TRANSIT SUBSIDY . . . AMOUNT

National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia and Local 3403, American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, Case No. 99 FSIP 113, November 10, 1999 (Release No. 426).

The UNION proposed to raise the transit subsidy from $21.00 to $65.00 per month, the maximum allowed by law.

The AGENCY proposed to raise the transit subsidy from $21.00 to $39.00 per month.

ARBITRATOR Mary E. Jacksteit ordered an increase in the subsidy to $42.00.

TRANSIT SUBSIDY . . . ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES

National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia and Local 3403, American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, Case No. 99 FSIP 113, November 10, 1999 (Release No. 426).

The UNION proposed to expand the existing restricted pool of eligible employees (employees at GS-10 and under) to all eligible employees in the bargaining unit.

The AGENCY proposed to keep the existing eligibility pool of employees at pay grades GS-10 and below.

ARBITRATOR Mary E. Jacksteit ordered the parties to adopt the following:

Beginning January 1, 2000 NSF will pay a monthly transit subsidy of $42 to all eligible full-time bargaining- unit employees.

TRANSIT SUBSIDY . . . CHECK DISTRIBUTION

National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia and Local 3403, American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, Case No. 99 FSIP 113, November 10, 1999 (Release No. 426).

The UNION proposed that employees pick up their subsidy checks over three non-consecutive days between 8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., and on a minimum of one "make up" day between 9:00 a.m. and 12 noon. Employees absent on these days could schedule an appointment to pick up their transit subsidy.

The AGENCY proposed that employees pick up their subsidy checks over two consecutive days and one specific "make up" day between 8:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and again from 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.--the same schedule currently used for bimonthly distributions.

ARBITRATOR Mary E. Jacksteit ordered the parties to adopt the following, slightly modified, version of the UNION's proposal:

Metrochecks will be distributed monthly on [three] non-consecutive days between 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., and one [one] make-up day between 9 a.m. and noon. Employees absent on these days may schedule an appointment to pick up their transit subsidy.

TRANSIT SUBSIDY . . . CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT

National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia and Local 3403, American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, Case No. 99 FSIP 113, November 10, 1999 (Release No. 426).

The UNION proposed that employees receiving a transit subsidy sign the following statement:

I am eligible for a fare subsidy for use on participating public transit systems and will use such a system for commuting this month.

The AGENCY proposed the following:

I certify that I am eligible for a fare subsidy for use on participating public transit systems and am using the entire fare subsidy I receive for commuting on such a system this month.

ARBITRATOR Mary E. Jacksteit ordered the parties to adopt the following:

I hereby certify that: I am a full-time employee of the National Science Foundation and a member of the bargaining unit represented by the American Federation of Government Employees, Local 3404. I do not drive singly nor walk to work on a regular basis, and am not a member of a car pool. I will be using this transit subsidy for my daily commute to and/or from work. I am obtaining this subsidy for my personal commuting use and will not transfer it to anyone else.

This certification concerns a matter within the jurisdiction of an agency of the United States and making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent certification may render me subject to criminal prosecution under Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001.

By signing this certification, I understand that this information may be released as required by law to other Federal agencies for evaluating the overall effectiveness of the Program.

TRANSIT SUBSIDY . . . PRE-TAX PAYROLL DEDUCTION

National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia and Local 3403, American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, Case No. 99 FSIP 113, November 10, 1999 (Release No. 426).

The UNION proposed that the agency implement a pre-tax payroll deduction plan concurrent with the implementation of its new payroll system, which is projected for the summer of 2000.

The AGENCY proposed that the Union either withdraw its proposal or that the pre-tax payroll deduction plan be substituted for the existing direct transit subsidy program.

ARBITRATOR Mary E. Jacksteit ordered the parties to adopt the following:

NSF will implement a TEA-21 [pre-tax] payroll deduction plan with employees eligible for the full statutory benefit, when the new NSF payroll system goes into operation but in no event earlier than January 1, 2001. The direct transit subsidy program will continue in force when this plan is instituted. The parties will immediately upon implementation of this agreement establish a joint labor-management committee to study TEA-21 implementation, members of which shall include individuals with the technical expertise to address administrative and technical issues. This committee will make reports to the parties' chief negotiators on their progress. The committee shall issue recommendations to the parties' chief negotiators on how to implement this program no later than 45 days prior to the implementation date as set above. Failure of the committee to complete its study or arrive at recommendations will not delay implementation. The parties may by joint agreement change the implementation date established herein.