CCS SCS HB 1548 -- STATE EMPLOYEES

This bill allows any state employee to discuss the operations of
an agency with any member of the legislature, State Auditor,
Attorney General, or any state official or body charged with
investigating alleged misconduct.  A supervisor or appointing
authority cannot take disciplinary action unless the employee
knowingly provided false, confidential, or information regarding
the employee's own wrong doing.  If disciplinary action was taken
against the employee in violation of this section, the employee
can file for an administrative appeal within 30 days of the
alleged violation or can bring civil action for damages caused
within 90 days after the occurrence of the alleged violation.

Nonexempt state employees pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards
Act must be paid for overtime.  Overtime will be paid unless the
employee chooses to use accrued overtime hours as compensatory
time if leave time is available and the employee's supervisor
agrees.  Any nonexempt state employee who works on a state
holiday will have the option of receiving either equal
compensatory time off or payment at the straight hourly rate.

Any state employee requesting cash payment for at least 20 hours
of accrued overtime is to be compensated within 30 calendar days
of the request.

Beginning on January 1, 2006, and annually thereafter, each
department must pay nonexempt state employees in full for any
overtime hours accrued during the previous calendar year not yet
paid or used in the form of compensatory time.  Nonexempt state
employees may retain up to 80 hours of compensatory time.

By November of each year, every department must notify the
Commissioner of the Office of Administration, the House Budget
Chairman, and the Senate Appropriations Chairman of the amount of
overtime paid in the previous year and an estimate of the
overtime to be paid in the current fiscal year.  The fiscal year
estimate is to be a separate line item appropriation for each
department in its appropriation bill.

Each department will report quarterly to the House Budget
Chairman, the Senate Appropriations Chairman, and the
Commissioner of the Office of Administration the cumulative
number of accrued overtime hours for department employees and the
corresponding dollar amount, the appropriated number of full-time
equivalent positions listing vacant positions, the amount of
funds for any vacant positions used to pay overtime compensation,
and the current balance in the department's personal service
fund.

The bill also changes the title of hearing officers at the
Missouri Public Service Commission to administrative law judges.

Missouri House of Representatives
92nd General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 23, 2004 at 11:15 am