This article originally provided by AP

September 8, 2005

Manchin seeks more state worker transfer powers

By ERIK SCHELZIG
Associated Press Writer

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Gov. Joe Manchin is asking lawmakers for more flexibility to move government employees between agencies, but some delegates on Thursday wondered how transfers would be monitored and how the positions would be funded.

The bill (SB4004, HB407) would allow the state to transfer workers from one department to another. Currently there is no provision for such transfers.

Kyle Schafer, head of the Governor's Office of Technology, said the proposal would allow for a consolidation of help-desk workers.

"Right now we have help desk organizations within every agency of state government,'' Schafer said. "There's a lot of efficiencies and synergies to be gained by moving all these people into one agency.''

Employees can currently be transferred within their own department but not to another headed by a different cabinet secretary. There are 10 umbrella departments in state government.

The proposal would allow for the forced transfers between departments. In the event that not enough workers volunteer, those with the least seniority would be the first moved.

Legislative committees have worked out an agreement with Manchin's office to limit transfers to workers at or below government pay grade eight, which pays between $16,932 and $31,320. The arrangement also prevents those employees from being placed more than 30 miles from their current work location, said Senate attorney Rita Pauley.

Another point yet to be clarified is the suggestion that transferred employees take along their "assets necessary to support'' them.

Employees taking along a government vehicle may compound existing problems in tracking state property, said Delegate Don Perdue, D-Wayne.

Vehicles are not included in the transfer, said Joe Smith, Manchin's special assistant specializing in personnel matters.

"When we're thinking of assets, we're thinking of their state salaries, their computers, desk and things of that nature,'' he said.

Delegate Ron Walters, R-Kanawha, voiced concern about how to track employees and the impact on department budgets -- which are set by the Legislature.

"I don't think this was ever envisioned to increase the budget of any one agency,'' said Smith.

The rationale behind the measure is to eliminate the necessity of laying off workers from overstaffed departments when jobs with equal responsibilities are needed elsewhere in state government, Smith said.

"I lay a person off, they are eligible for 26 weeks off, and they get to choose whether and when they want to come back on recall,'' he said. "Why shouldn't I be able to transfer that person immediately?''

Smith acknowledged that some consideration has been given to transferring more state workers to certain agencies where they could help maximize federal matching funds.

Manchin has also proposed $67 million in pay raises for teachers and state employees. Manchin wants to boost annual wages by $1,350 for teachers, troopers, corrections officers and juvenile services workers. The remaining state employees would receive $900 raises.

At a public hearing Thursday, the president of the American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia praised Manchin's proposals. Judy Hale singled out Manchin's measure to fill in gaps in the pay schedule for teachers, a four-year, $77 million commitment on top of the raises.

But while calling Manchin's bills a "good start,'' Charles Delauder, president of the rival West Virginia Education Association, urged lawmakers to tinker with the governor's pay scale plan.

Manchin's approach to filling the gaps would leave more than 8,200 of the state's 20,000-plus teachers without any pay increases after the first year, Delauder said.

"Teachers need to be able to plan for their futures,'' he said. "Being on the salary roller coaster that we're on makes that very difficult.''

Representatives for state workers, meanwhile, told lawmakers at the hearing to ensure $1,350 raises for all.

"We think it's disgraceful that pay levels are so low, public employees qualify for food stamps,'' said Gary Zuckett, a lobbyist for the local council of the American Federation of Federal, State, County and Municipal Employees.

AP-ES-09-08-05 1851EDT