Okla. Stat. tit. 74, § 74-840-2.18

A. A longevity pay plan is hereby adopted. This plan applies

to all state employees, excluding members of boards and commissions,

institutions under the administrative authority of the Oklahoma

State Regents for Higher Education, employees of public school

districts, and elected officials. The plan shall also apply to

those employees of the Oklahoma School for the Blind and the

Oklahoma School for the Deaf who qualify for longevity pay in

accordance with subsection G of Section 1419 of Title 10 of the

Oklahoma Statutes.

B. The Oklahoma Conservation Commission is hereby authorized to

establish a longevity pay program for employees of the conservation

districts employed under Section 3-3-103 of Title 27A of the

Oklahoma Statutes. Such longevity pay program shall be consistent

with the longevity pay program for state employees authorized under

this title and payments shall be made in a manner consistent with

procedures for reimbursement to conservation districts.

C. To be eligible for longevity pay, employees must have been

continuously employed in the service of the state for a minimum of

two (2) years in full-time status or in part-time status working

more than one thousand (1,000) hours a year.

For purposes of this section, a break in service of thirty (30)

calendar days or less shall not be considered an interruption of

continuous service; a break in service of more than thirty (30)

calendar days shall mark an end to continuous service. The

legislative session employees who have worked for two (2) years or

more in part-time status and are eligible for state retirement

benefits, but do not receive other longevity payments, shall be

eligible and shall be considered to have been continuously employed

for purposes of calculating longevity payments, notwithstanding the

provisions of subsection E of this section.

D. 1. Longevity pay for the first twenty (20) years of service

shall be determined pursuant to the following schedule:

Years of Service Annual Longevity Payment

At least 2 years but

less than 4 years $250.00

At least 4 years but

less than 6 years $426.00

At least 6 years but

less than 8 years $626.00

At least 8 years but

less than 10 years $850.00

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 74. State Government Page 527

At least 10 years but

less than 12 years $1,062.00

At least 12 years but

less than 14 years $1,250.00

At least 14 years but

less than 16 years $1,500.00

At least 16 years but

less than 18 years $1,688.00

At least 18 years but

less than 20 years $1,900.00

At least 20 years $2,000.00

2. For each additional two (2) years of service after the first

twenty (20) years an additional Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) shall

be added to the amount stated above for twenty (20) years of

service.

The total amount of the annual longevity payment made to an

employee by any and all state agencies in any year shall not exceed

the amount shown on the table corresponding to that employee's years

of service with the state, except as otherwise provided by Section

840-2.28 of this title. Further, no employee shall receive

duplicating longevity payments for the same periods of service with

any and all agencies, except as otherwise provided by Section 840-

2.28 of this title.

E. To determine years of service, cumulative periods of full-

time employment or part-time employment working more than one

hundred fifty (150) hours per month with the state excluding service

as specified in subsection A of this section are applicable. Part-

time employment, working one hundred fifty (150) hours per month or

less for the state, excluding service as specified in subsection A

of this section, shall be counted only if:

1. The period of employment was continuous for at least five
rking more than one

hundred fifty (150) hours per month with the state excluding service

as specified in subsection A of this section are applicable. Part-

time employment, working one hundred fifty (150) hours per month or

less for the state, excluding service as specified in subsection A

of this section, shall be counted only if:

1. The period of employment was continuous for at least five

(5) months; and

2. a. The person worked more than two-fifths (2/5) time.

Other employment shall not be counted as service for purposes of

longevity payments. Further, no period of employment with the

state, whether with one or more than one agency, shall be counted as

more than full-time service.

b. For purposes of the computation required by this

section, any service performed by a person during

which the person received compensation for duties

performed for the state shall be counted if payment

for such service was made using state fiscal

resources. The provisions of this paragraph shall not

apply to elected or appointed justices or judges,

including special judges, who perform services in the

trial or appellate courts. The provisions of this

section shall apply to persons who perform services as

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 74. State Government Page 528

an administrative law judge within the executive

department and employees of the judicial branch.

F. Years of service under the administrative authority of the

Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education or the administrative

authority of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology

Education of any employee who is now employed in a job

classification which is eligible for longevity pay shall be included

in years of service for purposes of determining longevity pay.

G. Years of service shall be certified through the current

employing agency by the appointing authority on a form approved by

the Office of Management and Enterprise Services. The form shall be

completed and posted as directed by the Director of the Office of

Management and Enterprise Services by the current employing agency

when the employee initially enters on duty with the agency and

thereafter whenever the employee's anniversary date is changed.

H. Eligible employees, in full-time status or in part-time

status working more than one hundred fifty (150) hours per month,

shall receive one (1) lump-sum annual payment, in the amount

provided on the preceding schedule, during the month following the

anniversary date of the employee's most recent enter-on-duty day

with the state. Upon implementation of the statewide information

systems project, the lump-sum annual payment may be paid concurrent

with the final payroll of the month of the employee's anniversary

date. Eligible part-time employees who work one hundred fifty (150)

hours per month or less shall receive one (1) lump-sum annual

payment, based on the formula in subsection L of this section,

during the month following the anniversary date of the employee's

most recent enter-on-duty day with the state. To receive longevity

pay an employee must be in pay status on or after his or her

anniversary date.

Eligible employees who would not otherwise receive annual

longevity payments because their employment includes regular periods

of leave without pay in excess of thirty (30) calendar days shall

receive one (1) lump-sum annual payment, based on the formula in

subsection L of this section, during:

1. The month of August if the employee is in pay status on July

1; or

2. During the month following the employee's first return to

duty that fiscal year if the employee is not in pay status on July

1.

Except as otherwise provided by Section 840-2.28 of this title,

employees terminated as a result of a reduction-in-force or retiring

from state employment shall receive upon said termination or

retirement the proportionate share of any longevity payment which

may have accrued as of the date of termination or retirement.
o

duty that fiscal year if the employee is not in pay status on July

1.

Except as otherwise provided by Section 840-2.28 of this title,

employees terminated as a result of a reduction-in-force or retiring

from state employment shall receive upon said termination or

retirement the proportionate share of any longevity payment which

may have accrued as of the date of termination or retirement.

Provided further that, the proportionate share of any longevity

payment which may have accrued as of the date of death of an

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 74. State Government Page 529

employee shall be made to the surviving spouse of the employee or if

there is no surviving spouse to the estate of the employee.

I. Periods of leave without pay taken in accordance with

Section 840-2.21 of this title shall be counted as service. Other

periods of nonpaid leave status in excess of thirty (30) calendar

days shall not mark a break in service; however, they shall:

1. Not be used in calculating total months of service for

longevity pay purposes; and

2. Extend the anniversary date for longevity pay by the total

period of time on nonpaid leave status except as provided in

subsection H of this section for employees whose conditions of

employment include regular periods of leave without pay.

J. Employees currently receiving longevity pay who work for the

Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education shall not be

eligible for the longevity pay plan provided for in this section.

K. A break in service with the state in excess of thirty (30)

days but which does not exceed two (2) years which was caused by a

reduction-in-force shall be treated as if it were a period of

nonpaid leave status as provided for in subsection I of this section

for the purpose of calculating total months of service for longevity

pay. This subsection shall only apply to state employees laid off

after June 30, 1982.

L. Eligible part-time employees working less than one hundred

fifty (150) hours per month and other eligible employees with

regular annual periods of leave without pay of more than thirty (30)

calendar days will receive a prorated share of the "Annual Longevity

Payment" authorized in subsection D of this section. The prorated

amount of payment will be based on actual hours worked in the

immediately preceding twelve (12) months.

M. An employee shall not be entitled to retroactive longevity

payments as a result of amendments to this section unless

specifically authorized by law.

N. The Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise

Services is authorized to promulgate such Longevity Pay Plan Rules

as he or she finds necessary to carry out the provisions of this

section.

O. As of July 1, 1998, years of service with a city-county

health department for employees who left a city-county health

department for employment with the Department of Environmental

Quality or the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and

Forestry, between July 1, 1993, and July 1, 1998, and who are now

employed in a job classification that is eligible for longevity pay

pursuant to this section, shall be included in years of service for

purposes of determining longevity pay subsequent to July 1, 1998.

P. As of July 1, 2003, years of service with a local

conservation district shall be included in years of service for

purposes of determining longevity pay for local conservation

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 74. State Government Page 530

district employees transferred to the Oklahoma Conservation

Commission pursuant to the provisions of this section.