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3.7 Long Term Differential

  1. This section applies to Caltrans employees who otherwise qualify for long term per diem pursuant to Section 7.1, Business and Travel Expenses.  Employees receiving the differential provided for in this section shall not receive long term per diem.

  2. Caltrans employees who are assigned in writing to Long Term Assignments (LTA) for more than one year (365 days) at the outset of their assignment letter and who otherwise qualify for long term per diem shall receive a monthly pay differential in lieu of long term per diem for meals and receipted lodging.

  3. To qualify for the LTA monthly differential, affected employees shall be required to submit receipts as proof that actual lodging expenses were incurred.

  4. The LTA monthly differential will be paid for a period starting the first day of the actual assignment and will end the last day of the assignment.  The monthly differential shall be pro-rated for months in which the LTA begins or ends in the middle of the month.

  5. The LTA monthly differential shall be $3,000.00.   Effective the first day of the pay period following ratification by both parties, this rate shall be the same for employees who maintain (and employees who do not maintain) a separate permanent residence at their headquarters location as otherwise described for purposes of long term travel reimbursement in subsection 7.1 of this agreement.

  6. Long Term Differential Pay shall not be added to base pay for purposes of calculating such things as overtime.

  7. Long Term Differential Pay shall not be considered compensation for purposes of retirement contributions.

  8. Departments other than Caltrans may provide the Long Term Assignments differential provided in this section at the department’s discretion