There will be a little something extra in the paychecks of an estimated 3,000 UC Davis career employees later this month: a $350 lump-sum bonus to eligible, nonunion employees.

The payments "recognize staff for their ongoing contributions after several years without pay increases," according to a background document prepared by the campus budget office. The payments are for central campus employees; the UC Davis Health System is not included.

The payments are due to be made on June 28. Most employees will see extra take-home pay of about $200, after taxes.

To be eligible for a payment, an employee must meet three criteria:

• Employed in a nonrepresented career or partial-year career position (nonprobationary) as of Oct. 1, 2005.
• Employed on the payout date, June 28.
• Recipient of a performance appraisal of satisfactory or better for the period July 1, 2004, through June 30, 2005.

University officials said career, nonrepresented employees are getting one-time payments as the last component of 2005-06's three-part salary program for nonunion staff. The completed parts: last October's 3.5 percent general salary increase based on individual performance, and a 0.5 percent equity fund distributed to employees "in critical classifications with substantial salary lags."

Union-represented employees "bargained one-time payments that have already been paid," according to a fact sheet from the university. Those one-time payments went to workers in the CX, SX, RX and TX units.

For a February estimate of the total expenditure for the lump-sum payments, the budget office tallied approximately 2,945 full-time-equivalent, nonrepresented employees, for a cost of about $1.03 million to make the lump-sum payments.

The payment date, June 28, is a regular payday for people on the university's biweekly pay schedule, and eligible employees will see their extra $350 in their regular paychecks, said Cindy Jones, payroll division manager.

The next payday for employees on the monthly pay schedule is June 30. Two days earlier, each eligible employee in this category will receive a $350 check via direct deposit, if that is how he or she normally is paid, or in the form of a paper check delivered to the employee's department.

University officials said the money is coming from a one-time fund that represents 1 percent of nonunion staff salaries, with 0.55 percent of the fund to be paid to employees and 0.45 percent for training and development.

In advance of the June 28 payout, the university administration prepared a list of questions and answers about the program. Here are excerpts:

Q: Will funding for these payments cover employees in all fund sources (e.g., self-supporting units), or only reg and general fund units?

A: All fund sources are being assessed so the payment will be made against the pool of funds generated from the assessment.

Q: Will taxes be deducted from the $350 payment?

A: Yes. The payment will be taxed at the supplemental rate of taxation: 25 percent federal, 6 percent state, 6.2 percent state disability insurance and 1.45 percent Medicare, if applicable (if the employee pays into Social Security).

Q: How do departments know which members of their staff are eligible for payment so that they may notify them that they are going to receive a Staff Recognition Award payment?

A: Departments and deans' offices will be able to verify their employees' eligibility by referring to Payroll-Personnel System Decision Support report No. 171 (Staff Recognition Payment Roster), to be available on June 5.

Q: How will it be determined if someone is eligible based on a performance evaluation of satisfactory or better for the period July 1, 2004, to June 30, 2005?

A: We will use the merit report from last year and only provide the payment to those that received a merit increase. We realize that it is possible that some employees may be missed during this process, so it will be necessary for departments to spot-check their eligible employees and let us know if someone was missed.

Q: Are contract, limited-term, student employees or floater positions eligible for the one-time payment?

A: No. The payment is only for career employees because the assessment is only charged against career appointments.

Q: Are MSP (Management and Senior Professional) employees eligible for the one-time payment?

A: Yes, as long as their income does not exceed $168,000 annually — base pay plus stipends, BYAs (by-agreement payments), etc.

Q: Are staff that were in a career position on Oct. 1, 2005, but since transitioned from a career to contract position eligible?

A: No. They must be in a career position at the time of payout.

Q: Are staff that were in a represented title on Oct. 1, 2005, but have since transitioned to a nonrepresented title eligible?

A: No. They must have been in a nonrepresented title on Oct. 1, 2005, and at time of payout.

Q: Are staff who transferred to UC Davis from another campus (with no break in service) eligible?

A: Only if they were employed at UC Davis as of Oct. 1, 2005.

Q: Will eligible employees get the full $350 regardless of their percentages of appointment, or will it be prorated for part time?

A: It will be prorated based on percentage of appointment.

Q: Will the payment be generated for an employee who was on an approved leave of absence during October?

A: Yes, as long as the employee was on an approved leave they will be eligible for payment.