1.6.12
Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting reports “State’s confidential employees’ pension plan costs state ‘extra’ $3 million. Confidential employees are defined as state employees not eligible for collective bargaining because they are either in high-level, policymaking jobs or they are involved in union contract negotiations.”
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The Sun Journal Reports “Confidential employees’ pension costs state $3M.”
As state employees and teachers “fight the governor’s proposal to take almost 10 percent out of their paychecks to cover their pensions and pension debt, about 1,200 state employees known as
“confidentials” have no such worry.”
“Those employees — mostly in higher pay grades — will put only 3.65 percent of their pay into the retirement system if Gov. Paul LePage’s pension legislation is approved.
This would continue the longstanding gap that goes back to 1981 between regular state employees and the confidentials.
Confidential employees are defined as state employees not eligible for collective bargaining because they are either in high-level, policymaking jobs or they are involved in union contract negotiations.
Examples of positions classified as confidential include assistant director of nursing, budget analyst and civil engineer.
Almost all of the pension costs for confidentials is borne by the state.
Last year, the state paid about $3 million more than it would have paid if confidentials contributed the same percentage as regular employees, according to calculations provided by the state Finance Department to the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting.
The contribution difference means confidential employees take home a larger percentage of their paychecks.
A teacher, for example, who makes $35,000, now pays $2,677 per year into the pension system. That will go up to $3,377 if the governor’s proposal is approved.
A confidential employee, such as a staff attorney, who makes $75,000 per year, now has to pay $1,237 per year for his or her pension. That would increase to $2,737.
State documents also showed that the number of confidential employees has been going up steadily over the past decade.”
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STATE OF MAINE
OUTLINE OF EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR
CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEES
At and near the top of State Government’s management structure, there are employees known as Confidentials. Confidential employees have the responsibility for managing the resources of State Government, establishing State policy, and providing support service to State management. Individually and collectively, confidential employees manage State Government and are ultimately responsible for the efficiency and effectiveness of its programs and services.
Additionally, confidential employees develop for the Governor’s consideration management policies and procedures and legislative proposals. They are the link between each Administration and the bureaucracy, and between each Governor and the Legislature.
Confidential employees are in both the unclassified and classified services and are excluded from representation through collective bargaining. There are approximately 700 confidential employees with a variety of backgrounds and expertise, encompassing a broad range of occupations, all working together for the common public good.
This summary outlines the benefits available to confidential employees. This summary does not supplant Civil Service Law and Rules, except where it alters and broadens some areas covered by specific rules. Questions concerning these benefits or other issues concerning confidential employees may be directed to the:
Department of Administrative and Financial Services
Office of Employee Relations
79 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0079
Tel. (207) 287-4447
Thanks for posting this link – very revealing, especially if you go to the manual here http://www.maine.gov/oer/mission/index.htm; it helps to show how BIG and costly the union involvement in our state government has become.