Lobbying
During the legislative session, the TSEA lobbying team is hard at work on state employee issues at Capitol Hill. A glance at TSEA's legislative accomplishments over just the past 20 years shows just how effective those lobbying efforts are. TSEA's legislative record is one of the best on Capitol Hill.
TSEA drafts and lobbies legislation to improve state employee pay, benefits and working conditions; to provide fair employment standards and grievance procedures; to ensure job security; and to improve retirement benefits. TSEA's lobbying team then works with legislators to turn that legislation into law.
2007 Legislative Accomplishments:
- $42.3 million was approved for a full 3% across-the-board pay increase for all state employees effective July 1, 2007.
- A total of $23.8 million was approved in the budget for 1/2 of the remaining compression adjustment effective of July 1, 2007. The cap per individual for full funding is $10,000.
- A total of $3.1 million was approved for a management salary plan – an increase for the Department Manager level up to the Commissioner level.
- A total of $6.6 million was added to increase the 401k match to $50, effective July 1.
- $33.0 million was approved for a 3% across-the-board raise for Higher Education employees.
- $75,000 was approved for Class Comp Adjustments.
- Longevity was continued at the same level.
- Comprehensive Pay Plan continues to be on schedule for finalization in December.
- State employees who do not enroll in the basic health insurance plan are now able to participate in the basic term life and accidental death & dismemberment insurance plans effective January 1, 2008.
- Legislation was passed to require agencies to compensate employees, regardless of budgetary constraints, if the employee is assigned to perform the duties of a higher level classification for more than 90 days.
Click Here to view our Lobby Record Brochure!
| Date of Retirement |
Percentage Increase |
| Prior to 7/2/75 | 10.0% |
| 7/2/75 - 7/1/77 | 7.5% |
| 7/2/77 - 7/1/79 | 6.0% |
| 7/2/79 - 7/1/81 | 3.0% |
| 7/2/81 - 7/1/83 | 1.2% |
| 7/2/83 - 7/1/85 | 0.9% |
| 7/2/85 - 7/1/87 | 0.5% |
| 7/2/87 - 7/1/89 | 0.3% |
Increases are not retroactive and become effective January 1, 2007
Back to top
Comprehensive Pay Plan
Included in the appropriations act is “a sum sufficient for the sole purpose of developing a proposed comprehensive pay plan. The proposed pay plan shall include provisions providing for periodic adjustment of individual employee compensation in a manner that would appropriately move state employees through their salary ranges and, thereby, would avoid future salary compression problems. In developing the plan, the department shall consult with the Tennessee State Employees Association and other stakeholders.”
Back to top
Without TSEA, these would not exist:
- Protection during mergers, consolidations and reductions-in-force
- Longevity pay
- Retiree insurance with retiree having 30 years of service paying only 20% of premium
- Grievance rights and representation without reprisal
- Medicare supplement with employer contribution toward premium
- First State to match employee contribution to 401(k)
- Sick Leave Bank with employee representation
- Bereavement Leave
- 25% discount for children of active and retired state employees to attend state colleges, universities, and technical schools
- Tuition-free course per term for state employees at state colleges, universities and technical schools
- Employees on disability retirement maintain state insurance
- Whistleblower Protection
- TSEA Representative on State Insurance Committee
- Compounded retirement COLA
- Appeals rights on evaluation process and final evaluation results
- Legal right to communicate with legislators
- Use of sick leave for family member illness
- Pay when required to work more than 90 days above your classification
- Elimination of Social Security and driver's license numbers from personnel files
- Privatization of prison system blocked
- Upgrades and classification compensation
- 50% year-round discount for all state employees on camping fees charged in state park system
- Reorganization cannot result in loss of civil service rights, compensation or benefits
- 90 day notice before lay off
- Blocked privatization of Tourism
- Stopped merger of MHDD with Department of Health
- Extension of TCRS credit for military service
- Protection from unjust disciplinary actions
- Purchase of prior service available on installment plan
TSEA makes the difference, but there is more to do! We invite you to join and make our voice even stronger
Back to top
