, Carpenter Science Theatre productions and traveling programs including BioExpress, Science-By-Van and the Airmobile continue to be offered on a regular basis.

Detailed information about the full range of programs, exhibits, activities, schedules and fees, as well as information about memberships or volunteer opportunities, is available on the Museum's web site, at www.smv.org or by dialing (804) 367-6552 or 1-800-659-1727. For 24-hour taped information, dial (804) 367-0000.

· During the past year, Virginians have suffered their fair share of bad weather, from Hurricane Floyd in late summer, to this year's snow and ice storms that confounded travel and closed state offices. The Department of Personnel and Training recently issued a revised emergency closings policy and distributed it to agencies throughout the Commonwealth. Revised Policy #1.35 addresses many common employee concerns that arise with emergency office closings. It can be found on DPT's web site, at www.dpt.state.va.us or by contacting your agency's human resources office.

· Since the renovation of the Governor's Executive Mansion began airing as the featured project in the 13-part series for Bob Vila's nationally syndicated television show "Home Again" ( Currents, January 2000, Vol. 5, No. 6), the Governor's office received a deluge of requests for videotaped copies of the series. They are available through Vila's web site, at www.bobvila.com or by calling (508) 362-7919.

· So often the victims of crime are forgotten soon after the headlines disappear and the criminal has been convicted. What happens to the victims or their family and friends after that? Not enough people know. Virginia's Attorney General Mark L. Earley is out to change that. He has announced the Second Annual Victims' Rights Week Walkathon, scheduled to take place in downtown Richmond on Saturday morning, April 15. The Walkathon, said Earley, "...will provide us all an opportunity to stand united with victims of crime and to support the rights of all law abiding Virginians."

In addition to a keynote address by Earley, the event will provide recognition for the many individuals and programs that work with victims and their families, including law enforcement agencies, social service agencies, victim/witness programs and victims advocates. The two-mile trek along Richmond's new Canal Walk, starting and ending at the State Capitol, will begin with a 9:30 registration at the Capitol Building.

The Walkathon is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. The public is invited to participate and display tables are available for reservation. Additionally, Walkathon tee-shirts can be ordered until March 25^th. More information is available from Kim Anderson, at (804) 371-7763, or from Andi Martin, at (804) 692-0555; e-mail kanderson@oag.state.va.us

· The onset of spring ushers in the annual U.S. Savings Bonds drive in state government offices throughout the Commonwealth. Last year, the U.S. Treasury Department introduced the "I" Bond, which is widely available for purchase along with the popular "EE" Bonds that traditionally have been sold in the state's bond campaign. Plans are under way to facilitate inclusion of the I Bond via payroll deduction, although payroll deduction for this Bond is not expected to be available during the campaign period, in late April and early May. The "I" stands for "inflation fighter." I Bonds carry a different interest rate than EE Bonds to ensure that their growth will not be impeded by inflation.

 

LAST WORD TO ERR IS HUMAN; TO FORGIVE.....Many thanks to our alert readers who noticed, and called to our attention, an error in the last edition of Commonwealth Currents. A "Stated Briefly" notice was intended to clarify questions about the payday scheduled for July 3, 2000, since so many employees wondered if that date had been listed in error. We correctly confirmed the validity of that date, but we erred in re-listing it as "July 3, 1999." Several readers asked whether we had deliberately planted the error just to see if our readers were paying attention! No, we did not plan it that way. We regret the error. Still, finding out how many Currents readers really do pay attention was a gratifying, albeit unexpected, result. For the record, here is the corrected informationand, hopefully, the last word on this: THE JULY 3, 2000 PAYDATE IS CORRECT According to the Department of Accounts, the precedent-setting change is necessary because the normal July 1 payday falls on a weekend, and movement of this payday into June is precluded because of the July 1 changeover to the new fiscal year.