Responding to the disclosure that hundreds of newly retired state employees remain on the biweekly state payroll while collecting pensions, state Comptroller Nancy Wyman asked Gov. M. Jodi Rell's budget office Wednesday for an accounting and questioned whether the recent Retirement Incentive Program will save as much as had been claimed.
Wyman, a Democrat, wrote to Robert Genuario, head of the state Office of Policy and Management after The Courant reported Wednesday that more than 500 of the 3,856 state workers who retired under the incentive program are still collecting regular paychecks as temporary workers while they receive pension payments totaling millions of dollars.
Annual savings under the program had been projected at more than $100 million. But Wyman wrote that past incentive programs "have not produced long-term reductions of personnel or payroll" and she's "skeptical about the cost-effectiveness of the latest RIP."
The Courant's story said that OPM's count of 509 rehired retirees differed significantly from the comptroller's records of actual payroll disbursements to them.
"I write to ask for clarification of several issues," Wyman wrote. " … Recent media reports indicate possible differences between calculations done by my office and [OPM] regarding the number of these retirees who have been rehired recently as temporary workers."
She also asked how many more retirees would be rehired, how many of the temporary workers' jobs would be refilled permanently, what savings have been achieved so far, and "what are the expected savings."
Genuario, the Republican governor's budget chief, did not respond to the late-afternoon letter by Wednesday night. One of his top aides, Jeffrey Beckham, offered more explanation but still left questions unanswered.
Beckham said that his office's previously released count of 509 rehires was "what we had approved through the RIP planning process," but now stands at 488 mainly because one agency rehired fewer retirees than approved.
The comptroller's records showed 400 retirees actually back on the job receiving paychecks. But 140 of those are at state colleges and universities and another 40 or so at the University of Connecticut Health Center, which were not included in OPM's two counts, because OPM doesn't have approval power over the higher-education system, judicial branch or legislature.
That could mean the actual number of rehired retirees is far higher than 500. But no official had that answer.
Beckham said: "The difference between our numbers and the comptroller's is that theirs included the higher ed system" — colleges and the health center — "and ours did not."
Asked if any one official or agency has the total number and names of all rehired retirees, Beckham said: "No. You would have to contact the agencies not under our authority directly to get their numbers."
Wyman, a Democrat, wrote to Robert Genuario, head of the state Office of Policy and Management after The Courant reported Wednesday that more than 500 of the 3,856 state workers who retired under the incentive program are still collecting regular paychecks as temporary workers while they receive pension payments totaling millions of dollars.
Annual savings under the program had been projected at more than $100 million. But Wyman wrote that past incentive programs "have not produced long-term reductions of personnel or payroll" and she's "skeptical about the cost-effectiveness of the latest RIP."
The Courant's story said that OPM's count of 509 rehired retirees differed significantly from the comptroller's records of actual payroll disbursements to them.
"I write to ask for clarification of several issues," Wyman wrote. " … Recent media reports indicate possible differences between calculations done by my office and [OPM] regarding the number of these retirees who have been rehired recently as temporary workers."
She also asked how many more retirees would be rehired, how many of the temporary workers' jobs would be refilled permanently, what savings have been achieved so far, and "what are the expected savings."
Genuario, the Republican governor's budget chief, did not respond to the late-afternoon letter by Wednesday night. One of his top aides, Jeffrey Beckham, offered more explanation but still left questions unanswered.
Beckham said that his office's previously released count of 509 rehires was "what we had approved through the RIP planning process," but now stands at 488 mainly because one agency rehired fewer retirees than approved.
The comptroller's records showed 400 retirees actually back on the job receiving paychecks. But 140 of those are at state colleges and universities and another 40 or so at the University of Connecticut Health Center, which were not included in OPM's two counts, because OPM doesn't have approval power over the higher-education system, judicial branch or legislature.
That could mean the actual number of rehired retirees is far higher than 500. But no official had that answer.
Beckham said: "The difference between our numbers and the comptroller's is that theirs included the higher ed system" — colleges and the health center — "and ours did not."
Asked if any one official or agency has the total number and names of all rehired retirees, Beckham said: "No. You would have to contact the agencies not under our authority directly to get their numbers."
TRM_19,
Wyman is asking if the state will achieve the savings projected. She's responsible for the payroll. She should have record of any the agreements for any temp rehires. Seems like pretty simple math. Wyman should be providing more answers than questions.
Larry9876 (09/25/2009, 7:28 AM )