SALARY RATES Section 12.1 The following shall apply to full-time employees including so called TPL A and B: A. Effective the first full pay period in July 2020, employees who meet the eligibility criteria provided in Section 2 of this Article shall receive a two and one- half percent (2.5%) increase in salary rate. B. Effective the first full pay period in July, 2021, employees who meet the eligibility criteria provided in Section 2 of this Article shall receive a two percent (2%) increase in salary rate. C. Effective the first pay period in July, 2022, employees who meet the eligibility criteria in Section 2 of this Article shall receive a two percent (2%) increase in salary rate. D. All employees who are currently active upon the date of signing of this MOU, will receive a one-time COVID Recognition Payment of one and one-half percent (1.5%) of their base salary. (A minimum amount of $1,000 shall be set for the one-time payment.) Section 12.2 Employees who receive a "Below" rating on their annual EPRS evaluation shall not be eligible to receive the salary increases provided in Section 1 of this Article, nor any step increases. Employees who receive a "Below" rating will have their performance reviewed on a monthly basis in accordance with Article 24A of this Agreement and will become eligible for the salary and step rate increase previously denied effective upon the date of receiving a "Meets" or "Exceeds" rating. Section 12.3 The salary rate for new employees hired, reinstated or re-employed on or after July 1, 1990 shall be Step 1 for the job group of his/her position except in cases where a new employee is hired by a Department/Agency at a salary rate, approved by the Chief Human Resources Officer, above Step 1. A. Under the terms of this Agreement, an employee shall advance to the next higher salary step in his/her job group until the maximum salary rate is reached, unless he/she is denied such step rate by his/her Appointing Authority. An employee shall progress from one step to the next higher step after each fifty-two (52) weeks of creditable service in a step commencing from the first day of the payroll period immediately following his/her anniversary date. B. In the event an employee is denied a step rate increase by his/her Appointing Authority, he/she shall be given a written statement of reasons therefore not later than five (5) days preceding the date when the increase would otherwise have taken effect. Time off the payroll is not creditable service for the purpose of step rate increases, except in circumstances when an employee qualifies for Family and Medical Leave (FMLA), Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML), or any other unpaid leave taken pursuant to Article 8. Section 12.5 Whenever an employee paid in accordance with the salary schedules provided in Appendix A of this Agreement receives a promotion to a higher job group, the employee's new salary rate shall be calculated as follows: 1. For employees who are below the maximum step within their current job: a. Determine the employee’s current salary rate and step within his/her current job group; then b. Find the salary rate of the next higher step within the employee’s current job group; and c. Multiply the employee’s current salary rate by one and three one- hundredths (1.03); then d. Compare the higher of the resultant amounts from b) or c) above to the salary rates for the higher job group into which the employee is being promoted. e. The employee’s salary rate shall be the first rate in the higher job group that at least equals the higher of the resultant amounts from d) above. f. In the event the application of the above formula results in a salary that is less than the amount the employee would receive had he/she been promoted to the next lower grade, the employee’s salary upon promotion shall be increased to the next higher step in the grade the employee is being promoted into. 2. For employees who are at the maximum step within their current job: a. Determine the employee’s current salary rate and step within his/her current job group; then, b. Multiply the employee’s current salary rate by one and three one- hundredths (1.03); then, c. Compare the resultant amount from b) above to the salary rates for the higher job group into which the employee is being promoted. d. The employee’s salary rate shall be the first rate in the higher job group that at least equals the resultant amount from c) above. A. Salary rates of full time employees are set forth in Appendix A of this Agreement, which is attached hereto and is hereby made a part of this Agreement. B. The salary rates set forth in Appendix A shall remain in effect during the term of this agreement. Salary rates shall not be increased or decreased except in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. C. Employees shall be compensated on the basis of the salary rate for their official job classification. Section 12.7 A regular part-time employee shall be entitled to the provisions of this Article in the proportion that his/her service bears to full-time service. A. An employee entering a position within a bargaining unit covered by this Agreement from a position in an equivalent salary grade in a bargaining unit not covered by this Agreement shall be placed at the first step-in-grade up to the maximum of the grade, which at least equals the rate of compensation received immediately prior to his/her entry into the bargaining unit.