Several MnDOT FLSA exempt employees have recently been asked to pay back hours they worked in pay periods that contained both holidays and approved overtime. While MGEC is trying to understand the employer’s basis for this (no one from MnDOT or MMB has advised us of what they are thinking or that they will be demanding payment), we advise people to respond to any request to refund “overpayments” with the following as written by our attorney: “I do not agree that I was overpaid, and I do not agree to any reduction in my paycheck. If you make an unauthorized reduction of my pay, you will be ... Read More >>
Deferred Compensation Management Change
If you are participating in the deferred compensation (MNDCP 457b) program, first off, congratulations on taking charge of your financial future! But you also need to be aware that the management of that benefit will be transitioning from the “employee self service” portal to the Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS) website. The last day to access your salary deferral in self-service is June 16th, and the first day you can manage it in MSRS is July 1; there will be a blackout period. ... Read More >>
MnDOT Metro Survey:
MnDOT Metro District will be notifying employees in the near future of a new survey process that will assess the current state of the Metro District and inform decision-making as it moves forward. According to DeYoung, the consultant brought on to lead this task, the survey will employe a variety of assessment tools that will bring focus to evaluate Metro’s structure, help it to align to MnDOT’s strategic plan, enhance resource allocation, achieve change-management practices effectively, and increase the ability to be innovative and flexible. The survey tools will include interviews with ... Read More >>
FINAL REMINDER: Scholarship & Awards Application
This is your final reminder to submit your MGEC scholarship applications for the Family Member Scholarships and the Connie Minetor Memorial Scholarship. Applications must be received by MGEC no later than 5:00 pm on June 30, 2025. Winners will be decided by the MGEC Membership Committee in July with announcement in August. MGEC, at their discretion, may award up to $4,000 each calendar year for scholarships, distributed amongst any number of qualified applicants for the Family Member and Connie Minetor Memorial Scholarships. For the MGEC Family Member Scholarship, MGEC will now accept ... Read More >>
Potential State Shutdown
As you no doubt have heard, the Minnesota Legislature has adjourned without passing the budget and spending bills required to maintain continuity of service without the risk of layoffs for MGEC members. While no one is stating that a state shutdown is their goal, the fact remains that planning for a shutdown must take place in the absence of funding bills that pay for services. MGEC, like the state’s other unions, knows as much as the public about what happens next. The Legislature has passed bills that significantly reduces projected future structural imbalances, including public safety, ... Read More >>
A Word from MGEC’s Interim Executive Director
After over 22 years of service, MGEC Executive Director Dana Wheeler has “sailed” towards retirement. We wish him well as he moves into the next chapter, and I thank him for showing me the ropes of MGEC since my own start with the organization in March of 2022. MGEC is a special organization that I feel fortunate to be a part of. As the Exclusive Representative for a group of state employees that has been designated by the legislature as “essential”, it occupies a unique place among the state’s collective bargaining units. Because we have the right to arbitration instead of striking in ... Read More >>