Bill > H5530

This bill amends several sections of Rhode Island state law to allow state employees to negotiate longevity payments in their collective bargaining agreements beginning July 1, 2025. Longevity payments are additional compensation provided to employees based on their years of service, typically calculated as a percentage of base salary. Previously, in 2011, the state had eliminated future longevity increases for most state employees across various sectors, including higher education, elementary and secondary education, classified and unclassified service, legislative and judicial branches, and quasi-public corporations. This bill reverses that restriction, giving state employees the option to include longevity payments in future collective bargaining negotiations. The changes apply to employees across multiple state agencies and levels of government, effectively restoring the potential for longevity-based compensation that was suspended over a decade ago. The bill will take effect immediately upon passage, with the new negotiation provisions becoming active on July 1, 2025.

Budget and Finance

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