1/17/14:  NTEU and the SEC are entering into a new agreement this week to provide parking subsidies and bicycle expense reimbursement benefits to SEC employees.

Under the new parking program, eligible employees will be permitted to elect to have money deducted from their bi-weekly pay on a pre-tax basis to cover qualified parking expenses up to the maximum amount permitted by law (currently $245 per month). “Qualified parking” is parking provided to an employee by the SEC, or  on or near the SEC office, or on or near a location from which the employee commutes to work (including by carpool, commuter highway vehicle, mass transit). Employees may participate in both the new parking program and the existing, union-negotiated Public Transportation Benefit Program (which is found at Article 23 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement). Employees will self-certify their eligibility to participate and will not be asked to provide receipts. Contributions will begin within thirty days after the agreement is executed.

The Bicycle Reimbursement Program (“BRP”) will provide reimbursement of qualified bicycle commuting expenses of up to $20 per month for employees who regularly commute to and from work via bicycle. Participants must certify that they regularly use a bicycle for a substantial portion of their commute, and must provide receipts for bicycle commuting expenses incurred. Employees may submit requests for reimbursement for the first time in July 2014 for expenses incurred from January 2014 through June 2014.

“The union was pleased to negotiate these new benefits for SEC employees,” NTEU Chapter 293 President Greg Gilman said earlier today. “Thank you to NTEU Negotiator Anna Gnadt and LARO union steward Sue Hannan for their work on this issue. And also very special thanks to Joe McCann and other cycling enthusiasts at the SEC for bringing this issue to the Union's attention."