September 2021 • Vol. 39, Issue 6
THE
REPORTER
State Employees Association of North Carolina
House budget contains pay raises, bonus for retirees The N.C. House of Representatives passed its budget proposal on Aug. 12 that improved on the Senate’s plan, but still fell short of addressing all the needs of state employees and retirees. The House budget includes raises and bonuses for state employees (see below) as well as a 2% bonus for retirees in both years. It also fully funds the retirement system and the State Health Plan. SEANC was successful in lobbying House budget writers to amend the budget to fund a 3% raise for EHRA non-faculty employees making less than $95,000 per year. These employees were left out of the original proposal
completely. We will be working with members of the conference committee to ensure these employees receive at least the 5% raise over two years as other state employees. The budget dance is not over. Conferees from the Senate and House will now meet to hash out the differences between their two proposals. That compromise budget will then be sent to the governor for his signature, a process that is expected to last into September. A major issue of disagreement between the House and Senate budgets is the reorganization of the Department of Corrections into its own cabinet-level
agency. This is a critical change needed to ensure the safety of correctional employees. The Senate budget rightly included the provision to separate corrections from the Department of Public Safety, but the House did not. SEANC has had conversations with both sides about the importance of this change. SEANC's lobbyists worked with Democrats to offer an amendment to turn the one-time 2% bonus in the House budget into a true recurring 2% COLA, but the amendment was ruled out of order. We will continue to press for a true COLA throughout this process.
N.C. House Proposal • All state employees and local education employees get $500. • All state employees and local employees who worked continuously from March 2020 to Oct. 2021 earning less than $75,000 annually or worked as school principal or in law enforcement, adult corrections and juvenile justice, or 24-hour DHHS facility receive an additional $1,000. • All state employees and local employees who worked continuously from March 2020 to Oct. 2021 earning less than $40,000 annually or worked as school principal or in law enforcement, adult corrections and juvenile justice, or 24-hour DHHS facility receive an additional $500. • Implementation of a correctional pay plan based on experience (an average of 7% increase).
• Community college non-faculty employees 4% (2% each year) and a lift to $13 minimum wage, to be increased to $15 minimum wage in year two. Faculty receives a 3.5% each year. • $13/hour minimum wage for non-certified public school and state-funded community college employees; $15/hour in year two. • Retirees receive 2% bonus each year of the biennium (4% over two years). • 5% pay raises over two years for most state employees and UNC, Community College SHRA and EHRA faculty. 3% pay raise for EHRA non-faculty making less than $95,000.
N.C. Senate Proposal • 3% pay raises over two years for most state employees, teachers, UNC, and Community College staff. • 7% average pay increase for corrections officers and a new salary schedule. • Employees earning less than $75,000 annually and all law enforcement, correctional officers and staff, and employees at 24-hour facilities receive a $1,500 bonus.
• Employees earning more than $75,000 annually receive a $1,000 bonus. • $13/hour minimum wage for non-certified public school and Comm. College employees. • No cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) or bonus for retirees. • Separates Adult Corrections from the Department of Public Safety and into its own cabinet-level agency.
Gov. Cooper’s Proposal • Most state employees receive 5% pay raise over two years and a $1,000 bonus in each of the next two years; UNC, Community College, and non-certified school personnel receive a 7.5% pay raise and $4,000 bonus over two years. • Minimum $15 wage for non-certified school personnel. • Retirees receive a 2% COLA and a 2% bonus in each of the next two years.
SCHOLARSHIP PUBLIC POLICY The SEANC Scholarship Foundation and SEANC districts across the state announced they are awarding $138,000 in scholarships; $40,000 of that is being given out by the statewide SEANC Scholarship Foundation to 44 deserving students. The five categories of statewide scholarships include: MEMBER-ONLY $500 scholarship awarded to SEANC members.
TWO-YEAR MERIT $500 scholarship to attend a community college, technical school, or trade school.
TWO-YEAR FINANCIAL $500 scholarship to attend a community college, technical school, or trade school.
FOUR-YEAR MERIT $1,000 scholarship to attend a four-year college or university.
Member-Only ($500)
Two-Year Merit ($500)
Reagan N. Dawson Kinston
Lenoir Community College Daughter of District 64 member Benjamin Dawson Department of Health & Human Services
Carter W. Bigford Delco
Cape Fear Community College Son of District 62 member Sandra Bigford Department of Public Safety
FOUR-YEAR FINANCIAL $1,200 scholarship to attend a four-year college or university.
Emily Lassiter Burnsville
Ashville-Buncombe Tech. Comm. College Daughter of District 2 member David Lassiter Department of Transportation
Haven Suiter Valdese
Western Piedmont Community College Daughter of District 7 member Kelli Suiter Department of Health & Human Services
Brenda Williams Raleigh
Amanda Allen Sylva
UNC Chapel Hill Member of District 44 Department of State Treasurer
Western Carolina University Member of District 1 Southwestern Community College
Rebecca Wheeler Franklinton
Octavius Shelley Winterville
Two-Year Financial ($500)
Abigail Pruitt Greenville
Pitt Community College Daughter of District 65 member Tabitha Murray East Carolina University
Joshua Priddy Sandy Ridge
Forsyth Technical Community College Son of District 16 member Michael Priddy Department of Transportation
Trenton E. Harris Clayton Universal Technical Institute Son of District 38 member Craig Harris Department of Public Safety
THE
REPORTER
Bridgette D. Griffin Kinston
Western Carolina University Member of District 26 Department of Public Safety
Martin Community College Member of District 64 Department of Health & Human Services
James Sprunt Community College Member of District 70 UNC Hospitals
State Employees Association of NC 1621 Midtown Place • Raleigh, NC 27609 919-833-6436 • 800-222-2758 • www.seanc.org
Jonathan Owens, Editor-In-Chief • Beth Dew, Managing Editor
Rev. Mac Melvin Elizabethtown
NC Theological Seminary Member of District 23 Department of Transportation
ADVERTISING POLICY SEANC accepts advertising material from companies and persons seeking to communicate with SEANC members. Acceptance of this advertising does not indicate SEANC approval or endorsement of any representation that the message, product or service is as represented by the advertiser. SEANC accepts no responsibility and shall not be liable for any use of or reliance on any such information, product or service. SEANC is a private entity and is under no obligation to carry advertisements of any nature, political or otherwise, that may be viewed as contrary to the interests of the association and its membership. © Copyright 2021 SEANC. All rights reserved.
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THE REPORTER • September 2021
The Reporter, USPS 009-852 (ISSN 1069 2142), is published six times a year in the months of February, April, June, July, September and November for $2.50 per year, per member, by the State Employees Association of North Carolina, Inc., 1621 Midtown Place, Raleigh, NC 27609. Periodicals postage paid at Raleigh and additional offices. POSTMASTER, Send address changes to: THE REPORTER, 1621 Midtown Place, Raleigh, NC 27609.
SCHOLARSHIP MEMBERS IN ACTION Four-Year Merit ($1,000)
Jacob C. Crawford Newland
UNC Chapel Hill Son of District 5 member Chris Crawford Department of Public Safety
Elizabeth Haff China Grove
UNC Charlotte Daughter of District 10 member Richard Haff Department of Transportation
Karsey Westerbeek Warsaw
Catherine Buchholtz Morganton
NC State University Daughter of District 61 member Danna Westerbeek Duplin County Schools
UNC Chapel Hill Daughter of District 7 member Kevin Buchholtz Dept. of Health & Human Services
Annaleigh Breedlove Morganton UNC Chapel Hill Daughter of District 6 member Keith Breedlove Department of Health & Human Services
Madison Massey Smithfield Meredith College Daughter of District 58 member Penny Massey Department of Public Safety
Nathaneal Starling Princeton
East Carolina University Son of District 57 member Michael Starling Edgecombe Community College
Emma Davis Clemmons
Breanna Laws Durham
UNC Chapel Hill Daughter of District 16 member Ray Davis, Jr. Retired
Ava Elizabeth Barlow Robbinsville UNC Chapel Hill Daughter of District 1 member Shawndee Barlow Department of Public Safety
Bethany Lockhart Raleigh
Wake Forest University Daughter of District 8 member Jerry Laws Department of Public Safety
UNC Chapel Hill Daughter of District 39 member Kathleen Bradley-Lockhart NC State University
Sylvia K. Jennings Elizabeth City
Hannah Clark Whiteville
East Carolina University Daughter of District 18 member Tonya Jennings Administrative Office of the Courts
Anderson University Daughter of District 23 member Kenneth Clark Department of Transportation
Jaime E. Brunson Hope Mills UNC Chapel Hill Daughter of District 22 member Donna Benfield Public Works Commission
Andrew D. McCormick Whispering Pines Wingate University Son of District 20 member Hoyt A. McCormick Moore County Schools
Four-Year Financial ($1,200)
Alexys Oliver Red Springs
UNC Pembroke Daughter of District 20 member Jacque Chatman Department of Public Safety
Mia Hopkins Raleigh
UNC Charlotte Daughter of District 28 member Marcellus Hopkins Department of Health & Human Services
Madison Koehn Hubert
UNC Charlotte Daughter of District 61 member Brian Koehn Onslow County Schools
Samayia Floyd Henderson
Sophia Ordóñez Southport
Appalachian State University Daughter of District 62 member Jennifer Ordóñez Brunswick County Schools
NC A&T State University Daughter of District 21 member Kathy Floyd Department of Health & Human Services
Zabrina Hice Morganton
Bailey G. Cook Deep Gap
Appalachian State University Daughter of District 3 member Dan Cook Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University Daughter of District 5 member Amanda Hice Department of Public Instruction
Carson Shoup Lawndale
UNC Charlotte Son of District 4 member Allen D. Shoup Department of Transportation
Brianna Pineda Raleigh
East Carolina University Daughter of District 38 member Melissa Madrid Department of Public Instruction
Morgan Pruitt Grimesland
East Carolina University Daughter of District 65 member Tabitha Murray East Carolina University
Zakiyah Hill Lumberton
NC A&T State University Daughter of District 24 member Antonio Hill Department of Public Safety
Brandon Cain Fayetteville
Fayetteville State University Son of District 22 member Latoya Cain Department of Health & Human Services
Frederick Drew Edenton
Barton College Son of District 68 member Gladys Privott Department of Public Safety
JaShya Roberts Winston-Salem
High Point University Son of District 16 member James Roberts Davidson Community College
Sanaa Marshall Durham
Hampton University Daughter of District 27 member Tammie Marshall NC Central University
THE REPORTER • September 2021
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PUBLIC POLICY
“It is a testament to the great leadership of Brenda Williams and the hardworking employees in the Unclaimed Property Division. Let’s remember that this incredible performance was done during a difficult time dealing with the challenges surrounding the pandemic.” Williams attributed the increase to several factors. First among them is the hard work of her staff – state employees who she said come to work every day with the mission to help people, even while facing their own challenges as some adjusted to working from home. “It’s great to lead a team of people who love what they do,” Williams said. “I have to give them praise for their dedication to their work. They put extra effort in quickly transitioning to work from home to ensure uninterrupted service to the public.” The implementation of a new computer system with advanced automated features also helped. The ability to file claims and submit documents online, coupled with the fact that more people were at home to search their names on nccash.com, caused a significant increase in the number of claims filed. With folks strapped for cash during the pandemic, Williams and Folwell successfully lobbied the N.C. General Assembly to allow her department to
State Treasurer Dale F. Folwell, CPA with Deputy Treasurer of UPD and SEANC North Central Region Representative Brenda Williams.
temporarily take a more proactive approach to help. The legislature’s COVID relief bill gave her department the authority to pay certain simple claims under $250 – “the low hanging fruit,” as she called it – without requiring a claim form. “This allowed us to quickly get money into the hands of people who needed it,” she said. This program, called NCCash Match, was so successful that the legislature made it permanent this session and increased its limit to $5,000. Williams said she hopes for an even bigger payout total next year as her department continues to find more efficient ways to reunite people with their money. “We have a lot of fun stories about people being completely shocked to learn we have money that belongs to them,” she said. “Like all state employees, we’re doing the work that touches lives.”
KOREY WHEELER
As a global pandemic raged in 2020 and uncertainty became the norm, District 44 member Brenda Williams was in the perfect business – the business of giving away money! Williams, who serves on the SEANC Executive Committee as North Central Region Representative, has been Deputy Treasurer of the Unclaimed Property Division (UPD) in the State Treasurer’s office since 2013. UPD is responsible for receiving, safeguarding, and distributing property that is turned over to the Treasurer’s offices because the owner cannot be located. Sources of these funds can be everything from old bank accounts and contents of abandoned safe deposit boxes, to insurance policy proceeds and unclaimed rebates. Last year, the department nearly doubled the amount of money it returned to citizens at a time when that money was needed the most. Preliminary, unaudited numbers show UPD paid out 125,134 claims in the fiscal year ending in June 2021, valued at $70,447,817. That represents a 120% increase in the number of claims paid and a 77% increase in the dollar amount. “It’s amazing what NCCash has accomplished over the past year,” State Treasurer Dale R. Folwell, CPA said.
KOREY WHEELER
Williams leads NCCash to record year when it’s needed the most
State Treasurer's Office Unclaimed Property Division staff.
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THE REPORTER • September 2021
RETIREE FOCUS SEANC awards
SCHOLARSHIPS to members’ grandchilden
The following SEANC members’ grandchildren were awarded $500 scholarships to assist their accredited college or university expenses. The awards were given by the SEANC Retiree Council – thanks to generous donations from Districts 2, 27, 38, 44, 58, and 61.
Alexys Oliver Red Springs
UNC Pembroke granddaughter of District 20 member Clara Oliver
Braxton Nowell Leland UNC Chapel Hill grandson of District 62 member Esther Smith
Megan Cribb Nakina
Cape Fear Community College granddaughter of District 23 member Sue Faulk
Imani M. Simmons Raleigh NC Central University granddaughter of District 44 member Sylvia Moore
Daniel Chandler Morganton
Jacob Crawford Morganton
Jillian Richmond Pinehurst
Caleb Turner Garner
Camilia Miles Edenton
Erik Murphy, Jr. Seffner, FL
Washington & Lee University grandson of District 5 member John M. Searcy
UNC Chapel Hill grandson of District 21 member Carolyn Turner
UNC Chapel Hill grandson of District 6 member Lottie C. Chapman
NC State University granddaughter of District 68 member Derrick Wadsworth
UNC Chapel Hill granddaughter of District 20 member Mary Roukema
Community Christian College grandson of District 68 member Ella J. Merrick
ANNUAL WELLNESS VISIT REMINDER An annual wellness visit with your Primary Care Physician (PCP) is an important step in maintaining your best health. Your North Carolina State Health Plan Humana Medicare Advantage Plan provides coverage for one annual wellness visit with your PCP every 12 months, at no cost to you! This visit gives you the opportunity to develop or update a personalized prevention plan with your PCP based upon your current health, lifestyle, and risk factors. The goal is to create a plan just for you – to help you avoid or reduce the effects of conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. When you help your doctor understand your health history and concerns, the two of you can chart a course to keep you healthy going forward. That gives you power to anticipate and prevent surprise medical issues. Please note that discussing new symptoms with your PCP during your annual wellness visit may cause your appointment to be billed as diagnostic and require a PCP copay. Humana does not determine the nature of your visit; Humana will process all claims according to the plan benefits. Covered preventive services are covered at 100%; diagnostic visits will have the applicable cost share apply. Get Rewarded – Go 365! Visit MyHumana.com or call 1-888-700-2263 (TTY: 711)
Apply now at www.ncsecu.org. Must be an SECU member to apply.
THE REPORTER • September 2021
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JOHNNY DAVISON
MEMBERS IN ACTION
SEANC provided Chick-Fil-A lunches to state employees on June 16 at Bicentennial Mall. Pictured above are SEANC State EMPAC Chairman Mark Dearmon and SEANC Executive Director Ardis Watkins serving lunch.
District 65 and SEANC staff welcomed faculty and staff back to work at East Carolina University with a free lunch on July 21. SEANC Representative Gloria Evans signs up a new member while District 65 member Cynthia Brown gets him a goody bag.
District 40 and SEANC staff delivered lunch to workers at Johnston Correctional Institution in Smithfield on June 23.
District 57 and SEANC staff hosted a Chick-Fil-A lunch at Longleaf Neuro-Medical Treatment Center on June 30. More than 40 new members chose to empower themselves by joining SEANC at the event! District 43 member Nicole Hunter and District 43 Chair Brenda Johnson greet DMV H.Q. staff on July 27 for a treat and to hear about SEANC!
Executive Director Ardis Watkins, District 22 member Rashia Norman, Emerging Leaders Chair Emily Jones, and Member Services Rep. Felicia Powell met with new and existing members during the Women Working in Criminal Justice Annual Workshop in Raleigh on July 29.
District 27 and SEANC staff hosted an employee appreciation event on July 15 at the Durham County Courthouse. Pictured above SEANC General Treasurer Chevella L. Thomas meets with Judge Wilkes.
District 38 and SEANC staff sponsored an appreciation lunch for N.C. Dept of Insurance staff on July 21.
District 22 and SEANC sponsored an employee appreciation Chick-Fil-A lunch at Cumberland County Courthouse on June 24.
District 22 and SEANC staff visited Harnett Correctional in Lillington on July 23.
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THE REPORTER • September 2021
District 62 and SEANC staff visited several worksites in New Hanover County on June 17 including UNCW, Juvenile Justice, the District Attorney’s Office, the Public Defenders Office, and a Lunch and Learn Event at Probation & Parole!
Doug Sutton
Insurance Services Providing quality and affordable insurance to SEANC members for over 40 years. We appreciate doing business with you!
STATE PERSONNEL CASES:
PROTECTING STATE EMPLOYEE RIGHTS Representing State Employees in Grievances, Court of Appeals, and NC Office of Administrative Hearings ■ Disciplinary Appeals ■ Grievances /Just Cause ■ Exempt Designation ■ Health Care Registry
■ Whistleblower Cases ■ Dismissal Appeals ■ Law Enforcement Certification
State employees are good people. But even good people make mistakes — mistakes that violate your rights as a career employee, discriminate against you, or cost you a promotion or job. I’ve practiced law for over 20 years, including 10 years as a Wake County district court judge. I’ve got the experience you need to guide you through your personnel case.
Please call us if we can be of service.
919-836-9993 or Toll Free: 1-800-788-7771 dougsutton@dougsuttonins.com
If you have a grievance, disciplinary appeal, or any state employment matter, call (919) 624-5171 or email me at jennifer@jenniferknoxlaw.com.
The Law Office of Jennifer Knox
4600 Marriott Drive, Suite 200 ■ Raleigh, NC 27612 919-624-5171 ■ www.jenniferknoxlaw.com
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THE REPORTER • September 2021
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